Whole-body Strength Research Articles

Changes in exercise and musculoskeletal symptoms of novice nurses: A one-year follow-up study

<h2>ABSTRACT</h2><h3>Background</h3> Nursing is a high-risk occupation for work-related musculoskeletal disorders and many nursing students have a history of musculoskeletal symptoms. <h3>Aims</h3> To quantify (1) changes in exercise and musculoskeletal symptoms from pre-registration to 12-month registered nurses, and (2) the best predictor of severity of musculoskeletal symptoms from measures of the five physical fitness components and exercise participation. <h3>Methods</h3> In this longitudinal study, August 2013 to April 2015, 62 (55.9%) of 111 nursing students fitness tested completed questionnaires measuring nursing work history, exercise, and musculoskeletal symptoms at baseline and 12 months post-registration. <h3>Findings</h3> Nurses' exercise participation declined post-registration and 38.0% were overweight/obese. At 12 months post-registration, 76.0% experienced musculoskeletal symptoms, mainly affecting the low back, neck, and/or shoulders. Approximately 50% of symptoms were attributed partly/solely to work; yet few were reported to employers or prompted sick leave. For female nurses, increases in whole-body strength were positively associated with increases in whole-body musculoskeletal symptom severity; however, the multiple regression model contained unexplained variability. <h3>Discussion</h3> Many nursing students entered nursing with modifiable risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders: overweight/obese, earlier musculoskeletal symptoms, and poor exercise habits. As registered nurses, they showed high lifetime and 12-month prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and declining exercise. Reporting musculoskeletal symptoms were undervalued. <h3>Conclusion(s)</h3> Inadequate exercise and high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among novice registered nurses may contribute to/aggravate musculoskeletal disorders. Nurse leaders should understand the exercise habits and fitness of pre-registration and novice registered nurses to develop interventions towards improving health behaviours to reduce musculoskeletal disorder risk.

The Genetic Effect on Muscular Changes in an Older Population: A Follow-Up Study after One-Year Cessation of Structured Training.

Older adults lose muscle mass and strength at different speeds after the cessation of physical exercise, which might be genotype related. This study aimed to explore the genetic association with changes in muscle mass and strength one year after the cessation of structured training in an older population. Participants (n = 113, aged between 61 and 81 years) who performed one-year of combined fitness (n = 44) or whole-body vibration (n = 69) training were assessed one year after the cessation of the training. Whole-body skeletal muscle mass and knee strength were measured. Data-driven genetic predisposition scores (GPSs) were calculated and analysed in a general linear model with sex, age, body mass index and post-training values of skeletal muscle mass or muscle strength as covariates. Forty-six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from an initial 170 muscle-related SNPs were identified as being significantly linked to muscular changes after cessation. Data-driven GPSs and over time muscular changes were significantly related (p < 0.01). Participants with higher GPSs had less muscular declines during the cessation period while data-driven GPSs accounted for 26–37% of the phenotypic variances. Our findings indicate that the loss of training benefits in older adults is partially genotype related.

Seven Weeks of Jump Training with Superimposed Whole-Body Electromyostimulation Does Not Affect the Physiological and Cellular Parameters of Endurance Performance in Amateur Soccer Players.

Intramuscular density of monocarboxylate-transporter (MCT) could affect the ability to perform high amounts of fast and explosive actions during a soccer game. MCTs have been proven to be essential for lactate shuttling and pH regulation during exercise and can undergo notable adaptational changes depending on training. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence and direction of potential effects of a 7-weeks training period of jumps with superimposed whole-body electromyostimulation on soccer relevant performance surrogates and MCT density in soccer players. For this purpose, 30 amateur soccer players were randomly assigned to three groups. One group performed dynamic whole-body strength training including 3 x 10 squat jumps with WB-EMS (EG, n = 10) twice a week in addition to their daily soccer training routine. A jump training group (TG, n = 10) performed the same training routine without EMS, whereas a control group (CG, n = 8) merely performed their daily soccer routine. 2 (Time: pre vs. post) x 3 (group: EG, TG, CG) repeated measures analyses of variance (rANOVA) revealed neither a significant time, group nor interaction effect for VO2peak, Total Time to Exhaustion and Lamax as well as MCT-1 density. Due to a lack of task-specificity of the underlying training stimuli, we conclude that seven weeks of WB-EMS superimposed to jump exercise twice a week does not relevantly influence aerobic performance or MCT density.

