Observations on a Group of Marathon Runners

Study of Pulmonary Function Tests in Individuals Engaged in Traditional Indian Exercises in Akhada

“…It shows that these tests are not influenced by physical training. These results support the findings of Gordon et al [31], Newman et al [32], Stuart and Collings [4], although, many studies show significantly higher values in physically active persons [17,18,19,20,21]. Further longitudinal studies are required to confirm these findings.…”

Causal analysis of Distance Running Performance

“…Vital capacity has revealed only slight relationship to endurance performance (Gordon, Levine and Wilmaers, 1924;Costill, 1967;Adams, 1968;McKethan and Mayhew, 1972), although it is usually greater in athletes than in nonathletes (Robinson, Edwards and Dill, 1937;Stuart and Collings, 1963). Cureton (1947) indicated that vital capacity should be corrected for body surface area to be meaningful; in such case the residual increased and decreased with training.…”

“…Because of the exceptionally high maximum oxygen intakes reqorded in distance runners (Astrand, 1956;Saltin and Astrand, 1967; Costill and Fox, 1969; Fox and Costill, 1972) and owing to the lack of relationship between specific respiratory parameters (Gordon, Levine, and Wilmaers, 1924;Costill, 1967; McKethan and Mayhew, 1972), cardiovascular variables (Montoye, Mack and Cook, 1960;Slusarek, 1958; Massey, Husman and Kahoe, 1953) and endurance performance, maximal oxygen intake has been labelled the best predictor of distance-running ability (Saltin and Astrand, 1967;Costill, 1967Costill, , 1968). However, recent research has shown significant but relatively low correlations (r = .43 -.47) between 162max (ml/min/kg) and two-to three-mile run times (Wiley and Shaver, 1972), while other studies (Costill, 1967;Cooper, 1968;Ribisl and Kachidorian, 1969) have reported much higher relationships (r = .79* -.85).…”

Measurements of Pulmonary Function of Wrestlers

“…Some investigators (12,13,14) found that athletes have a higher vital capacity than untrained subjects and believed the difference to be due to regular training. On the other hand, Gordon and others (7), and Dumas (5) studied long distance runners and Rasch and Brant (II), and Kroll (9) studied wrestlers. finding that vital capacities of all groups were within normal limits.…”