Study analyses physiological parameters of athletes

Escrito por

Study analyses physiological parameters of athletes

The maximum time an athlete is able to continue climbing to exhaustion may be the only determinant of his/her performance. A new European study, led by researchers from the University of Granada, the objective of which is to help trainers and climbers design training programmes for this type of sport, shows this to be the case.

Until now, performance indicators for climbing have been low body fat percentage and grip strength. Furthermore, existing research was based on the comparison of amateur and expert climbers. Now, a new study carried out with 16 high-level climbers breaks with this approach and reveals that the time it takes for an athlete to become exhausted is the only indicator of his/her performance.

Vanesa Espa-a Romero, the main author of the work and researcher at the University of Granada explains to SINC how «these findings could help trainers or athletes in the design of sport climbing training programmes so that Spain can continue to lead the way in this sporting activity throughout the world».

The study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, analyses the physiological parameters that determine performance in this sport at its highest level. The participants, eight women with an average rating of 7a (the scale of difficulty of a climbing route is graded from 5 to 9, with sub-grades of a, b and c) and eight men with an average rating of 8a, were divided into an «expert group» and an «elite group».

The researchers assessed the climbers with body composition tests (weight, height, body mass index, body fat %, bone mineral density, and bone mineral content), kinanthropometry (length of arms, hands and fingers, bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the forearm), and physical fitness tests (flexibility, strength of the upper and lower body and aerobic capacity measured at a climbing centre).

The results show there to be no significant differences between expert and elite climbers in any of the tests performed, except in climbing time to exhaustion and in bone mineral density, both of which were higher in the elite group. «Therefore, the maximum climbing time to exhaustion of an athlete is the sole determinant of performance», the researcher confirms.

A demanding and vertical practice

Sport climbing began as a form of traditional climbing in the mid 80s, and is now a sport in its own right. The International Federation of Sport Climbing is currently requesting its inclusion as an Olympic sport.

The increase in the number of climbers and the proliferation of climbing centres and competitions have contributed to its interest in recent years, although there is limited scientific literature on climbing effort.

The most important research relates to energy consumption (ergospirometry, heart rate and lactic acid blood concentrations), the designation of maximum strength and local muscular resistance of climbers (dynamometry and electromyography), and to establishing anthropometric characteristics.

According to experts, a fundamental characteristic of sport climbing is its «vertical dimension», making it unique given its postural organisation in space, and from a physiological point of view, the effect a gravitational load has on movements.

In short, to complete a climb successfully, athletes should maintain their effort for as long as possible to improve their chances of reaching the ultimate goal.
Descargar

Exhaustion may be the only determinant of climber’s performance

Escrito por

Exhaustion may be the only determinant of climber’s performance

The maximum time an athlete takes to become exhausted while climbing may be the only determinant of his/her performance, reveals a new study.

Up till now, performance indicators for climbing have been low body fat percentage and grip strength. Moreover, the existing research was based on the comparison of amateur and expert climbers. he new study led by University of Granada researchers and conducted over 16 high-level climbers shows that the time it takes for an athlete to become exhausted is the only indicator of his/her performance.

The researchers assessed the climbers with body composition tests (weight, height, body mass index, body fat pc, bone mineral density, and bone mineral content), kinanthropometry (length of arms, hands and fingers, bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the forearm), and physical fitness tests (flexibility, strength of the upper and lower body and aerobic capacity measured at a climbing centre).

They found no significant differences between expert and elite climbers in any of the tests performed, except in climbing time to exhaustion and in bone mineral density, both of which were higher in the elite group.

“Therefore, the maximum climbing time to exhaustion of an athlete is the sole determinant of performance”, Vanesa Espaqa Romero, the main author of the work and researcher at the University of Granada told SINC.

According to experts, a fundamental characteristic of sport climbing is its “vertical dimension”, making it unique given its postural organisation in space, and from a physiological point of view, the effect a gravitational load has on movements.

In short, to complete a climb successfully, athletes should maintain their effort for as long as possible to improve their chances of reaching the ultimate goal.

The study is published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Descargar

Exhaustion may be the only determinant of climber’s performance

Escrito por

Exhaustion may be the only determinant of climber\’s performance

The maximum time an athlete takes to become exhausted while climbing may be the only determinant of his/her performance, reveals a new study.

Up till now, performance indicators for climbing have been low body fat percentage and grip strength. Moreover, the existing research was based on the comparison of amateur and expert climbers.

