F. Villagra et al., METABOLIC COST AND EFFICIENCY IN 2 FORMS OF SQUATTING EXERCISE IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS, European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology, 67(6), 1993, pp. 549-553
These experiments investigated the oxygen consumption and work efficie
ncy of adults and children performing identical movement patterns. Adu
lt men (mean age 24) and male children (mean age 12) performed squatti
ng exercises with and without a pause at the lowest point of the squat
. The former were termed no rebound squats and the latter were termed
rebound squats. Subjects performed the exercises without load and with
loads equal to 5%, 10% and 15% of body mass. The results showed that
the children consumed 10% more oxygen per unit total body mass than th
e adults. The gross efficiency of the adults was significantly greater
than that of the children. Net and apparent efficiencies were not sig
nificantly different between the age groups. Gross and net efficiencie
s declined with load. Rebound squats required 13% less oxygen than no
rebound squats. The gross, net and apparent efficiency of rebound squa
ts was significantly greater than that of no rebound squats. It is sug
gested that the greater gross efficiencies of adults is related to the
ir lower basal metabolic rate and that the greater efficiency of rebou
nd exercise is related to the storage of energy in elastic tissues.