Upper-body Endurance Research Articles

DEVELOPMENT OF UPPER BODY POWER IN JUNIOR CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS

With the advent of the ski-skating technique, upper body power has increasingly been shown to be a major factor in cross-country skiing success. The purpose of this study was to evaluate 4 commonly used training methods (weight, circuit, rollerboard, and ski-specific training) for the development of upper body power (UBP) in junior cross-country skiers. Fifty-eight adolescent cross-country skiers (Boys: n = 29, age = 16.0 ± 1.2 y and Girls: n = 29, age = 15.5 ± 1.5 y) were assigned to one of the UBP training methods for a 10-week training program. Fourteen cross-country runners served as controls (boys: n = 7, age = 15.8 ± 1.7 y; girls: n = 7, age = 14.9 ± 1.3 y). Skiers were evaluated pre- and post-training for upper body strength (UBS) using a 10 repetition maximum (RM) rollerboard test, for UBP using a double-poling ergometer and for upper body endurance (UBE) with a 3-km, arms-only, rollerski endurance time trial. Competitive race results were collected during the winters before and after training as were all training data. Only the rollerboard training group improved significantly greater than the control group (p < 0.05) in UBP and UBS. Improvements in UBP, UPS, and UBE were significantly related (r = 0.545, 0.303, and 0.407, respectively) to improvements in competitive performance. These data suggest that training using a rollerboard with 5–12RM and explosive speed is more effective in developing UBP than other common training methods for adolescent cross-country skiers. The practical importance of these data was verified by the significant relationships between improvements in UBP, UBS, and UBE related to improvements in competitive race performance.

Improved upper-body endurance following a 12-week home exercise program for manual wheelchair users.

This study determined if a 12-week monitored home exercise program would improve cardiorespiratory endurance in a heterogeneous group of manual wheelchair users, which incorporated subsets of individuals with and without upper-limb impairment. Twenty-seven subjects made up two groups of manual wheelchair users: 20 without upper-limb impairment and 7 with upper-limb impairment. Subjects completed wheelchair ergometer tests using a 1 min JUMP protocol that resulted in volitional exhaustion in 6 to 12 min. Following a recovery period (time > 30 min), subjects completed subsequent constant work rate endurance tests to exhaustion at a power output corresponding to 60% of the maximum attained on the JUMP test. Subjects then underwent 12 weeks of simulated wheelchair rolling exercise using elastic straps positioned to mimic the motion of propulsion. JUMP and constant work rate tests were performed before training and after 6 and 12 weeks of exercise. Oxygen consumption (VO2) increased from rest to peak exercise in both groups and was significantly (p < 0.016) higher at peak for subjects without upper-limb impairment than for those with upper-limb impairment. Heart rate (HR) responses between the groups were similar. No significant differences in peak VO2, anaerobic threshold, or peak HR were observed at 6 or 12 weeks of the training program. Substantial improvement (p < 0.001) in maximum constant work rate tests time (10.37 +/- 2.79 min) was noted at 6 and 12 weeks, with no significant difference between 6 and 12 weeks and no significant intergroup difference. Results of this study indicated that simulated propulsion exercise endurance was improved as a result of the home exercise program.

Chromium picolinate effects on body composition and muscular performance in wrestlers

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of 14 wk of chromium picolinate supplementation during the final 16 wk of a preseason resistance and conditioning program on body composition and neuromuscular performance in NCAA Division I wrestlers. During this phase of training, wrestlers are primarily interested in trying to improve physical performance and wrestling technique and are not engaged in severe, acute weight loss practices commonly employed before competition. This double-blinded, randomized placebo-controlled study involved 20 wrestlers from the University of Oklahoma assigned to either a treatment group (Cr+3; N = 7; 20.4 yr +/- 0.1) receiving 200 micrograms chromium picolinate daily, a placebo group (P; N = 7; 19.9 yr +/- 0.2), or a control group (C; N = 6; 20.2 yr +/- 0.1) using a stratified random sampling technique based on weight classification. Body composition, neuromuscular performance, metabolic performance, and serum insulin and glucose were measured before and immediately following the supplementation and training period. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated no significant changes in body composition for any of the groups. Aerobic power increased significantly (P < 0.002) in all groups, independent of supplementation. There were significant trial and group x trial interactions for upper body endurance (P = 0.038) and relative bench press power (P = 0.050). Post-hoc analyses revealed that the C group increased upper body endurance (P = 0.006), but none of the pre- to post-test changes in bench press power were significant. These results suggest that chromium picolinate supplementation coupled with a typical preseason training program does not enhance body composition or performance variables beyond improvements seen with training alone.

