The effects of the Cross Walk's resistive arm poles on the metabolic costs of treadmill walking
Abstract
The recently developed CROSS WALKR exercise treadmill incorporates resistive arm
poles designed to increase the metabolic costs associated with walking. Twenty-nine
healthy men (mean age, 24.2 yr) were recruited to study the physiological effects of
utilizing the arm poles during normal treadmill walking at 2,3, and 4 mph at a 3% grade.
Ss walked at each test speed for 5 min with arms and 5 rnin without arms, achieving
steady state HR and VO, at each of the 6 stages. The arm poles increased VO, (ml-min-I)
by an average 58% and HR by an average of 32% above normal walking. Using arm
poles increased RPE to a much lesser degree (9.1%). Except for RER, the arm pole
treatment produced significantly (p < .01) higher values for all remaining metabolic
variables (V,, Lsmin-I, kcals, and METs). It was concluded that the CROSS WAL,KR's
arm poles #lowed individuals to obtain higher exercise intensity levels during treadnr911
walking without corresponding increases in perceived cardiovascular strain.
Subject
Energy metabolism
Walking - Physiological aspects
Treadmill exercise tests