Male Speed Skaters Research Articles

Estimation of Lactate Thresholds, Aerobic Capacity and Recovery Rate from Muscle Oxygen Saturation in Highly Trained Speed Skaters and Healthy Untrained Individuals.

Objective: The main objective of this study was to compare lactate thresholds and aerobic capacity from a graded-intensity exercise test (GXT) for near-infrared spectroscopy measurements in healthy, untrained individuals and highly trained athletes. Methods: This study included 29 untrained students (13 females) and 27 highly trained speed skaters (13 females). A maximal effort GXT was performed on a cycloergometer. The lactate-based aerobic and anaerobic thresholds, and the corresponding thresholds for muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2), were determined. Results: The power values determined for all thresholds were significantly higher in female and male speed skaters compared to male and female college students. SmO2 at anaerobic thresholds was significantly lower in female speed skaters than in female students. Both female and male skaters showed greater changes in SmO2 after the GXT compared to students. The recovery did not significantly differ between groups within gender. There was a significant positive correlation in females between the rate of muscle reoxygenation and VO2max power (r = 0.610). In speed skaters, the rate of muscle reoxygenation was not significantly higher than students and correlated positively with VO2max (r = 0.449). Conclusions: The SmO2 at the exercise thresholds, during and after maximal exercise, depends on the training status of the individual. The participants with a higher physical fitness level showed greater decreases in ΔSmO2 at the AT level, as well as after maximal exercise. SmO2 corresponding to the well-established exercise thresholds may be applied to guide training prescription. The rate of muscle reoxygenation after a GXT was also dependent on the aerobic capacity of the participants.

Taurine supplementation enhances anaerobic power in elite speed skaters: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a semi-essential sulphur-containing amino acid abundant in skeletal muscle. Taurine supplementation is popular among athletes and has been purported to enhance exercise performance. This study aimed to investigate the ergogenic effects of taurine supplementation on anaerobic (Wingate; WanT) performance, blood lactate, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) in elite athletes. For this study, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover designs were used. Thirty young male speed skaters were randomly assigned to either taurine (TAU; single dose of 6 g) or placebo (PLAC; single dose of 6 g) 60 minutes before testing. Following a 72-hour washout, period participants completed the opposite condition. TAU improved peak (Δ% = 13.41, p < 0.001, d = 1.71), mean (Δ% = 3.95, p = 0.002, d = 1.04), and minimum power output (Δ% = 7.89, p = 0.034, d = 0.48) compared to placebo. Further, RPE (Δ% = -10.98, p = 0.002, d = 0.46) was significantly lower following the WanT in the TAU condition compared to placebo. There were no differences between conditions for the countermovement vertical jump. In conclusion, acute TAU supplementation augments anaerobic performance in elite speed skaters.

Usefulness of Portable Device to Establish Differences in Muscle Oxygenation Between the Wingate Test and Graded Exercise Test: Effect of Gender on Anaerobic and Aerobic Capacity in Speed Skaters.

The aim of this study was to compare the oxygenation response in the vastus lateralis muscle (SmO2) in two types of tests: supramaximal and maximal. Furthermore, gender differences in SmO2 response to test exercise were assessed and the usefulness of muscle oxygenation measurements in the assessment of anaerobic and aerobic capacity was determined. The Wingate test (WAnT) and the graded exercise test (GXT) to exhaustion were performed on a cycle ergometer to examine 13 female and 14 male speed skaters from the junior and U23 national teams. During both tests, SmO2 of the vastus lateralis muscle was recorded by near-infrared spectroscopy at baseline (at rest or post warm-up), at exercise, and during recovery. The most significant SmO2 indices (differences between baseline and post-exercise indices and half time for SmO2 to reach the maximal post-exercise value) were not significantly different between the tests. Gender was also not a differentiating factor in muscle oxygenation regardless of test type. In the GXT test, half time required for SmO2 to reach the maximal value correlated negatively with VO2max and test duration, thus confirming the usefulness of SmO2 measurements in the assessment of the aerobic capacity of speed skaters. In contrast, the WAnT test showed no significant correlations between exercise indices and muscle oxygenation indices. From the standpoint of the assessment of anaerobic capacity, SmO2 measurements showed little diagnostic value.