Health Related Physical Fitness Characteristics of Elite Puerto Rican Athletes

The purposes of this study were to provide sport-by-gender and gender-specific descriptive information regarding the health related fitness characteristics of Puerto Rican elite athletes, and to examine the hypothesis that athletes have excellent levels of each health related fitness component. A group of 500 athletes (353 M, 147 F) took part in this study. All were members of 21 sport federations affiliated with the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee and represented 27 sports. The following health related fitness components were examined: relative body fat (RBF); aerobic power (VO2 max), flexibility (Flex) = sit and reach; abdominal muscle endurance (AME) = sit-ups/min; and upper body endurance (UBE) = push ups/min. The classification of the gender-specific means indicated excellent aerobic power, good AME, average RBF, and fair Flex. The means for UME were classified as average for the men, good for the women. Overall, the health related fitness characteristics were also classified as average for the men, good for the women. These findings do not support the hypothesis that athletes have excellent levels for each health related fitness component.

EFFECT ON ENDURANCE PERFORMANCE FROM INTRODUCING MAXIMAL STRENGTH TRAINING IN UPPER BODY FOR CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS

1468 The aim of this study was to examine the effect of maximal strength training with emphasis on nervous adaptation on an endurance performance in upper body for competitive male cross country skiers. 22 male competitive cross-country skiers 19.8 years of age with a VO2max of 69.4 ml · kg-1 · min-1, volunteered to take part in the study. The training group (n=9) performed maximal strength training 3 times a week for 8 weeks, using a pulley, simulating the movements in double poling in cross country skiing. Each session consisted of 3 sets with 6 repetitions and a workload of 85% of 1RM. Average training were 9.5 hours per week for the subjects. The experiment were carried out close to the start of competitive season. Endurance performance was tested on a double poling ergometer. The results showed a significant increase in performance measured as time to exhaustion on maximal aerobic velocity, with 31% over the control group. 1RM improved significantly from 40.3 to 44.3 kg, which was less than expected from previous studies. The lower improvement is believed mainly to be due to differences in fibre type distribution. Time to peak force and peak force on a standardised work load shows average significant improvements of 94% and 22% respectively, over the control group. The conclusion is that maximal strength training with emphasis on nervous adaptations improves upper body endurance performance expressed as time to exhaustion on a standardised work load.

The New Britain Cardiac Rehabilitation Program: A Sixteen Year Evolution from Illness to Wellness

The New Britain General Hospital and the New Britain-Berlin YMCA Cardiac Rehabilitation Program began in 1972. This paper describes the phase and organizational structures of the New Britain Cardiac Rehabilitation Program in 1972 and 1988. Several developmental trends are noted over these years including: the admittance of a higher-risk patient population, earlier initiation of rehabilitative services, incorporation of upper body endurance and strength training into the exercise regimen, and expansion of our departmental mission from tertiary and secondary care to primary prevention and health promotion. Future directions of growth in cardiac rehabilitation during the 1990s and beyond are discussed.

Cardiac effects of short term arm crank training in paraplegics: echocardiographic evidence.

The cardiac responses of male paraplegics to upper-body endurance training have been studied by M-mode echocardiography and CO2-rebreathing determination of cardiac output. Data for nine exercised subjects are compared with 5 controls. After 16 weeks of arm ergometer exercise, heart rates of trained individuals were 9 bt X min-1 lower during isometric handgrip effort (30% of MVC for 3 min), with a substantial decrease of rate pressure product (20%; p less than 0.05). In contrast (possibly because of greater anticipation) the control subjects developed a larger rate-pressure product with repetition of the standard isometric effort. Despite a significant increase of VO2 peak (19% and 31% after 8 and 16 weeks, respectively; p less than 0.05), echocardiographic LV mass, dimensions and indices of LV performance were unchanged by training, either at rest or during the isometric handgrip. Stroke volumes were significantly increased by 12-16% after training, both in isometric and in rhythmic work; at the highest intensity of arm ergometry, there was also a suggestion of increased cardiac output. We conclude that a short period of arm training is insufficient to induce cardiac hypertrophy, an increase of stroke volume with a decreased rate-pressure product but no change in echocardiographic indices of LV performance implies an improved myocardial efficiency. Possible explanations are a greater strength of the trained arms, and some increase of pre-loading (due to an increase of venous tone and more effective operation of the muscle pump after training).

