SUBMAXIMAL RUNNING ECONOMY IN RUN-TRAINED PRE-PUBERTAL BOYS

There is an increasing tendency for young children to participate in t raining and competitive running, The impact longterm training has upon stimulating functional physiological adaptation has yet to be fully u nderstood. In this study cardio-respiratory and kinematic differences were assessed at submaximal and maximal exercise intensities in run-tr ained and non-run-trained boys, Thirty three pre-pubertal boys volunte ered to take part in the study. The subjects were in two groups: 15 ru n-trained subjects [age 11.7 +/- 1.06 yrs, mean +/- SD] and 18 non-run -trained (control) subjects [age 11.3 +/- 0.90 yrs], Two separate (4 x 3 min) submaximal protocols were used for the trained and non-run-tra ined groups, with two of the speeds overlapping for comparison purpose s. In addition, all boys also performed a maximal oxygen consumption t est, Mean VO2 max value for the run trained group was 60.5 +/- 3.3 ml/ kg/min and for the control group 51.1 +/- 4.3 ml/kg/min, (p < 0.001), No significant differences were found for submaximal running economy a t either comparison speed. In addition, no significant (p > 0.05) diff erences were noted between the groups for any of the kinematic variabl es at the two comparison speeds, However, selected physiological diffe rences did exist at the submaximal running speeds, The source of the d ifferences that did exist between the two groups may be the result of training, genetic pre-selection or developmental differences between t he groups.