Improving training efficiency through exploitation of the ventilatory systems' responses to load carriage

This work was funded by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. There were two distinct aims of this work. Firstly, to ascertain if previous experience of torso-borne load carriage activity provides positive adaptions to respiratory muscle function, ventilatory function and exercise performance whilst carrying torso-borne load (up to 40 kg) during relevant military tasks and exercise. Comparisons in relevant outcome measures were made between serving male British Infantry soldiers with load carriage experience and physically active males without load carriage experience. Secondly, to evaluate the reproducibility and repeatability of respiratory muscle strength assessments as undertaken on military personnel.