Pulmonary function changes in wheelchair athletes subsequent to exercise training.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the pulmonary function and aerobic fitness of wheelchair athletes and assess changes in these values subsequent to an upper-body interval training programme (ITP). Eight male members of the United States national collegiate champion wheelchair basketball team were tested prior to and after an 8 week ITP. Each subject trained (30 min; 3 times per week) on a wheelchair ergometer (WERG) at a power output which would elicit 80% of maximum HR reserve. Before and after training, measurements were obtained at rest, during WERG exercise at 10,20 and 30 W, and during maximal exercise. Static lung volumes and timed forced expiratory volumes measured by spirometry were unchanged by training. Submaximal exercise pulmonary ventilation and oxygen uptake values were similar before and after training, but maximal exercise ventilation (KEmax) increased from 100 to 1311 min−1. In addition, the ratio of KEmax to maximum voluntary ventilation (12s) increased significantly from 52 to 69% after the ITP. Peak oxygen uptake increased by 26% from the pre-training value of 2191 min−1. These results suggest that, although lung volumes are not changed, upper-body endurance training for wheelchair athletes can significantly improve aerobic fitness and increase the level of pulmonary ventilation attainable during maximal exercise.

Grip and forearm position effects on tests of static and dynamic upper body endurance.

Abstract The effects of grip and forearm position on two tests of upper body muscular endurance were investigated in 109 male subjects 18–21 years of age. Subjects were systematically presented 12 tasks: six pull-up and six straight-arm hang grip and forearm variations. Each of the six tasks for both endurance tests represented a different combination of grip (thumb over bar and thumb under bar) and forearm position (pronated, supinated and semi-pronated). Task results were analyzed utilizing 2 × 3 (grip × forearm) ANOVA with repeated measures on the two factors. Analysis of pull-up data revealed that the semi-pronated and supinated forearm positions were not statistically different from each other, but superior to the pronated condition. Results of straight-arm hang performance revealed a significant difference between grips at the semi-pronated position, with the “thumb under bar” being superior. Results for forearm positions at grips indicated a significant difference for the “thumb under bar,” with the pronated and semi-pronated positions being superior to the supinated position. For forearm positions at “thumb over bar,” the pronated condition was significantly different from the semi-pronated and supinated positions. Thumb position trends and kinesiological mechanical analysis did foster general recommendations for use of the “thumb over bar” for pull-ups and the “thumb under bar” position for the straight-arm hang.

VENTILATORY MUSCLE TRAINING IN CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Ventilatory muscles (VM), like other skeletal muscles, can fatigue, and respiratory failure can result from inadequate VM power to overcome increased respiratory loads. Improving VM endurance may benefit chronic lung disease patients by making these muscles less susceptible to fatigue. Four Cystic Fibrosis (CF) subjects, with mean FEV1 68±12% predicted, participated in a specific VM endurance training program consisting of 25 min/day maximal normocapnetc ventilation 5 days/week for 4 weeks. They improved their VM endurance 51.6± 18.8 % (P< 0.02). Seven CF subjects, with mean FEV1 67±13 % predicted, participated in a 4-week physical activity training program consisting of 1 ½ hours/day of swimming and canoeing, without specific VM training. They increased their VM endurance 56.7±26.7 % (P <0.005). However, four normal subjects, on the same specific VM training program, increased their VM endurance only 22.1±7.3 % (P<0.005). The increased response of the CF subjects to training suggests either that they had reduced VM endurance initially, or that the training program superimposed on their increased respiratory load was a greater training stress. We conclude from these results that VM endurance can be rapidly improved in CF patients. Furthermore, a rigorous program of upper body endurance exercise is equally effective in improving VM endurance as specific endurance training.