title: Fit-climbing test:  a field test for indoor rock climbing.
abstract: The aim of this study was to develop an indoor rock-climbing test on an artificial wall (Fit-climbing test). Thirteen climbers (elite group [EG] = 6; recreational group [RG] = 7) performed the following tests: (a) familiarization in the Fit-climbing test, (b) the Fit-climbing test, and (c) a retest to evaluate the Fit-climbing test's reliability. Gas exchange, blood lactate concentration, handgrip strength, and heart rate were measured during the test. Oxygen uptake during the Fit-climbing test was not different between groups (EG = 8.4 ± 1.1 L; RG = 7.9 ± 1.5 L, p > 0.05). The EG performance (120 ± 7 movements) was statistically higher than the RG climbers' performance (78 ± 13 movements) during the Fit-climbing test. Consequently, the oxygen cost per movement during the Fit-climbing test of the EG was significantly lower than that of the RG (p < 0.05). Handgrip strength was higher in the EG when compared with that in the RG in both pre-Fit- and post-Fit-climbing test (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in any other variables analyzed during the Fit-climbing test (p > 0.05). Furthermore, the performance in the Fit-climbing test presented high reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97). Therefore, the performance during the Fit-climbing test may be an alternative to evaluate rock climbers because of its specificity and relation to oxygen cost per movement during climbing.
authors: Department of Sport, School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. bertuzzi@usp.br
authors: Rômulo
authors: R
authors: Bertuzzi
authors: Emerson
authors: E
authors: Franchini
authors: Valmor
authors: V
authors: Tricoli
authors: Adriano E
authors: AE
authors: Lima-Silva
authors: Flávio De Oliveira
authors: FO
authors: Pires
authors: Nilo M
authors: NM
authors: Okuno
authors: Maria A P D M
authors: MA
authors: Kiss
mesh_terms: D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood*; D009051:Mountaineering / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates