Sports Sciences Commons^™

Oxygen Deprivation Masks For Training, Brittany M. Hanlon

Student Publications

Oxygen deprivation masks are being advertised towards athletes as a piece of fitness equipment that can simulate the effects of high altitude, as well as a respiratory muscle training device. Studies that investigated the claims as to whether ODMs increased VO2max and improved endurance were looked into. Experimental data did not find that the use of these masks increased VO2max, nor was there any supporting data to prove that it improved endurance. The function of ODMs as a training tool to increase respiratory muscle strength was also examined. There were contradicting results between the three different studies examined. One study …

Kaatsu Training, Efrain De Leon Angon

Student Publications

This paper explores the use of blood flow restriction training as a rehabilitation tool in physical therapy and as a training method for the general population such as the fact that BFR training can be an alternative option for individuals who cannot tolerate high-load resistance training due to injury or surgery. This allows BFR training to be used by a wide spectrum of ages and physical capacities. However, the safety of BFR is still being questioned as well as its effects on well-trained athletes.

Cryotherapy, Emma E. Bedell

Student Publications

Rest and recovery are vital for athletes to give their bodies time to repair and strengthen between workouts. Whole-body cryotherapy involves exposing the body to vapors that reach ultra-low temperatures, ranging from -200°F to -300°F. There are several possible beneficial mechanisms from whole-body cryotherapy that support a fast recovery such as muscle temperature decrease, reduction in muscle damage, reduction in inflammation, reduction in heart rate and cardiac output, peripheral vasoconstriction, reduction in peripheral edema formation, and pain-relieving effects. This paper dissects the adaptations cryotherapy provides in athletic recovery, and additionally notes some draw backs of this cooling technique.

Periodization For Massive Strength Gains, Benjamin L. Yanes

Student Publications

In order to create the perfect resistance training program for their athletes, coaches must master the ability to control all variables of training over time in order to maximize physiological responses - this is a concept known as periodization (3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26).

Periodization was first established in Russia, after the conclusion of the 1956 Olympic games (7, 21). Though simple in its principle and aim, periodization is frequently misunderstood due to the hyper-specific research that surrounds it (3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 15, 21, 23, 25). Over the last five decades, researchers …