INFLUENCE OF TRAINING, SEX, AGE AND BODY-MASS ON THE ENERGY-COST OF RUNNING

To highlight the influences of age, sex, body mass (m(b)) and running training on the energy cost of running (C(r)) young basketball players [38 boys (BB) and 14 girls (BG), aged 14.2 (SD 0.3) and 12.2 (SD 1.9) years, respectively] were selected to be compared to middle-distance runners [27 men (MR) and 14 women (FR) aged 23.7 (SD 3.4) and 23.9 (SD 4.1) years, respectively]. The C(r) was measured during a maximal tre admill test. In each group C(r) and body mass (m(b)) and body height w ere negatively and significantly correlated. A stepwise regression sho wed that among both the body dimensions measured, m(b) was the most im portant factor in determining the variations of C(r). For the whole gr oup (n=93) the correlation coefficient was 0.72 (P<0.0001). For a give n m(b), there was no significant difference between the C(r) of BG, BB and MR: this result would support the hypothesis that the differences in C(r) currently attributed to age, running training or sex differen ces are mainly related to m(b). On the other hand, for a given m(b), F R showed a significantly lower C(r) than the basketball players (P<0.0 1 for BG and BB) and than MR (P<0.05), thus suggesting that women decr ease their C(r) as a response to running training more efficiently tha n do men.