Effects of Continuous Running as Compared to Interval Running on Cardiorespiratory Efficiency of Conditioned Freshman Wrestlers at South Dakota State University

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether a running program significantly influences the cardiorespiratory efficiency of conditioned wrestlers and to compare continuous running and interval running as methods of increasing the cardio-respiratory efficiency of conditioned wrestlers. Eighteen of the 19 members of the freshman wrestling squad at South Dakota State University, Spring Semester 1967, volunteered as subjects. The 18 subjects were divided into three equated groups, the results of a cardiorespiratory efficiency test being used as the equating factor. By employing the track pillbox method, the three equated groups were designated as the Interval Running Group (IR), and Continuous Running Group (CR), or the Control Group. All three groups attended wrestling practice, but the two experimental groups supplemented wrestling practice with a running program. Group IR ran intervals of 240 yards each in a time of 40 seconds with a maximum rest between intervals of 1 minute and 30 seconds. The intervals were increased from 4 intervals per day to 7 intervals per day over the 24 day training program. Group CR ran continuously without a definite set pace for 7 minutes per day at the beginning of the program and increased to 15 minutes of continuous running per day by the end of the program. The control group attended their regular physical education classes while the two experimental groups were exempt. All subjects in the three groups were tested at the beginning, at approximately the mid-point, and at the completion of the training program. Oxygen consumption and pulse rate at rest and in recovery from a standardized treadmill run were used as criteria to determine cardiorespiratory efficiency. The analysis of variance was applied to the data collected during the testing and was used to find variance between the group means and within the group means. Duncan’s New Multiple-Range Test was applied to the data that indicated or approached statistical significance in the analysis of variance test. The results of the findings indicated that a running program in addition to wrestling practice does not appear to increase significantly with cardiorespiratory efficiency of conditioned wrestlers; and the benefits of such a program seem to be largely psychological