The new study led by University of Granada researchers and conducted over 16 high-level climbers shows that the time it takes for an athlete to become exhausted is the only indicator of his/her performance.

The researchers assessed the climbers with body composition tests (weight, height, body mass index, body fat pc, bone mineral density, and bone mineral content), kinanthropometry (length of arms, hands and fingers, bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the forearm), and physical fitness tests (flexibility, strength of the upper and lower body and aerobic capacity measured at a climbing centre).

They found no significant differences between expert and elite climbers in any of the tests performed, except in climbing time to exhaustion and in bone mineral density, both of which were higher in the elite group.

«Therefore, the maximum climbing time to exhaustion of an athlete is the sole determinant of performance», Vanesa Espaqa Romero, the main author of the work and researcher at the University of Granada told SINC.

According to experts, a fundamental characteristic of sport climbing is its «vertical dimension», making it unique given its postural organisation in space, and from a physiological point of view, the effect a gravitational load has on movements.

In short, to complete a climb successfully, athletes should maintain their effort for as long as possible to improve their chances of reaching the ultimate goal.

The study is published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Descargar

Exhaustion may be the only determinant of climber’s performance

Escrito por

Exhaustion may be the only determinant of climber\’s performance

The maximum time an athlete takes to become exhausted while climbing may be the only determinant of his/her performance, reveals a new study.

Up till now, performance indicators for climbing have been low body fat percentage and grip strength. Moreover, the existing research was based on the comparison of amateur and expert climbers. he new study led by University of Granada researchers and conducted over 16 high-level climbers shows that the time it takes for an athlete to become exhausted is the only indicator of his/her performance.

The researchers assessed the climbers with body composition tests (weight, height, body mass index, body fat pc, bone mineral density, and bone mineral content), kinanthropometry (length of arms, hands and fingers, bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the forearm), and physical fitness tests (flexibility, strength of the upper and lower body and aerobic capacity measured at a climbing centre).

They found no significant differences between expert and elite climbers in any of the tests performed, except in climbing time to exhaustion and in bone mineral density, both of which were higher in the elite group.

«Therefore, the maximum climbing time to exhaustion of an athlete is the sole determinant of performance», Vanesa Espaqa Romero, the main author of the work and researcher at the University of Granada told SINC.

According to experts, a fundamental characteristic of sport climbing is its «vertical dimension», making it unique given its postural organisation in space, and from a physiological point of view, the effect a gravitational load has on movements.

In short, to complete a climb successfully, athletes should maintain their effort for as long as possible to improve their chances of reaching the ultimate goal.

The study is published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Descargar

Exhaustion may be the only determinant of climbers performance

Escrito por

Exhaustion may be the only determinant of climbers performance

The maximum time an athlete takes to become exhausted while climbing may be the only determinant of his/her performance, reveals a new study.

Up till now, performance indicators for climbing have been low body fat percentage and grip strength. Moreover, the existing research was based on the comparison of amateur and expert climbers.

The new study led by University of Granada researchers and conducted over 16 high-level climbers shows that the time it takes for an athlete to become exhausted is the only indicator of his/her performance.

The researchers assessed the climbers with body composition tests (weight, height, body mass index, body fat pc, bone mineral density, and bone mineral content), kinanthropometry (length of arms, hands and fingers, bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the forearm), and physical fitness tests (flexibility, strength of the upper and lower body and aerobic capacity measured at a climbing centre).

They found no significant differences between expert and elite climbers in any of the tests performed, except in climbing time to exhaustion and in bone mineral density, both of which were higher in the elite group.

«Therefore, the maximum climbing time to exhaustion of an athlete is the sole determinant of performance», Vanesa Espaa Romero, the main author of the work and researcher at the University of Granada told SINC.

According to experts, a fundamental characteristic of sport climbing is its «vertical dimension», making it unique given its postural organisation in space, and from a physiological point of view, the effect a gravitational load has on movements.

In short, to complete a climb successfully, athletes should maintain their effort for as long as possible to improve their chances of reaching the ultimate goal.

The study is published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Descargar

Only Exhaustion Influences Climbers’ Performance

Escrito por

Only Exhaustion Influences Climbers\’ Performance

Experts at the University of Granada, in Spain, have recently broken the main line of thought concerning the top performances achievable by a climber. The team, which worked with 16 high-level climbers, says that no other factors influence the performance level of an athlete more than his or her own level of exhaustion, and its threshold. Factors such as the low body-fat percentage and grip strength, which have been touted to be very important until now, ranked way behind exhaustion, the team says.

