ENERGY-EXPENDITURE OF A NONCONTACT BOXING TRAINING SESSION COMPARED WITH SUBMAXIMAL TREADMILL RUNNING

The aim of this study was to determine the energy expenditure of a I-h noncontact boxing training session and to compare these results with the energy expenditure of a more conventional recreational activity su ch as running. Eight healthy males, accustomed to noncontact boxing tr aining, were recruited for the study. Subjects underwent three tests: (i) a boxing training session in the laboratory during which energy ex penditure was measured continuously using indirect calorimetry (BOXL), (ii) a boxing training session in a boxing studio during which heart rate was measured continuously (BOXS), and (iii) an incremental runnin g test on the treadmill during which energy expenditure was measured c ontinuously. The energy expenditure during 60 min of BOXL ranged betwe en 2519 and 3079 kJ (2821 +/- 190 kJ). Seven of the 8 subjects had hig her heart rates during BOXL compared with those during BOXS, suggestin g that the subjects exercised at a slightly higher intensity during BO XL, possibly because of the ''one on one'' supervision. A typical boxi ng training session lasting 60 min causes a person to expend 2821 +/- 190 kJ.h(-1), the same amount of energy as someone running about 9 km in 60 min on the treadmill.