Associations of Anthropometric and Strength Determinants With Walking and Running Economy in German Male and Female Police Officers

Abstract Keller, S, Jacobs, MW, Feuerbacher, JF, Dragutinovic, B, Zedler, M, Goldmann, JP, and Schumann, M. Associations of anthropometric and strength determinants with walking and running economy in German male and female police officers. J Strength Cond Res 39(7): e909–e915, 2025—This cross-sectional study assessed the associations between anthropometry, isometric maximal strength and rapid force production, and exercise economy (EE) in male and female police officers. Thirty-six male and 27 female German police officers (age 30.2 ± 5.8 years, estimated o 2 peak 42.4 ± 4.5 ml·min −1 ·kg −1 ) completed an anthropometric assessment (body height, mass, and composition) followed by isometric maximal (leg press, upright pull, hand grip) and dynamic strength assessment (countermovement jump [CMJ], squat jump [SJ], and drop jump height) and an incremental treadmill test (1.6 + 0.4 m·s −1 every 5 minutes) to determine EE and speed corresponding to 4 mmol·L −1 (V4). Isometric maximal strength did not correlate statistically with EE or V4 (−0.31 < r < 0.30, p > 0.05), whereas CMJ (22.4 ± 4.0 cm) was statistically correlated with EE at 1.6 m·s −1 (46.1 ± 3.3 ml·min −1 ·kg −0.75 ) and SJ (20.9 ± 4.3 cm) with EE at 1.6 and 2.0 m·s −1 (74.2 ± 5.7 ml·min −1 ·kg −0.75 ), only in females ( r > 0.41, p < 0.05). Fat mass (14.4 ± 5.2 kg) and age (29.6 ± 5.8 years) were statistically correlated with V4 in males (3.1 ± 0.4 m·s −1 ) and females (2.8 ± 0.3 m·s −1 ), respectively ( r < −0.54, p < 0.01), whereas lean mass (49.8 ± 4.1 kg) was statistically correlated with EE at 2.4 m·s −1 (86.0 ± 5.0 ml·min −1 ·kg −0.75 ) in females only ( r = 0.57, p < 0.01). Higher maximal strength and rapid force production were not associated with better walking or running EE or aerobic performance in male and female police officers.