Improved Sprint Performance With Inhaled Long-Acting β2-Agonists Combined With Resistance Exercise.

To investigate the impact of twice-daily inhalation of 100µg of salmeterol (SAL) or 12µg of formoterol (FOR) in addition to a strength- and power-training program over a 5-wk period on a 30-m sprint, strength, power, mood, stress, and skinfold thickness. In a randomized, single-blind study, 23 male and 15 female nonasthmatic, recreationally active individuals were recruited (mean [SD] age 26.3 [5.4]y, weight 76.2 [11.5]kg, height 176.9 [8.5]cm). Participants completed 3 standardized whole-body strength- and power-training sessions per week for 5wk during which they were assigned to an SAL, FOR, or placebo group. Participants used their inhaler twice per day as instructed and completed assessments of sprint, strength, and power at baseline and 1wk after cessation of the training program. The assessments included a 30-m sprint, vertical jump, 1-repetition-maximum (1RM) bench press, 1RM leg press, peak torque flexion and extension, anthropometric evaluation, and Rest-Q questionnaires. After 5 wk of strength and power training, 30-m sprint time reduced in the FOR (0.29 [0.11]s, P = .049) and SAL (0.35 [0.05]s, P = .040) groups compared with placebo (+0.01 [0.11]s). No significant change was found in other assessments of strength, mood, or skinfold thickness. When strength and power training are combined with the inhalation of FOR or SAL over a 5-wk period, moderately trained individuals experience an improvement in 30-m sprint performance.

Effects of a 12-Week Resistance Training Program on Arterial Stiffness: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Werner, TJ, Pellinger, TK, Rosette, VD, and Ortlip, AT. Effects of a 12-week resistance training program on arterial stiffness: a randomized controlled trial. J Strength Cond Res 35(12): 3281-3287, 2021-Arterial stiffness is an indicator of disease and is an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. Some reports indicate that resistance training increases indices of arterial stiffness, whereas others report no association. This study sought to determine the association between 2 common resistance training models and indices of arterial stiffness. We recruited 30 male, untrained subjects (18-30 years) and randomized them into 1 of 3 groups: control (CON, n = 10), high-intensity resistance exercise (HI, n = 10), and high-volume resistance exercise (HV, n = 10). Subjects randomized to the resistance training groups were required to perform whole-body strength training exercises 3-5 days a week for 12 weeks. The exercise regimen consisted of 2-3 sets of 3-8 repetitions (80-90% of 1 repetition maximum [1RM]) for the HI group and 3-4 sets of 10-15 repetitions (50-70% of 1RM) for the HV group. Anthropometry, carotid artery diameters, peripheral and central blood pressure, and maximal dynamic strength were measured before and after the 12-week study period. Subjects were instructed to maintain their normal diet and avoid aerobic exercise during the study. After the intervention, both the HI and HV groups increased their maximal strength on the back squat, bench press, and seated row (all p < 0.05). However, there were no changes in arterial stiffness indices between the groups. Using a randomized controlled trial with validated measurements of arterial stiffness, chronic resistance training does not appear to influence central arterial stiffness, regardless of training volume and load.