An analysis of the performance characteristics of world-class male speed skaters in the 500m race estimating the propulsive force per section

An analysis of the performance characteristics of world-class male speed skaters in the 500m race estimating the propulsive force per section

スピードスケート男子1,500m 競技における世界一流スケーターのカーブ滑走技術

スピードスケート男子1,500m 競技における世界一流スケーターのカーブ滑走技術

Patterns of Nutrient Intake among Male and Female High School-Aged Cross-Country Skiers and Speed Skaters

This study aimed to determine the appropriate nutritional intakes and dietary habits of high school-aged cross-country skiers and speed skaters. The subjects, all high school students from N Prefecture, included 18 male cross-country skiers, 5 male speed skaters, 10 female cross-country ski players and 4 female speed skaters. Physical measurements, food intake frequency survey results, bone mineral density and exercise stress test outcomes, and lactic acid measurements were evaluated. Female athletes in both sports had higher body fat percentages relative to the average range stated for female athletes. Male speed skaters had a significantly higher maximum oxygen in-take than that male cross-country skiers did. By contrast, this parameter did not differ significantly among female athletes. A negative correlation was observed between the fat free mass and muscle mass, and a positive correlation was observed among the body fat percentage, fat percentage, and fat mass. Both male and female athletes had protein intake ratios within the reference ranges. All athletes except male speed skaters had lipid energy ratios that were higher than the upper limit of the reference value. Both male and female athletes also reported carbohydrate energy ratios within the reference ranges, but had cereal energy ratios below the reference values. Athletes should pay attention to the ingestion of various nutrients to ensure a sufficient energy intake. Accordingly, adolescent athletes should consume daily meals containing a good balance of staple foods, main dishes, side dishes, milk and other dairy products, and fruits.

Development of 1500-m Pacing Behavior in Junior Speed Skaters: A Longitudinal Study.

To provide insight on the development of pacing behavior in junior speed skaters and analyze possible differences between elite, subelite, and nonelite juniors. Season-best times (SBTs) in the 1500-m and corresponding pacing behavior were obtained longitudinally for 104 Dutch male speed skaters at age 13-14 (U15), 15-16 (U17), and 17-18 (U19) y. Based on their U19 SBT, skaters were divided into elite (n = 17), subelite (n = 64), and nonelite (n = 23) groups. Pacing behavior was analyzed using the 0- to 300-m, 300- to 700-m, 700- to 1100-m, and 1100- to 1500-m times, expressed as a percentage of final time. Mixed analyses of variance were used for statistical analyses. With age, pacing behavior generally developed toward a slower 0- to 300-m and 1100- to 1500-m and a faster midsection relative to final time. While being faster on all sections, the elite were relatively slower on 0- to 300-m (22.1% ± 0.27%) than the subelite and nonelite (21.5% ± 0.44%) (P < .01) but relatively faster on 300- to 700-m (24.6% ± 0.30%) than the nonelite (24.9% ± 0.58%) (P = .002). On 700- to 1100-m, the elite and subelite (26.2% ± 0.25%) were relatively faster than the nonelite (26.5% ± 0.41%) (P = .008). Differences in the development of pacing behavior were found from U17 to U19, with relative 700- to 1100-m times decreasing for the elite and subelite (26.2% ± 0.31% to 26.1% ± 0.27%) but increasing for the nonelite (26.3% ± 0.29% to 26.5% ± 0.41%) (P = .014). Maintaining high speed into 700 to 1100 m, accompanied by a relatively slower start, appears crucial for high performance in 1500-m speed skating. Generally, juniors develop toward this profile, with a more pronounced development toward a relatively faster 700- to 1100-m from U17 to U19 for elite junior speed skaters. The results of the current study indicate the relevance of pacing behavior for talent development.

