Parameters of Walking and Jogging in Healthy Young Adults

Int J Exerc Sci 3(1): 4-13, 2010. The purposes of this study were to a) investigate the average heart rate (HR), speed, stride length, and stride rate during moderate intensity walking and jogging in healthy young adults, b) cross validate the walking stride length calculation based on 42% of height and c) provide reliability information for measurement of walking and jogging steps, speed, stride length, and stride rate. Participants (N=130) wore two Yamax SW-200 pedometers and a Polar A-1 HR monitor while performing walking and jogging trials. The correlation between estimated (0.71 ± 0.04 m·stride-1) and actual stride length (0.78 ± 0.05 m·stride-1) was moderate (r = .46). However, a significant difference was observed between the two measurements (t(115) = -14.24, p < .001). The reliability results for speed, stride length, and stride rate showed that two or fewer trials were enough to achieve reliable estimates. In conclusion, when instructed to walk at a moderate pace, healthy young adults tend to walk at an average pace that is greater than that recommended for meeting current public health recommendations (80 m·min-1). Similarly, when instructed to jog at a comfortable pace, healthy young adults tend to jog at a speed greater than that corresponding to vigorous intensity physical activity (134 m·min-1). The results of the reliability analysis indicate that in healthy young adults, to measure typical walking and jogging patterns using a pedometer, only two trials for walking and one trial for jogging are necessary to achieve reliable estimates. Stride rate calculations requires the combination of two trials and one pedometer for both walking and jogging.