An AAV-SGCG Dose-Response Study in a γ-Sarcoglycanopathy Mouse Model in the Context of Mechanical Stress

Sarcoglycanopathies are rare autosomic limb girdle muscular dystrophies caused by mutations in one of the genes coding for sarcoglycans. Sarcoglycans form a complex, which is an important part of the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex and which protects the sarcolemma against muscle contraction-induced damage. Absence of one of the sarcoglycans on the plasma membrane reduces the stability of the whole complex and perturbs muscle fiber membrane integrity. There is currently no curative treatment for any of the sarcoglycanopathies. A first clinical trial to evaluate the safety of a recombinant AAV2/1 vector expressing γ-sarcoglycan using an intramuscular route of administration showed limited expression of the transgene and good tolerance of the approach. In this report, we undertook a dose-effect study in mice to evaluate the efficiency of an AAV2/8-expressing γ-sarcoglycan controlled by a muscle-specific promoter with a systemic mode of administration. We observed a dose-related efficiency with a nearly complete restoration of gamma sarcoglycan (SGCG) expression, histological appearance, biomarker level, and whole-body strength at the highest dose tested. In addition, our data suggest that a high expression threshold level must be achieved for effective protection of the transduced muscle, while a suboptimal transgene expression level might be less protective in the context of mechanical stress.

Strength Training Improves Metabolic Health Markers in Older Individual Regardless of Training Frequency.

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of frequency, thereby increasing training volume, of resistance training on body composition, inflammation markers, lipid and glycemic profile in healthy older individuals (age range 65–75 year). Ninety-two healthy participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups; performing strength training one- (EX1), two- (EX2), or three- (EX3) times-per-week and a non-training control (CON) group. Whole-body strength training was performed using 2–5 sets and 4–12 repetitions per exercise and 7–9 exercises per session. All training groups attended supervised resistance training for 6 months. Body composition was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry and fasting blood samples were taken pre- and post-training. There were significant main effects of time for total fat mass (F = 28.12, P < 0.001) and abdominal fat mass (F = 20.72, P < 0.001). Pre- to post-study, statistically significant reductions in fat mass (Δ = -1.3 ± 1.4 kg, P < 0.001, n = 26) were observed in EX3. Pre- to post-study reductions in low density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration (Δ = -0.38 ± 0.44 mmol⋅L-1, P = 0.003, n = 19) were observed only in EX3, whereas a significant pre- to post-study increases in high density lipoprotein (HDL) concentration (0.14–0.19 mmol⋅L-1) were observed in all training groups. Most variables at baseline demonstrated a significant (negative) relationship when correlating baseline values with their change during the study including: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) (r = -0.583, P < 0.001), high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (r = -0.471, P < 0.001, and systolic blood pressure (r = -0.402, P = 0.003). The present study suggests that having more than two resistance training sessions in a week could be of benefit in the management of body composition and lipid profile. Nevertheless, interestingly, and importantly, those individuals with a higher baseline in systolic blood pressure, IL-6 and hs-CRP derived greatest benefit from the resistance training intervention, regardless of how many times-a-week they trained. Finally, the present study found no evidence that higher training frequency would induce greater benefit regarding inflammation markers or glycemic profile in healthy older adults.

Influence of exclusive resistance training on body composition and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight and obese children and adolescents: A systematic review update

Purpose: The aim of the present systematic review was to update a previous review, aiming at investigating the effects of exclusive resistance training on body composition and cardiovascular risk factors for obese or overweight children and adolescents and to report the efficiency of whole-body strength training in weight management and obesity prevention during adolescence. Method: Intervention studies that performed isolated resistance training with overweight or obese children and adolescents under 18 years of age were systematically reviewed. Body composition and cardiovascular risk factors constituted as the outcome measurements. Results: Five studies passed the inclusion criteria. All participants in treatment groups undertook supervised whole-body resistance training. The mean compliance was 87%. Four studies reported significant changes in body composition, with a decrease in mass, percentage body fat, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio as well as a significant increase in fat free mass. Three studies analysed the effects on cardiovascular risk factors and two reported significant changes with a decrease in systolic blood pressure and IL-6 as well as a significant increase in adiponectin. Conclusion: A strength training intervention appears safe and tends to show positive effects for obese adolescents. Several significant changes were observed. A lack of studies and a small sample size of participants conducting an isolated strength training intervention made a safe interpretation difficult. Due to this, more studies are needed to analyse the role of exclusive resistance training in weight management for obese adolescents and its influence on cardiovascular risk factors.

Cancer Stage Does Not Affect Fatigue or VO2peak Improvements Following an Exercise-Based Cancer Rehabilitation Program

INTRO: Cancer stage reflects the severity and extent of the disease, with stage IV reflecting advanced cancer and poorer prognosis. Exercise has been shown to improve a number of psychological and physiological variables in cancer survivors, such as cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and cardiovascular fitness (VO2peak). However, the effect of stage on these improvements is unknown. PURPOSE: To examine whether diagnosed cancer stage affects or modifies improvements in CRF and VO2peak. METHODS: A total of 384 cancer survivors (57 ± 12 years of age) completed initial assessments of CRF and VO2peak via the Piper Fatigue Scale and the University of Northern Colorado Cancer Rehabilitation Institute’s cancer-specific treadmill protocol, respectively. Participants were divided into four groups based on diagnosed cancer stage (I, II, III, and IV). Survivors completed supervised, one-on-one exercise sessions three days per week, 60 minutes per day for 12 weeks. The intervention consisted of individualized and progressive cardiovascular, whole-body strength, balance, and flexibility training. Participants’ CRF and VO2peak were reassessed following the intervention. RESULTS: Collectively, pre-to-post assessments demonstrated significant overall improvements in CRF (-25%) and VO2peak (11%) across all stages (p<0.01). No significant differences in CRF (p=0.92) or VO2peak (p=0.44) improvements occurred between the stages. When evaluating individual cancer stage CRF, significant improvements (p<0.01) were observed with each stage (I, -32%; II, -27%; III, -29%; IV, -29%). Similarly, significant improvements in VO2peak (p<0.01) occurred with each cancer stage (I, 16%; II, 14%; III, 12%, IV, 11%). CONCLUSION: Exercise-based cancer rehabilitation during and following cancer treatment has been shown to have positive effects on CRF and VO2peak, but the effect of stage diagnosis on these improvements has been unclear. We observed no significant differences in improvement of CRF and VO2peak between cancer stages, and all stages experienced significant benefits following a 12-week cancer rehabilitation program. These results suggest that reductions in CRF and improved cardiovascular function are possible in all cancer patients, regardless of cancer stage.

Can grip strength and/or walking speed be simple indicators of the deterioration in tongue pressure and jaw opening force in older individuals?

Swallowing-related muscle strength decreases due to sarcopenia, and older people are at risk for sarcopenia and the resultant dysphagia. However, no studies have assessed the direct relationships between whole-body strength and swallowing-related muscles. Therefore, this study investigates the relationships between decreased whole-body strength, which is easily evaluated, and swallowing-related muscle strength. A total of 197 elderly individuals (97 men aged 78.5±6.6years and 100 women aged 77.8±6.2years) were enrolled. Grip strength, walking speed, tongue pressure and jaw opening force were measured, and the effects of age and the relationships between whole-body strength and swallowing-related muscle strength were investigated. With respect to age-related changes, tongue pressure, jaw opening force, grip strength and walking speed decreased with age in men and women. The relationships between whole-body strength and swallowing-related muscle strength were analysed, with age used as the control variable. Among men, tongue pressure was correlated with grip strength and walking speed, whereas jaw opening force was correlated with grip strength. Among women, neither tongue pressure nor jaw opening force was correlated with grip strength or walking speed. There was a sex-based difference in the correlations between whole-body strength and swallowing-related muscle strength. Among men, swallowing-related muscle strength was correlated with whole-body strength, and grip strength could thus serve as a simple indicator for swallowing-related muscle strength. Decreased swallowing-related muscle strength can be inferred in cases involving male patients for whom decreased grip strength is measured during physical examination or is otherwise suggested (eg, by an inability to open plastic bottles).

