The purpose of this study was to develop the attachable special grip for the Nordic walking（NW） pole and to propose a new NW style with this grip. The seven men, skilled Nordic walker, participated in this study as a subject. All experiments were conducted on a treadmill at 60, 70, 80 and 90m/min under three conditions, Walking （W）, Nordic Walking （NW）, NW with developed grip （GR）. The developed grip can pull down with the elastic rubber tube from the top of the pole during Nordic Walking. The maximum acceleration on the left wrist of GR was significantly lower than that of NW （p <0.05）. Step length was higher for W, GR, and NW, in that order. It was suggested that NW with this grip would induce a reduction in upper and lower limb strain. Oxygen uptake and heart rate were higher GR and NW than W at all speeds （p <0.01/p <0.001）. It was concluded that GR can recruit upper limb muscle groups by pulling the grip and increase energy expenditure without long stride length. This grip is designed universally and useful for the elderly people, lower fitness people and even any Nordic walkers.

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The purpose of present study was clarified to the physiological response to nordic walking with anti-shock poles. The healthy 6 men subjects who familiar with nordic walking participated in this study. They performed three incremental tests（ 20m shuttle walk test）, walking（ W）,nordic walking （NNP）, and nordic walking with anti-shock poles （ASNP）. Heart rate （HR）, respiratory metabolism, muscles oxygenation,perceived of exertion （RPE） and stride length were measured during experiments. HR, V4 O2, muscle oxygenation of triceps brachii, and stride were significantly different in the NNP and ASNP compared to the W. Especially, V4 O2 and total hemoglobin content of triceps brachii of ASNP were significantly higher than those of W only for ASNP at specific speeds. There were no differences between the conditions in muscle oxygenation dynamics in the vastus lateralis. In RPE, NNP and ASNP were higher than W only in upper extremities, with no differences in lower extremities and whole body. It is concluded that ASNP does not compromise the features of NW and provides additional physiological responses depending on the speed.

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This study aimed to determine changes in exercise intensity and emotions during Walking Football （WF） games in young women. The subjects of this study were 29 female university students （20.8 ± 1.1 yr）. Five × 10-minute games were played per day on an outdoor futsal court, and heart rate, number of steps, RPE（rating of perceived exertion）, and walking distance during the games were measured.Exercise intensity ［%HRmax = heart rate during exercise / （220 - age） × 100］ was calculated from the heart rate during the game. The WASEDA （Waseda Affect Scale of Exercise and Durable Activity） was used for pre-and post-game emotional changes. According to the American College of Sports Medicine criteria, WF exercise intensity was equivalent to Light （57-63% HRmax, RPE: 9-11）. Significant relationships were found between the average number of steps per game and average exercise intensity （r=0.507, p=0.019） and average heart rate （r=0.484, p=0.026）, respectively. Pre- and post-game emotional changes showed a significant increase in elation. In conclusion,walking soccer was a low-intensity sport for young women and induced positive emotions.

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【Purpose】In this study, we investigated the physical activity and lifestyle factors that affect physical fitness in infants. 【Methods】We investigated the physical fitness, physical activity, and lifestyle, including the home environment and exercise orientation, in 194 infants at three facilities, by employing a covariance structure analysis model.【Results】The results of the study clarified that the factors and mechanisms that affect physical fitness differed between the boys and the girls. In the boys, "physical activity," "exercise orientation," and "home exercise environment" showed a direct impact on physical fitness. However, in the girls, only "physical activity" showed a direct effect. Furthermore, for the girls, the "home exercise environment" affected the "exercise orientation," such as the opportunity for parents and children to exercise together, and the "exercise orientation" also affected "physical activity." In terms of physical activity, moderateto vigorous-intensity physical activity and PAL in girls, and steps and PAL in boys were factors that affected physical fitness. In the boys'group, it was revealed that the play time had a negative effect on physical fitness.

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The purpose of present study was clarified to the physiological response to walking for a long term at moderate altitude （1450m）. The healthy 6 males participated experiment as a subject in this study. They performed walking of steady state velocity（ 80m/min） for 60min in either sea level（64m: SL） and moderate altitude（1450m; MA）. Respiratory metabolism, heart rate（HR）, perceived of exertion（RPE）,arterial O2 saturation（SpO2） , blood lactate（ BLa） and blood glucose（ BGlu） were measured during 60 min walking. SpO2 was significantly lower in the MA than in the SL （P<0.01）. HR, Oxygen uptake, and RPE did not differ between the two conditions. However, respiratory exchange ratio was significantly higher for MA than SL at the end of the walking test（P<0.05）. Furthermore, BLa did not change after the walking test, but BGLu decreased significantly only in MA （P<0.05）. It is concluded that physiological response in walking at moderate altitude showed energy supply was more dependent on the glycolytic system due to the influence of hypobaric hypoxia.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of changes in gait pitch, gait stride, and arm swing stroke in Tube walking（TW） on respiratory circulatory parameters, muscle electrical activities, and gait patterns. Seven male subjects who were skilled Nordic walker and have regularly exercise in their daily lives, voluntarily participated in the study. This experiment was conducted at four speeds, 60,70,80 and 90 m/min, with a treadmill. V4 O2 and HR were averaged every 30 seconds, and the OMNI scale was recorded for the all conditions at the end of each speed. Surface electromyography (EMG） were recorded from the triceps brachii（TB）, deltoid muscle（DM） and vastus lateralis（VL）. The results showed that all muscle activities of Nw-Tw were similar to that of Nw. In addition, Nw-Tw tended to be higher than Wk-Tw but it was not significant. Nw-Tw also acquired higher exercise intensity than Wk-Tw in the respiratory circulatory parameters. It was concluded that　Nw-Tw could achieve exercise intensity equivalent of the NW.

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There are few physiological reports on skyrunning （SR）, a mountain running event. This study aimed to examine the physical fitness characteristics of skyrunners based on the results of a maximal exercise test on level ground and an SR time attack in the field of Mt. Fuji.Eight healthy male subjects who participated in trail running and SR competitions performed the maximal exercise test at 0 m altitude. In addition, they performed the SR Time Attack as an Mt. Fuji field test and calculated LT and OBLA by blood lactate concentration. In the SR Time Attack, blood samples were taken before and after SR, and distance, time, and heart rate during SR were measured with a portable HR monitoring device with a GPS function. Study results showed that subjects were divided into two groups according to their performance in the SR Time Attack, with the upper group compared to the lower group. The upper group had a lower body fat percentage（≈5.0%） and intensity during SR equivalent to 80% VO2max; the WBI before SR was about 1.1, which did not change after SR, but was lower in the low group. In addition, thigh flexor strength was significantly lower in the lower group after SR; the ROS generated during the time attack of SR was within the acceptable range of biological defense mechanisms.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate how individuals extends their stride length（ SL） when increasing gait speed by extending SL（Experiment-1）. Further, this study also examined the effects of increasing gait speed by extending SL while emphasizing push-off at the terminal stance phase on SL and gait speed（ Experiment-2）. In Experiment-1, eighteen healthy males performed 10-meter gait tasks in two conditions: 1） they just walked faster, and 2） they walked faster while extending their SL. Afterwards, participants were asked how they increased their SL. The survey observed that approximately 80% of the participants extended their SL in an attempt to extend the swinging leg forward. Experiment-2 was conducted on 14 participants who were not aware of push-off at the terminal stance phase when extending their SL in Experiment-1. They performed a 10-meter fast walk task with increasing the SL while emphasizing the push-off at the terminal stance phase. Experiment-2 observed that the emphasis on push-off resulted in more extended SL. These results suggest that although most of the participants extend their SL while attempting to extend the swinging leg forward, the emphasis on push-off at the terminal stance phase results in a more extended SL.

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We investigated a case of the changes in the indices of pulmonary function in one individual with a current medical history of bronchial asthma （CHA） during the hiking or the staying of one-day Mt. Ibuki （Shiga Prefecture） in summer. In the hiking investigation, forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV1.0） with respect to Pre （FEV1.0%fall）, predicted FEV1.0 （%FEV1.0） and an assessment of dyspnea sensation（ ADS） were measured at the three points（ Pre: alti. 220 m, Summit: alti. 1,377 m, Post: alti. 220 m）. On the other investigation,the subject stayed at or near the top of Mt. Ibuki in about 5.5 times. FEV1.0%fall, %FEV1.0 and ADS did not indicate a remarkably change in both investigations. It did not reach a level of asthma attack under the conditions of this investigation.

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