Characterization of Heart Rate Responses, Duration, and Distances Traveled in Youth Participating in Recreational Skateboarding at Community Skateparks.

ABSTRACT: Furr, HN, Nessler, JA, and Newcomer, SC. Characterization of heart rate responses, duration, and distances traveled in youth participating in recreational skateboarding at community skateparks. J Strength Cond Res 35(2): 542-548, 2021-Recreational skateboarding continues to gain popularity in youth within the United States and abroad. Surprisingly, there is a paucity of research regarding the cardiovascular responses of youth participating in recreational skateboarding. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that skateboarding would elicit heart rates and durations consistent with the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for cardiovascular fitness in youth. Seventy-one recreational skateboarders (boys: 63 and girls: 8) between the ages of 6 and 17 years participated in this study. Data were acquired at 9 skateparks in the local community. After parental consent, subjects completed a questionnaire and were instrumented with a heart rate monitor (Polar V800 GPS Sports Watch), which recorded heart rate, duration, and distance traveled. Subjects were instructed to engage in typical skateboarding activities, with the duration and intensity of activity determined by the individual. Subjects were 10.6 ± 2.9 years old and had participated in skateboarding for 3.1 ± 2.4 years. On average, subjects skateboarded 55.5 ± 28.4 minutes, at an average heart rate of 140.4 ± 16.1 b·min-1, and traveled an average distance of 2.65 ± 1.87 km. Results from this study suggest that youth participating in recreational skateboarding at community skateparks attain exercise intensities and durations that are comparable with the ACSM's and CDC's exercise recommendations for cardiovascular fitness in youth. These findings may hold implications for city planners considering the impact of community skateparks on physical activity in youth and overall public health.

Characterization of Adult Heart Rate Responses During Recreational Skateboarding at Community Skateparks.

Youth participating in recreational skating at community skate parks attain exercise intensities and durations that are comparable with the CDC's exercise recommendations for cardiovascular fitness for their age group. However, it is currently unclear if adults who skateboard in the same environment also achieve the recommended intensities and durations for cardiovascular fitness. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that skateboarding would elicit heart rates and durations consistent with the CDC's recommendations for cardiovascular fitness in adults. Fifty-five subjects between ages 18-55 were recruited from six community skateparks for this study. Subjects completed a questionnaire and were instrumented with a Polar V800 heart rate receiver on the left wrist and an H7 Bluetooth heart rate transmitter around the chest below the pectoralis major. Participants were instructed to engage in a typical skateboarding session on their own board with the duration and intensity of activity to be determined by the participant. The mean age of the participants was 27.4 ± 8.5 years, and participants reported skateboarding at a community skate park a mean of 3.1 ± 1.8 days/week. Participants had a mean heart rate of 138.2 ± 21.9 beats per minute (71.7% of age predicted maximum), skated for 65.5 ± 36.2 minutes, and traveled 4.56 ± 4.5 kilometers. Subjects spent 70% of their total duration at moderate-intensity or above and 30% within the low, and below low-intensity range. Results from this study suggest that adults participating in recreational skateboarding in community skateparks achieve the CDC's exercise recommendations for cardiovascular fitness. These findings may have implications for community skatepark design and professional training programs for adult skateboarding athletes.

Electromyographic Analysis of the Surf Paddling Stroke Across Multiple Intensities.

Nessler, JA, Ponce-Gonzalez, JG, Robles-Rodriguez, C, Furr, H, Warner, M, and Newcomer, SC. Electromyographic analysis of the surf paddling stroke across multiple intensities. J Strength Cond Res 33(4): 1102-1110, 2019-Surfers spend a majority of their time in the water paddling. The purpose of this study was to examine activity in 5 muscles that contribute to paddling at different velocities and to characterize oxygen use, paddling cadence, and surfboard motion at each velocity. Twelve recreational surfers completed an incremental paddling test on a short surfboard in a swim flume. Surface electromyography was recorded bilaterally from latissimus dorsi, upper and mid trapezius, and posterior and mid deltoid. Electromyographic activity increased as water velocity increased for all muscles, but the change in activation between endurance and sprint paddling was greatest for latissimus dorsi (p < 0.001). At higher water velocities, the middle deltoid was activated earlier in the paddling stroke (p = 0.005). Oxygen use, paddling cadence, and surfboard roll/yaw increased with increasing water velocity. These data may be useful for athletes, trainers, and equipment designers interested in increasing power and efficiency of the paddling stroke.

Differences in V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak of Surfers When Paddling in Water vs. on a Swimbench Ergometer.

Furr, HN, Warner, ME, Copeland, TL, Robles-Rodríguez, C, Ponce-González, JG, Nessler, JA, and Newcomer, SC. Differences in V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak of surfers when paddling in water vs. on a swimbench ergometer. J Strength Cond Res 33(4): 1095-1101, 2019-The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that surfers would achieve a higher V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak when tested in a swim flume vs. on a swimbench ergometer. Forty-eight surfers (male: 38, female: 10) aged 18-45 years participated in the study. Protocol 1 and 2 both measured heart rate, oxygen consumption (V[Combining Dot Above]O2), and respiratory exchange ratio while subjects performed an incremental paddling test both on a swimbench ergometer and in a swim flume. Protocol 2 additionally measured muscle activity and changes in skin temperature. V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak was significantly higher in the swim flume (33.03 ± 1.04 ml·kg·min) vs. on the swimbench ergometer (29.86 ± 1.08 ml·kg·min) (p value < 0.001). There were also significant differences in muscle activation and changes in skin temperature between the flume and ergometer (p-value < 0.05). Surfers significantly increased their V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak in the water suggesting previous reports of V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak likely underestimated surfer's aerobic fitness when measured on a swimbench ergometer. Future research investigating the aerobic fitness of surfers should be conducted while paddling in water or account for the 11% difference in V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak when tested on a swimbench ergometer.