Effects of different strength training frequencies on maximum strength, body composition and functional capacity in healthy older individuals

There is controversy in the literature regarding the dose-response relationship of strength training in healthy older participants. The present study determined training frequency effects on maximum strength, muscle mass and functional capacity over 6months following an initial 3-month preparatory strength training period. One-hundred and six 64–75year old volunteers were randomly assigned to one of four groups; performing strength training one (EX1), two (EX2), or three (EX3) times per week and a non-training control (CON) group. Whole-body strength training was performed using 2–5 sets and 4–12 repetitions per exercise and 7–9 exercises per session. Before and after the intervention, maximum dynamic leg press (1-RM) and isometric knee extensor and plantarflexor strength, body composition and quadriceps cross-sectional area, as well as functional capacity (maximum 7.5m forward and backward walking speed, timed-up-and-go test, loaded 10-stair climb test) were measured. All experimental groups increased leg press 1-RM more than CON (EX1: 3±8%, EX2: 6±6%, EX3: 10±8%, CON: −3±6%, P<0.05) and EX3 improved more than EX1 (P=0.007) at month 9. Compared to CON, EX3 improved in backward walk (P=0.047) and EX1 in timed-up-and-go (P=0.029) tests. No significant changes occurred in body composition. The present study found no evidence that higher training frequency would induce greater benefit to maximum walking speed (i.e. functional capacity) despite a clear dose-response in dynamic 1-RM strength, at least when predominantly using machine weight-training. It appears that beneficial functional capacity improvements can be achieved through low frequency training (i.e. 1–2 times per week) in previously untrained healthy older participants.

Criterion and Construct Validity of an Isometric Midthigh-Pull Dynamometer for Assessing Whole-Body Strength in Professional Rugby League Players.

To examine the criterion and construct validity of an isometric midthigh-pull dynamometer to assess whole-body strength in professional rugby league players. Fifty-six male rugby league players (33 senior and 23 youth players) performed 4 isometric midthigh-pull efforts (ie, 2 on the dynamometer and 2 on the force platform) in a randomized and counterbalanced order. Isometric peak force was underestimated (P < .05) using the dynamometer compared with the force platform (95% LoA: -213.5 ± 342.6N). Linear regression showed that peak force derived from the dynamometer explained 85% (adjusted R2 = .85, SEE = 173N) of the variance in the dependent variable, with the following prediction equation derived: predicted peak force = [1.046 × dynamometer peak force] + 117.594. Cross-validation revealed a nonsignificant bias (P > .05) between the predicted and peak force from the force platform and an adjusted R2 (79.6%) that represented shrinkage of 0.4% relative to the cross-validation model (80%). Peak force was greater for the senior than the youth professionals using the dynamometer (2261.2 ± 222 cf 1725.1 ± 298.0N, respectively; P < .05). The isometric midthigh pull assessed using a dynamometer underestimates criterion peak force but is capable of distinguishing muscle-function characteristics between professional rugby league players of different standards.

