Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Be Your Best S.E.L.F., Rachel Wood, Casey Hasenbein

Senior Theses

The goal of our thesis was to use our knowledge as Exercise Science students and personal trainers to improve the health of an underserved population in South Carolina. We created a voluntary exercise and self-defense program for the girls residing at Epworth Children’s Home. The program began on October 1, 2018 and concluded on April 29, 2019 with data collecting taking place between October 8th and March 18th. Every other week SASS Defense taught their self-defense program, and on the alternating weeks we facilitated an exercise class. The program also included a mentorship aspect to create a supportive social environment …

Examination Of The Monoamine Oxidase A Gene Promoter On Motivation To Exercise And Levels Of Voluntary Physical Activity, Erin M. Kinney

Senior Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the genetic basis underlying voluntary exercise. Monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) is an enzyme that acts on monoamine neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, to cause inactivation. There are several polymorphisms in the promoter region of the MAO-A gene, and these variations change transcriptional activity and the amount of MAO-A produced, leading to alterations in available dopamine levels. Interestingly, polymorphisms in MAO-A have been associated recently with physical activity level. This study sought to determine whether there is an association between motivation to exercise, levels of voluntary physical activity, and MAO-A gene polymorphisms.

Methods: …

Bodypump And The Rep Effect: An Instructor's Evaluation Of The Low-Weight, High-Repetition Group Exercise Program, Meredith Pritchett

Senior Theses

My senior thesis project was to become a certified Les Mills BODYPUMP instructor. In order to obtain my certification I had to go through training, which was paid for by the University of South Carolina. Training was a mentally and physically demanding weekend full of lifting weights and learning everything there is to know about BODYPUMP techniques, choreography, and coaching. Afterwards, I had sixty days to send in a video of myself teaching the class to a group of participants in order for my teaching skills to be evaluated by Les Mills. I passed my evaluation and am now a …