Title: Metabolic Demands of Stationary ElliptiGO Cycling Compared to Treadmill Running
Abstract: Trained runners often face injury due to the high impact nature of the sport and lower limb strain. When injury occurs, runners commonly substitute alternative low-impact exercises modes like cycling and swimming. While these modes promote cardiovascular fitness they do not mimic the biomechanical patterns of running. An alternate form of training, ElliptiGO cycling, combines the low-impact of elliptical training with the mechanical patterns of running. However, the metabolic demands of ElliptiGO cycling have not been investigated. PURPOSE: To compare the metabolic demands of stationary ElliptiGO cycling with treadmill running. METHODS: In a randomized cross-over design, 17 trained runners (9 males; 8 females, age 21.4 ± 1.1 yr, body mass 60.8 ± 9.2 kg, height 1.70 ± 0.07 m, body fat 12.6 ± 5.9%) completed 5×3 min stages while either cycling on a stationary ElliptiGO bike or running on a treadmill during which heart (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and expired gases were collected using a metabolic analyzer during each exercise bout. Subjects increased one gear or 1 mph every 3 min during cycling or running respectively. Pedaling cadence was fixed at ~70 rpm using a metronome. Linear regression analyses were performed for each physiological variable and speed. Metabolic demand data for running and ElliptiGO were matched to determine equivalent running and cycling speeds. The other physiological measures were then matched with the corresponding running and ElliptiGO cycling speeds. RESULTS: For each testing intensity, metabolic demand (VO2), HR, and VE were significantly higher during running (p 0.05). The relationship between speed and VO2 during running had a steeper slope compared to ElliptiGO. As a result, the ElliptiGO speed that was equivalent to the VO2 of each running speed increased at a greater rate (4 mph run = 10.2 mph ElliptiGO, 7 mph = 17.1 mph, 10 mph = 24.1 mph). When matched for VO2, the HR, VE, and RPE were significantly higher for ElliptiGO compared to running. CONCLUSIONS: ElliptiGO cycling is a practical training device that will elicit a similar metabolic demand, but higher HR, VE, and RPE compared to running at faster cycling speeds. Supported by the Student Summer Scholars program at Grand Valley State University.
Publication Year: 2016
Publication Date: 2016-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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