Modeling the Relationship between Velocity and Time to Fatigue in Elite Male Long-track Speed Skaters

Several mathematical models have been used to describe the relationship between exercise intensity and time to fatigue. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate different methods of describing the mathematical relationship between skating velocity and time to fatigue in elite male speed skaters. METHODS: Competition results (times) for the top 11 finishers at the 2003 Men's Long-track Speed Skating All-round World Championships were used. Data for the first 100 m were excluded, due to the dissociation between metabolic demand and velocity during the acceleration phase. To determine critical velocity (CV), anaerobic work capacity (AWC), and maximal velocity (Vmax), times for the four corrected distances (400, 1400, 4900, and 9900 m) were fitted to three mathematically-equivalent 2-parameter models (1a: time = AWC · (velocity - CV)-1; 1b: distance = (time · CV) + AWC; 1c: velocity = CV + (AWC · time-1)) and two different 3-parameter models (2: time = AWC · (velocity - CV)-1 - AWC · (Vmax - CV)-1; 3: velocity = CV + AWC · (1- e- (time / tau)) · time-1). RESULTS: The 2-parameter models (1a-1c) produced significantly different values (p<0.001) for CV and AWC, and thus were deemed unacceptable for describing the velocity-time relationship. The 3-parameter models (2-3) resulted in high values for coefficients of variation (R2 > 0.999) and small values for SEE for AWC and CV (∼10% and <1% of the values for AWC and CV, respectively); however, values generated by the models differed (p<0.001): CV (10.9 ± 0.2 and 11.2 ± 0.2 m·s-1) and AWC (727 ± 179 and 404 ± 89 m) for models 2 and 3 respectively. CONCLUSION: The all-round event in competitive speed skating provides a unique and excellent source of data for use in evaluating models of the velocity - time relationship. In no other major sport does each male participant provide four timed all-out efforts with performance times ranging from <1 min to 15 min; and laboratory testing rarely elicits the level of effort achieved in competition. Only the 3-parameter models described the velocity and time to fatigue relationship well, and therefore these models might be useful in evaluating performance-related physiological characteristics (CV, AWC, and Vmax) in elite male speed skaters.

Pacing Pattern and Speed Skating Performance in Competitive Long-Distance Events

The present study was aimed to compare the pacing pattern adopted by women and men in races performed during a complete World Cup series. Elite skaters competed in long-distance races of different length (3,000, 5,000, and 10,000 m) and location (low/high altitude) where distribution of lap times were analyzed. Regardless of athletes' performance level, gender, or rinks' location, similar pacing patterns were observed in each event, which were characterized by an initial acceleration followed by a progressive delay in lap times-"positive pacing strategy". Differences in lap times were significant in each instance for women's 3,000 m (p < 0.001). For the 5,000 m races, laps 5-12 in women and laps 8-12 in men were slower compared with previous laps (p < 0.001, for both sexes). For men's 10,000 m, skaters performed only the first lap faster than the remaining laps (p < 0.001) with laps 2-7 not different from each other but faster than laps 19-24 (p < 0.05), which also did not differ from each other. Top-ranked compared with bottom-ranked skaters (p < 0.001) and male compared with female skaters (p < 0.001) were significantly faster at each lap, suggesting that technical or physiological or both aspects need to be developed in those. The significantly shorter lap times at high- compared with low-altitude races (p < 0.001) suggest that rinks' location appears to be important for performance outcome, at elite level.

