title: Hemodynamic and Cardiorespiratory Predictors of Sport Rock Climbing Performance.
abstract: Fryer, SM, Giles, D, Garrido Palomino, I, de la O Puerta, A, and España-Romero, V. Hemodynamic and cardiorespiratory predictors of sport rock climbing performance. J Strength Cond Res 32(12): 3543-3550, 2018-Rock climbing performance has been suggested to involve a notable contribution from aerobic metabolism. Previously, it has been shown that forearm oxygenation kinetics can be used to distinguish ability groups and predict red-point sport climbing performance. Currently, it is not known if forearm oxygenation kinetics or a sport-specific assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness best predicts sport rock climbing performance. The aim of the study was to determine whether forearm oxidative capacity index, maximal deoxygenation (Δ score) during a treadwall V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak test, treadwall V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak, or running V[Combining Dot Above]O2max best predicts self-reported sport climbing performance. Twenty-one male sport rock climbers completed a treadwall V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak, running V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, and an assessment of near-infrared spectroscopy-derived oxidative capacity index. Linear regression, adjusted for age and experience (years), revealed that forearm oxidative capacity index, treadwall maximal deoxygenation (Δ), and treadwall V[Combining Dot Above]O2peak all significantly predicted self-reported red-point sport climbing ability (Adj R = -0.398, -0.255, and 0.374, respectively), whereas treadmill running V[Combining Dot Above]O2max did not (Adj R = -0.052). Additionally, multiple regression suggested that the combined significant aerobic predictors accounted for 67% of the variance in red-point climbing ability. Findings suggest that training for sport rock climbing performance should look to incorporate modalities that focus on (a) improving local forearm aerobic capacity and (b) improving whole-body aerobic capacity using sport-specific apparatus, such as treadwalls.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Sciences, School of Sport and Exercise, University of Gloucestershire, Gloucester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Simon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Fryer
authors.affiliation: Health and Social Care Research Center, College of Health and Social Care, University of Derby, Buxton, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, School of Education, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Inmaculada Garrido
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Palomino
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de la O Puerta
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education, School of Education, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain.
authors.forename: Vanesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: España-Romero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056352:Athletes; D054874:Athletic Performance; D000072599:Cardiorespiratory Fitness; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005542:Forearm / Q000502:physiology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009051:Mountaineering / Q000502:physiology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012420:Running; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared