Date
5-2022
Department
School of Health Sciences
Degree
Master of Science in Human Performance (MS)
Chair
Andy Bosak
Keywords
Running Power, Endurance, Kinesiology, Power Calculation
Disciplines
Kinesiology
Recommended Citation
Fields, Andrew David, "The Progress of Power: A Narrative Review of the Practical Progression of Running Power Assessment and Application" (2022). Masters Theses. 877.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/877
Abstract
Power has revolutionized endurance athletics. Power is a function of the amount of force produced in a certain amount of time. Utilized correctly, it can be an effective metric of effort during endurance activities. Cycling saw the first fruits of this metric in the 1980s and 1990s with Tour de France athletes and has continued to provide immense benefits to cyclists. Power when applied to running, however, has seen a much slower progression toward effective use. Various attempts in the 1970s and 80s to use calculations to express running power as a function of multiple different kinematic variables proved futile. In recent years, significant technological developments have led to a revitalization of running power research, particularly in the Stryd pod, which is the most commercially successful “running power meter” available. This technology has been shown to be quite reliable, however results related to metabolic and cardiovascular metrics of effort such as running economy, RPE, and HR have shown a lot of variability and inconsistency. Though sensors such as the Stryd pod have propelled running power research into the 21st century, there is still so much that needs to be done. Perhaps a holistic model utilizing technology from multiple different disciplines in the field of exercise science would provide a more valid and accurate base from which to implement running power in training and racing for a wider range of people and settings.