Native whey induces higher and faster leucinemia than other whey protein supplements and milk: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundResistance exercise and protein intake are both strong stimuli for muscle protein synthesis. The potential for a protein to acutely increase muscle protein synthesis seems partly dependent on absorption kinetics and the amino acid composition. The aim of this double-blinded randomized cross-over study was to compare time dependent changes in blood amino acid concentrations after ingesting 20 g of five distinct high quality dairy protein supplements (native whey, whey protein concentrate 80, hydrolysed whey, microparticulated whey, and milk proteins). Furthermore, we investigated whether differences in time dependent changes in blood amino acid concentrations affected acute blood glucose and urea responses, and recovery of muscle function after a bout of strength training.MethodsTen young healthy, recreationally active men ingested different milk protein supplements after a whole-body strength training session on five occasions in a randomized manner. Blood concentrations of amino acids, glucose and urea was measured before and 0, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120 min, and 22 and 30 h post-exercise. Maximal voluntary isometric knee extension and counter movement jump were assessed before, immediately after, 6, 22 and 30 h after exercise.ResultsIntake of native whey induced a faster and higher leucinemia than the other protein supplements (p < 0.001). All whey protein supplements showed faster time dependent changes in blood amino acid concentrations for total essential and branched chain amino acids compared to milk. There were no major differences between trials in blood concentrations of glucose or urea, or recovery of muscle function after exercise.ConclusionNative whey induced the strongest leucinemia and appears to have a greater potential for stimulating muscle protein synthesis than other whey supplements and milk. There were no meaningful differences in blood glucose, urea or recovery of muscle function after the supplements. Future studies should investigate whether the increased leucinemia with native whey translates into greater muscle protein synthesis and muscle mass accretion over time. (NCT02882386, August 16, 2016).

Mediation of Cognitive Function Improvements by Strength Gains After Resistance Training in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: Outcomes of the Study of Mental and Resistance Training.

To determine whether improvements in aerobic capacity (VO2peak ) and strength after progressive resistance training (PRT) mediate improvements in cognitive function. Randomized, double-blind, double-sham, controlled trial. University research facility. Community-dwelling older adults (aged ≥55) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (N = 100). PRT and cognitive training (CT), 2 to 3 days per week for 6 months. Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-Cog); global, executive, and memory domains; peak strength (1 repetition maximum); and VO2peak . PRT increased upper (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.69, 95% confidence interval = 0.47, 0.91), lower (SMD = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.69-1.20) and whole-body (SMD = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.62-1.05) strength and percentage change in VO2peak (8.0%, 95% CI = 2.2-13.8) significantly more than sham exercise. Higher strength scores, but not greater VO2peak , were significantly associated with improvements in cognition (P < .05). Greater lower body strength significantly mediated the effect of PRT on ADAS-Cog improvements (indirect effect: β = -0.64, 95% CI = -1.38 to -0.004; direct effect: β = -0.37, 95% CI = -1.51-0.78) and global domain (indirect effect: β = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.02-0.22; direct effect: β = -0.003, 95% CI = -0.17-0.16) but not for executive domain (indirect effect: β = 0.11, 95% CI = -0.04-0.26; direct effect: β = 0.03, 95% CI = -0.17-0.23). High-intensity PRT results in significant improvements in cognitive function, muscle strength, and aerobic capacity in older adults with MCI. Strength gains, but not aerobic capacity changes, mediate the cognitive benefits of PRT. Future investigations are warranted to determine the physiological mechanisms linking strength gains and cognitive benefits.

The effects of bolus supplementation of branched-chain amino acids on skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function in patients with rheumatic disorders during glucocorticoid treatment

Objectives: To test the effects of bolus supplementation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) on skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function in patients with rheumatic disorders taking glucocorticoid (GC).Methods: Patients with rheumatic disorders treated with prednisolone (≥10 mg/day) were randomized to ingest additional daily 12 g of BCAA (n = 9) or not (n = 9) for 12 weeks. At baseline, and 4, 8, and 12 weeks, they underwent bioelectrical impedance analysis, muscle strength and functional tests, and computed tomography analysis for cross-sectional area of mid-thigh muscle.Results: Disease activities of the patients were well controlled and daily GC dose was similarly reduced in both groups. Limb muscle mass was recovered in both groups. Whole-body muscle mass and muscle strength and functional mobility were increased only in BCAA (+) group. The effects of BCAA supplementation on recovering skeletal muscle mass were prominent in particular muscles including biceps femoris muscle.Conclusions: This trial is the first-in-man clinical trial to demonstrate that BCAA supplementation might be safe and, at least in part, improve skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function in patients with rheumatic disorders treated with GC.