The goal of the new investigation was to allow trainers and athletes, professional and amateur alike, to design new training programs that would maximize a person\’s natural abilities to their fullest extent. Previous investigations had relied on assessing the differences between professional and amateur climbers, for determining the factors that influenced performance. But this research focused entirely on highly trained individuals. It was thus revealed that the time a climber took before coming to exhaustion was the only clear indicator of their performance.

Details of the new investigation appear in the latest issue of the European Journal of Applied Physiology, the UG team reveals. “These findings could help trainers or athletes in the design of sport climbing training programs so that Spain can continue to lead the way in this sporting activity throughout the world,” the main author of the new journal entry, UG scientist Vanesa Espana Romero, told SINC. She revealed that the physiological parameters that dictated performance in professional climbing were the main factors considered in obtaining the new response.

The researchers accounted for a wide variety of parameters. Among those, they mention weight, height, the body mass index, the body fat percentage, the bone mineral density, and the bone mineral content. Alongside those, the UG group also looked at the length of arms, hands and fingers, the bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the forearm, as well as at features such as flexibility, strength of the upper and lower body, and aerobic capacity measured at a climbing center.

“The maximum climbing time to exhaustion of an athlete is the sole determinant of performance,” the final results of the paper confirm, as per the team. Therefore, the only thing that athletes need to do is sustain their efforts and save their strength for as much as possible. Only so will they be able to make it to the top, and achieve their goals, AlphaGalileo reports.
Descargar

How high can a climber go?

Escrito por

How high can a climber go?

The maximum time an athlete is able to continue climbing to exhaustion may be the only determinant of his/her performance. A new European study, led by researchers from the University of Granada, the objective of which is to help trainers and climbers design training programmes for this type of sport, shows this to be the case.

Until now, performance indicators for climbing have been low body fat percentage and grip strength. Furthermore, existing research was based on the comparison of amateur and expert climbers. Now, a new study carried out with 16 high-level climbers breaks with this approach and reveals that the time it takes for an athlete to become exhausted is the only indicator of his/her performance.

Vanesa España Romero, the main author of the work and researcher at the University of Granada explains to SINC how «these findings could help trainers or athletes in the design of sport climbing training programmes so that Spain can continue to lead the way in this sporting activity throughout the world».

The study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, analyses the physiological parameters that determine performance in this sport at its highest level. The participants, eight women with an average rating of 7a (the scale of difficulty of a climbing route is graded from 5 to 9, with sub-grades of a, b and c) and eight men with an average rating of 8a, were divided into an «expert group» and an «elite group».

The researchers assessed the climbers with body composition tests (weight, height, body mass index, body fat %, bone mineral density, and bone mineral content), kinanthropometry (length of arms, hands and fingers, bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the forearm), and physical fitness tests (flexibility, strength of the upper and lower body and aerobic capacity measured at a climbing centre).

The results show there to be no significant differences between expert and elite climbers in any of the tests performed, except in climbing time to exhaustion and in bone mineral density, both of which were higher in the elite group. «Therefore, the maximum climbing time to exhaustion of an athlete is the sole determinant of performance», the researcher confirms.

A demanding and vertical practice

Sport climbing began as a form of traditional climbing in the mid 80s, and is now a sport in its own right. The International Federation of Sport Climbing is currently requesting its inclusion as an Olympic sport.

The increase in the number of climbers and the proliferation of climbing centres and competitions have contributed to its interest in recent years, although there is limited scientific literature on climbing effort.

The most important research relates to energy consumption (ergospirometry, heart rate and lactic acid blood concentrations), the designation of maximum strength and local muscular resistance of climbers (dynamometry and electromyography), and to establishing anthropometric characteristics.

According to experts, a fundamental characteristic of sport climbing is its «vertical dimension», making it unique given its postural organisation in space, and from a physiological point of view, the effect a gravitational load has on movements.

In short, to complete a climb successfully, athletes should maintain their effort for as long as possible to improve their chances of reaching the ultimate goal.

More information: Vanesa España-Romero, Francisco B. Ortega Porcel, Enrique G. Artero, David Jiménez-Pavón, Ángel Gutiérrez Sainz, Manuel J. Castillo Garzón y Jonatan R. Ruiz. «Climbing time to exhaustion is a determinant of climbing performance in high-level sport climbers». European Journal of Applied Physiology (2009) 107:517-525, Nov 2009.
Descargar

How high can a climber go?

Escrito por

How high can a climber go?

The maximum time an athlete is able to continue climbing to exhaustion may be the only determinant of his/her performance. A new European study, led by researchers from the University of Granada, the objective of which is to help trainers and climbers design training programmes for this type of sport, shows this to be the case. Until now, performance indicators for climbing have been low body fat percentage and grip strength. Furthermore, existing research was based on the comparison of amateur and expert climbers. Now, a new study carried out with 16 high-level climbers breaks with this approach and reveals that the time it takes for an athlete to become exhausted is the only indicator of his/her performance.

Vanesa España Romero, the main author of the work and researcher at the University of Granada explains to SINC how «these findings could help trainers or athletes in the design of sport climbing training programmes so that Spain can continue to lead the way in this sporting activity throughout the world».

The study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, analyses the physiological parameters that determine performance in this sport at its highest level. The participants, eight women with an average rating of 7a (the scale of difficulty of a climbing route is graded from 5 to 9, with sub-grades of a, b and c) and eight men with an average rating of 8a, were divided into an «expert group» and an «elite group».

The researchers assessed the climbers with body composition tests (weight, height, body mass index, body fat %, bone mineral density, and bone mineral content), kinanthropometry (length of arms, hands and fingers, bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the forearm), and physical fitness tests (flexibility, strength of the upper and lower body and aerobic capacity measured at a climbing centre).

The results show there to be no significant differences between expert and elite climbers in any of the tests performed, except in climbing time to exhaustion and in bone mineral density, both of which were higher in the elite group. «Therefore, the maximum climbing time to exhaustion of an athlete is the sole determinant of performance», the researcher confirms.

A demanding and vertical practice

Sport climbing began as a form of traditional climbing in the mid 80s, and is now a sport in its own right. The International Federation of Sport Climbing is currently requesting its inclusion as an Olympic sport.

The increase in the number of climbers and the proliferation of climbing centres and competitions have contributed to its interest in recent years, although there is limited scientific literature on climbing effort.

The most important research relates to energy consumption (ergospirometry, heart rate and lactic acid blood concentrations), the designation of maximum strength and local muscular resistance of climbers (dynamometry and electromyography), and to establishing anthropometric characteristics.

According to experts, a fundamental characteristic of sport climbing is its «vertical dimension», making it unique given its postural organisation in space, and from a physiological point of view, the effect a gravitational load has on movements.

In short, to complete a climb successfully, athletes should maintain their effort for as long as possible to improve their chances of reaching the ultimate goal.
Descargar

How high can a climber go?

Escrito por

How high can a climber go?

The maximum time an athlete is able to continue climbing to exhaustion may be the only determinant of his/her performance. A new European study, led by researchers from the University of Granada, the objective of which is to help trainers and climbers design training programmes for this type of sport, shows this to be the case.

Until now, performance indicators for climbing have been low body fat percentage and grip strength. Furthermore, existing research was based on the comparison of amateur and expert climbers. Now, a new study carried out with 16 high-level climbers breaks with this approach and reveals that the time it takes for an athlete to become exhausted is the only indicator of his/her performance.

Vanesa España Romero, the main author of the work and researcher at the University of Granada explains to SINC how «these findings could help trainers or athletes in the design of sport climbing training programmes so that Spain can continue to lead the way in this sporting activity throughout the world».

The study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, analyses the physiological parameters that determine performance in this sport at its highest level. The participants, eight women with an average rating of 7a (the scale of difficulty of a climbing route is graded from 5 to 9, with sub-grades of a, b and c) and eight men with an average rating of 8a, were divided into an «expert group» and an «elite group».

The researchers assessed the climbers with body composition tests (weight, height, body mass index, body fat %, bone mineral density, and bone mineral content), kinanthropometry (length of arms, hands and fingers, bone mineral density and bone mineral content of the forearm), and physical fitness tests (flexibility, strength of the upper and lower body and aerobic capacity measured at a climbing centre).

The results show there to be no significant differences between expert and elite climbers in any of the tests performed, except in climbing time to exhaustion and in bone mineral density, both of which were higher in the elite group. «Therefore, the maximum climbing time to exhaustion of an athlete is the sole determinant of performance», the researcher confirms.

A demanding and vertical practice

Sport climbing began as a form of traditional climbing in the mid 80s, and is now a sport in its own right. The International Federation of Sport Climbing is currently requesting its inclusion as an Olympic sport.

The increase in the number of climbers and the proliferation of climbing centres and competitions have contributed to its interest in recent years, although there is limited scientific literature on climbing effort.

