Abstract
The study of organic response during combat is poorly reported in specific literature, despite being essential to improve soldiers training. The aim of the present research was to study the body composition and organic response during a treadmill test simulating the attack maneuver of a light infantry company, studying the differences between soldiers gender. Body composition and organic response in the treadmill test were analyzed in 27 healthy professional soldiers. Body weight was lower and fat mass was higher in female soldiers, and height and muscle mass were higher in male soldiers. In treadmill test, values of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2), oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold and maximal heart rate (HR) and HR at anaerobic threshold, were higher in male soldiers (male vs. female: 51.9±1.2 vs. 50.4±1.3 ml/kg/min; 3278.9±93.9 vs. 2721.8 ml/min; 194.2±1.9 vs. 184.0±6.6 bpm; 181.3±1.8 vs. 171.4±1.7 bpm respectively). During simulated attack maneuver female soldiers presented lower VO2 and higher HR than male soldiers, showing a worse physical fitness level. These data could be used by military coach to improve specific combat training. It is also recommended a decrease in the weigh carried by soldiers and to improve their aerobic performance to maximize the efficiency in last phases of combat maneuvers.
Highlights
Activities that soldiers perform during the standard combat maneuvers require a certain fitness level
The aim of this research was to study the differences in body composition and cardiorespiratory response during a light infantry company attack simulation between male and female soldiers
Relative to the gender differences, those are closely related with the body composition factors [33], we found a higher VO2max in male soldiers due to differences in body composition and possibly due to the lower hemoglobin concentration in women and other factors related with the life style and the performance level [32]
Summary
Activities that soldiers perform during the standard combat maneuvers require a certain fitness level. The analysis of the physiological profile of soldiers has been less studied in the specific literature, focusing on cognitive aspects as decisionmaking [1], coordination of units during combat [2], the analysis of weapons systems [3], or more related to the present research the study of different physiological variables after carrying out a mission [4] Another point addressed by the researchers was the analysis of different test and its correlation with combat performance [5, 6] and the fatigue produced in soldiers after maneuver [7] of simulated combat [8]. The aim of this research was to study the differences in body composition and cardiorespiratory response during a light infantry company attack simulation between male and female soldiers
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