Whole-body strength training with Huber Motion Lab and traditional strength training in cardiac rehabilitation: A randomized controlled study

BackgroundIsometric strengthening has been rarely studied in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), mainly because of possible potential side effects and lack of appropriate and reliable devices. ObjectiveWe aimed to compare 2 different modes of resistance training, an isometric mode with the Huber Motion Lab (HML) and traditional strength training (TST), in CHD patients undergoing a cardiac rehabilitation program. DesignWe randomly assigned 50 patients to HML or TST. Patients underwent complete blinded evaluation before and after the rehabilitation program, including testing for cardiopulmonary exercise, maximal isometric voluntary contraction, endothelial function and body composition. ResultsAfter 4 weeks of training (16 sessions), the groups did not differ in body composition, anthropometric characteristics, or endothelial function. With HML, peak power output (P=0.035), maximal heart rate (P<0.01) and gain of force measured in the chest press position (P<0.02) were greater after versus before training. ConclusionBoth protocols appeared to be well tolerated, safe and feasible for these CHD patients. A training protocol involving 6s phases of isometric contractions with 10s of passive recovery on an HML device could be safely implemented in rehabilitation programs for patients with CHD and improve functional outcomes.

Do physiological measures predict selected CrossFit(®) benchmark performance?

PurposeCrossFit® is a new but extremely popular method of exercise training and competition that involves constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. Despite the popularity of this training method, the physiological determinants of CrossFit performance have not yet been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine whether physiological and/or muscle strength measures could predict performance on three common CrossFit “Workouts of the Day” (WODs).Materials and methodsFourteen CrossFit Open or Regional athletes completed, on separate days, the WODs “Grace” (30 clean and jerks for time), “Fran” (three rounds of thrusters and pull-ups for 21, 15, and nine repetitions), and “Cindy” (20 minutes of rounds of five pull-ups, ten push-ups, and 15 bodyweight squats), as well as the “CrossFit Total” (1 repetition max [1RM] back squat, overhead press, and deadlift), maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), and Wingate anaerobic power/capacity testing.ResultsPerformance of Grace and Fran was related to whole-body strength (CrossFit Total) (r=−0.88 and −0.65, respectively) and anaerobic threshold (r=−0.61 and −0.53, respectively); however, whole-body strength was the only variable to survive the prediction regression for both of these WODs (R2=0.77 and 0.42, respectively). There were no significant associations or predictors for Cindy.ConclusionCrossFit benchmark WOD performance cannot be predicted by VO2max, Wingate power/capacity, or either respiratory compensation or anaerobic thresholds. Of the data measured, only whole-body strength can partially explain performance on Grace and Fran, although anaerobic threshold also exhibited association with performance. Along with their typical training, CrossFit athletes should likely ensure an adequate level of strength and aerobic endurance to optimize performance on at least some benchmark WODs.

Alternating Whole-Body Strength Training Increases Time to Peak Ground Reaction Force Across Multiple Sets

Alternating Whole-Body Strength Training Increases Time to Peak Ground Reaction Force Across Multiple Sets

Whole-body strength training using Huber Motion Lab in coronary heart disease patients: Optimization and safety

CO43-002-e Whole-body strength training using Huber Motion Lab in coronary heart disease patients: Optimization and safety T. Guiraud a,∗, M. Labrunee b, M. Granger a, M. Bousquet a, L. Richard a, A. Chadli a, A. Boned a, A. Pathak b, M. Gayda c, V. Gremeaux d a Clinic of Saint-Orens, Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center, Saint Orens de Gameville, France b Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), UMR-1048, Toulouse, France c Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada d Pole reeducation-readaptation, CHU de Dijon, 23, rue Gaffarel, 21079 Dijon, France ∗Corresponding author.

Effects of Traditional vs. Alternating Whole-Body Strength Training on Rate of Force Development and Volume

Effects of Traditional vs. Alternating Whole-Body Strength Training on Rate of Force Development and Volume