Energy Expenditure and Fitness Response Following Once Weekly Hill Climbing at Low Altitude

Abstract

This work sought to determine the fitness responses and energy expenditure (EE) following once-weekly hill climbing for 16 weeks on different slopes. A cohort of 98 healthy, sedentary subjects (49 female, 49 male) completed the program at their preferred climbing pace. Body composition, resting metabolic rate (RMR) and VO₂max were measured. EE was measured on 4 slopes (11.6°, 19.9°, 14.9°, and 28.6°) at the subjects’ preferred speed. In males, weight, body mass index, fat mass significantly decreased (P<0.05), and RMR showed an increasing trend, but the difference was not significant (P=0.051). In females, the muscle mass increased significantly, and fat (%) and fat mass significantly decreased (P<0.05). Absolute and relative of VO₂max, ventilation (VE) improved significantly in both sexes (P<0.01). Energy expenditure was similar on different slopes, but shows gender-specific values of approximately 50.4 and 33.6 kJ/min for males and females, respectively. The regression equation of EE (kJ/min)=[1.724×(female=1, and male=2)+(−0.072×age)+0.106×weight+0.024×HR+0.136×slope+1.487×velocity]×4.2. In conclusion, hill climbing at a subjects’ preferred velocity is a vigorous-intensity physical activity for energy cost and, performed once weekly, enhances cardiorespiratory fitness and reduces fat mass, therefore making it a viable exercise for most people.

Key words

VO₂max - resting metabolic rate - body composition - physical activity

• References

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