The most important research relates to energy consumption (ergospirometry, heart rate and lactic acid blood concentrations), the designation of maximum strength and local muscular resistance of climbers (dynamometry and electromyography), and to establishing anthropometric characteristics.

According to experts, a fundamental characteristic of sport climbing is its «vertical dimension», making it unique given its postural organisation in space, and from a physiological point of view, the effect a gravitational load has on movements.

In short, to complete a climb successfully, athletes should maintain their effort for as long as possible to improve their chances of reaching the ultimate goal.

References:
Vanesa España-Romero, Francisco B. Ortega Porcel, Enrique G. Artero,
David Jiménez-Pavón, Ángel Gutiérrez Sainz, Manuel J. Castillo Garzón y Jonatan R. Ruiz. «Climbing time to exhaustion is a determinant of climbing performance in high-level sport climbers». European Journal of Applied Physiology (2009) 107:517-525, noviembre de 2009.
Descargar

Las artes marciales se unen por Carolina

Escrito por

Las artes marciales se unen por Carolina

La delegación Granadina de karate organiza una gala benéfica de artes marciales a favor del tratamiento contra una rara enfermedad, la amaurosis congénita de Leber, que sufre una pequeña de cuatro años llamada Carolina Carrera Heredia.

Para ello, el ente ha desarrollado un proyecto solidario de colaboración con el colegio Padre Manjón, al que pertenece Carolina. La gala se realizará hoy en el polideportivo universitario del Campus de Cartuja en la carretera de Alfacar.

El evento ha conseguido la implicación del Consejo Superior de Deportes, de la Real Federación Española de Karate y el servicio de deportes de la Universidad de Granada, así como de varios centros comerciales.

La gala, que dará comienzo a partir de las 16:00 horas, contará con exhibiciones en las que participarán un total de casi 400 niños, repartidos entre todas las edades, diferentes clubes y practicantes de diversas artes marciales. Habrá actividades de karate, kobudo, taichi, capoeira, kendo, Iai do, aikido, kung fu…

Las entradas sólo cuestan tres euros y, además, los patrocinadores aportan material deportivo para vender y con el que se puedan recaudarán fondos.
Descargar

Un archivo de fotos históricas permitirá estudiar los paisajes de Andalucía

Escrito por

Un archivo de fotos históricas permitirá estudiar los paisajes de Andalucía

La Consejería de Vivienda ha fimado un convenio con la UGR para desarrollar el proyecto

Un nuevo archivo de fotografías históricas sobre los paisajes andaluces permitirá desarrollar un estudio para evaluar la evolución y características del patrimonio natural y avanzar en las acciones de protección, ordenación y gestión de estos recursos. La Consejería de Vivienda y Ordenación del Territorio y la Universidad de Granada suscribieron ayer el convenio de colaboración para su puesta en marcha. Este convenio también favorecerá el diagnóstico del estado de este patrimonio natural en los distintos ámbitos territoriales andaluces, y permitirá realizar el seguimiento de los procesos con mayor incidencia en la configuración de paisajes.
Descargar

Un proyecto reducirá las altas velocidades en el casco urbano

Escrito por

Un proyecto reducirá las altas velocidades en el casco urbano

José López Sánchez, estudiante de Ingeniería de Caminos de la Universidad de Granada, UGR, ha puesto en marcha un nuevo modelo de marcas viales. Se trata de un proyecto de investigación que ha contado con el apoyo del Ayuntamiento de Albox.

El objetivo prioritario de dicho proyecto es conseguir que la velocidad se reduzca en el principal acceso al núcleo urbano, concretamente, en la Avenida de la Igualdad.

La investigación, desarrollada por José López, se enmarca dentro del programa Shlow, organizado por el European Transport Safety Council, en el que está involucrado 13 países europeos. Asimismo, en el ámbito nacional, cuenta con el apoyo de la Fundación Instituto Tecnológico para la Seguridad del Automóvil (FITSA), así como con el Instituto de Investigación en Tráfico y Seguridad Vial de la Universidad de Valencia (INTRAS).

Después de llevar a cabo un estudio de la velocidad sobre más de 1.600 vehículos, los resultados obtenidos han sido bastante positivos.

De este modo se ha logrado una reducción de la velocidad media y un aumento del porcentaje de conductores, que circulan respetando en todo momento la señalización vertical.

El alcalde ya conoce de primera mano el contenido del trabajo y ha analizado los beneficios para la ciudad del mismo.
Descargar