Main description:

This book sheds new light on the history of exercise physiology and how it essentially grew, thanks to the work of a few major Schools. Analysing and interpreting the evolution of the field, the authors focus on the School of Milano, which was founded by Rodolfo Margaria and is one of the most prominent representatives, having played a central role in promoting and advancing this field of physiology.

In turn, the authors trace Margaria's biography; under his influence, the school introduced new concepts with regard to both the energetics of muscular exercise and to human locomotion. These concepts were further developed by Margaria's pupils and by subsequent generations. Indeed, the course that was set in Milano greatly influenced the entire history of modern physiology. Readers with a keen interest in the origins of modern concepts and technologies in exercise physiology will find this book a fascinating and informative read.

Contents:

1. Foreword

2. Before Margaria: Mosso and Herlitzka

3. Margaria's revolution: the falsification of Hill and Meyerhof theory of the energetics of muscular exercise.

4. Margaria's concept of oxygen debt

5. Further developments on the exercise transients: Milano versus England

6. The energetics of human locomotion

7. The biomechanics of human locomotion

8. Maximal oxygen consumption

9. Mechanics of breathing

10. Margaria, Cerretelli and altitude physiology

11. A School goes into Space

12. A School goes into Depth

13. The School of Milano with respect to other Schools

14. Epilogue