A Method To Obtain Instantaneous Power Output Data Of Athletes During Competition

BACKGROUND: During high level competition humans are approaching their power output (PO) limits. Performance depends not only on the produced amount of energy but also on how the energy is distributed, the pacing strategy. There is limited data available on how energy is distributed during competition. To understand how humans use their energetic resources it would be useful to combine velocity data with data on technique so that instantaneous PO can be approximated. PURPOSE: To develop a method to approximate the instantaneous PO of athletes during competition. METHODS: During the 2002 Winter Olympics from all male speed skaters (n=47) in the 1500m competition high resolution velocity data with optical tracking technology (Sportvision, USA) and video data in the sagital plane (collected 2 × per lap) were collected. Trunk and knee position from the video data together with mass and height were used in existing models to obtain aerodynamic characteristics of the skaters. An Energy Flow Model was constructed for each skater and optimization techniques were used to approximate PO parameters in order to fit the high resolution velocity data. RESULTS: On average the 1500m was skated in 107.77s (SD±2.0). We were able to reproduce the observed velocity profiles of the skaters with our optimized Energy Flow Model. The calculated instantaneous PO (in Watt) of the skaters at the 1500m can be described with the first order expression: PO = 376 + 648 * e (-0.063 * t), with t is time. When the best 10 skaters were compared to the performers ranked 20th to 30th (PObest10 = 393 + 710 * e (-0.058 * t) vs. PO20-30 = 386 + 631 * e (-0.069 * t)) it became clear that best performances on the 1500m were reached with a pacing strategy, in which a higher PO was generated in the beginning of the race. The difference in time between both groups (105.33s ±0.63 vs. 108.37s ±1.61) was mainly caused by a higher velocity of the faster group in the first half of the race. CONCLUSION: It was possible to approximate instantaneous power output by means of an Energy Flow Model, with high resolution velocity data and aerodynamic characteristics of the skaters as input variables.

Speed Skating the Curves: A Study of Muscle Coordination and Power Production

The purpose of this study was to describe the intermuscular coordination and power production for the constrained asymmetrical movement during skating the curves. Seven elite male speed skaters took part in the experiments. The speed skaters were simultaneously filmed from frontal and sagittal views. EMGs were obtained telemetrically and push-off force was registered with special skates. Inverse dynamic analysis yielded power production data, which differed for left and right leg. Marked differences were also found in intermuscular coordination of each leg. The activation patterns of the muscles were influenced by the asymmetrical nature and the typical body position during the speed skating movement. External power output was determined by three methods. The mean joint power output for left and right leg showed similar values as the external power output calculated from air and ice friction. These values were lower than the values predicted with a geometrical model for skating the curves.

Characteristic Stroke Mechanics of Elite and Trained Male Speed Skaters

In speed skating, the amount of work per stroke is dependent on the component of the push-off force in the direction perpendicular to the gliding direction of the skate. One stroke consists of a gliding phase and a push-off phase in which the knee is explosively extended. Film and video analysis showed that the better skaters show a higher power production and no differences in stroke frequency. Differences in performance are related to differences in push-off mechanics. The faster skaters reach a higher angular velocity at the knee; the time during which the knee is extended is shorter. At the start of the push-off, the velocity of the body center of gravity in the horizontal direction is higher due to a passive falling movement in the frontal plane. It is concluded that the better skaters show a better timing that results in a more explosive and effective directed push-off.

Body composition of Olympic speed skating candidates.

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the body composition of speed skaters who were candidates for the 1980 United States Olympic Team. Subjects were 19 males between 16 and 27 years of age. Most subjects had just completed three months of intensive dry-land training. Seven skinfold fat, 11 circumference, and seven diameter sites were measured. Body density was determined by underwater weighing. Study of the speed skaters (mean ± standard deviation) gave the following results: height, 176 ± 8 cm; body weight, 69.6 ± 7.0 kg; body density, 1.081 ± 0.006 g/ml; and relative fat, 7.6 ± 2.6%. The eight speed skaters who were selected for the Olympic Team were significantly older, taller, and heavier in total body weight and fat free weight (FFW) than the non-Olympians. Thus, years of training and greater FFW may help differentiate international caliber male speed skaters. Data on Olympic speed skating candidates from 1968 showed them to be of similar age (20.1 yr) and height (176 cm), but ...