Health and Physical Education Commons^™

Acute And Chronic Dietary Nitrate Supplementation On Resistance Exercise Performance In Healthy Resistance-Trained Adults., Trevor J. Molnar, Sydney N. Brennan, Justin M. Foster, Ryan Tran, Raymond T. Gerardo, Kyle S. Geppert, Christopher B. Sottile, Michael Egiazarian, Abigail F. Ballhagen, Stewart D. Gonzalez, Adam Pennell, Rachel Tan

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The efficacy of dietary nitrate supplementation for enhancing resistance exercise remains unclear, and nitrate dosing guidelines are relatively unexplored. PURPOSE: To determine whether acute and chronic dietary nitrate supplementation, provided in the form of nitrate-rich beetroot juice (BR), can improve resistance exercise performance in resistance-trained males. METHODS: Thirty-six resistance-trained males and females will be recruited. Participants will complete a standardized one-repetition maximum (1RM) test in barbell back squat and barbell bench press and a familiarization prior to experimental visits. In a randomized, double-blind, controlled, fashion, participants will complete two conditions of 14-day supplementation periods to consume: (1) nitrate-depleted beetroot juice …

Muscle Damage Across Menstrual Cycle Phase, Jeromea "Jiji" Pollock Ph.D.

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The Muscle Damage Across Menstrual Cycle Phase (MuDAM) study examined estrogen’s critical role in muscle recovery after muscle damage to the knee flexors. Knee flexor strength plays a critical role as antagonist muscles to provide stability to the knee joint during the deceleration phase of sprinting, particularly during change of direction movements. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to identify the rate of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), pain, and performance during Phase 1 (low levels of estrogen and low levels of progesterone); Phase 2 (peak levels of estrogen and low levels of progesterone); and Phase 4 (peak levels …

Anticipation Effects On Landing Error Scoring System Performance: Highlighting The Influence Of Athletic Status And Sex, Heather E. Hinton, Melanie D. Hernandez, Warren O. Forbes

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Removing the element of anticipation has previously shown to lead to worse performance on the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) field test. It is unknown if sex or athletic status contributes to this phenomenon. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of sex and athletic status on LESS performance with and without the element of anticipation. METHODS: Twenty-six participants performed five anticipated and five unanticipated trials of the LESS. For the anticipated LESS trials, participants were given specific instructions to perform a drop jump task, similar to the standard LESS assessment. Unanticipated LESS trials consisted of …

Effect Of Load Carriage On Grf, Lower Body Biomechanics, And Physiology, Oakley Slade, Megan Astle, Stetson Mcclellan, Brad Theel, Dallan Bye, Tyler Standifird, Shane Draper

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Rucking has gained in popularity over the past several years due to accessibility, affordability, functionality, and wide-ranging health benefits. Despite its popularity, there are several unknown biomechanical and physiological areas that remain underexplored. PURPOSE: Investigate the effects varying loads and inclines have on biomechanical and physiological factors. METHODS: Fifteen recreationally active individuals were randomly assigned to six different conditions on the treadmill. Treadmill conditions consisted of being unweighted or wearing a weighted pack while walking 1.5 m/s inclined (4.5 degrees), declined (-4.5), or flat. The weight of the ruck was relative to the participant's mass and heart rate (HR) in …

Isolation Of Mitochondrial Dna To Investigate Mitochondrial Genome Turnover In Skeletal Muscle, Kathryn Spry, Morgan Daniel, Clover D. Crenshaw, Robert Musci

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

The quality of mitochondrial function is an essential part of cellular health. However, mutations occur within the cell during the metabolic processes of replication, repair, respiration and turnover. A build up of these mutations can cause mitochondrial dysfunction, which in turn leads to cell, tissue and eventually organismal dysfunction. Disease such as sarcopenia and cardiovascular disease are prime examples of the results of this process. Thus, better understanding mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) turnover rates could contribute to a decreased risk of disease. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to 1) outline a procedure to isolate pure mtDNA from frozen …

Pilot Study: Impact Of Full-Body Muscle Contractions On Glucose Regulation By Activity Level, Charles Reyes, Erica Quillen, Christian Gonzalez, Rana Soussan, Janet Dionicio, Gabriela Oritz, Jermey Lohmann, Celeste Perez, Riley Garrett, Sebastian Castillo, Nathan Berio, Christian Ho, Anthony Pena, Anne Yang, Minhyuk Kwon

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Muscle contractions help regulate blood glucose by promoting uptake in the muscle cells. However, modern sedentary (low activity level) lifestyles significantly reduce opportunities for muscle contractions. PURPOSE: This study examined whether brief full-body muscle contractions could effectively alter glucose regulation with responses differing by activity level. METHODS: Three High-Active individuals (HA; 3100 ± 1002 MET-minute/week, 24 ± 5.7 years, 1 woman) and 3 Low-Active individuals (LA;129 ± 152 MET-minute/week, 19 ± 1.4 years, 1 woman) performed randomized and counterbalanced tasks involving brief full-body muscle contraction and non-contraction tasks. The contraction task consisted of 3 sets of 15s fully-body …

Susceptibility To Eccentric Contractions-Induced Locomotor Muscle Injury In Cigarette Smoke-Exposed Mice, David Tran, Leonardo Nogueira

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Chronic exposure to tobacco cigarette smoke (CS) leads to pulmonary damage, inflammation, exercise intolerance, and skeletal muscle contractile and repair dysfunction, as our group has shown that CS exposure also delays muscle repair after eccentric contractions. This study investigated whether chronic CS exposure increases the susceptibility of locomotor muscles to injury from a session of eccentric contractions, as previous studies have shown that smokers have a greater risk of muscle injuries. Methods: Young adult (8 weeks old) wild-type mice (C57BL/6J, IACUC 25-071, n=24) were exposed to daily periods of CS or air (as controls) for eight consecutive weeks. After the …

Face And Content Validation Analysis Of The Professional Pain Preparation Questionnaire For Use In Physical Therapist Education, Rodiel Kirby Baloy Ii

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Introduction Physical therapy educational preparation for the management of individuals in pain may be determined based on the themes of: (1) level of academic preparation, (2) educational hours spent in studying pain, including additional postgraduate training and certification, and (3) clinical experience. This study assessed the face and content validity of a tool, the Professional Pain Preparation Questionnaire (PPP-Q) to assess pain expert perception as to the value and relevance of each of the identified domains. Methods 12 respondents were recruited for face validity, and 5 experts were recruited for content validity. Descriptive statistics, specifically frequency and percentage were used …

Preliminary Findings: Evaluating The Effects Of Palmar Cooling On Upper Body Resistance Training Performance, Jake J. Heydon, Bailey Mclagan, E Todd Schroeder

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

PURPOSE: Fatigue can impair single-session performance, thereby limiting long-term adaptations in resistance training. Palmar cooling (PC) may improve thermoregulation by targeting arteriovenous anastomoses in the hands, potentially delaying fatigue and increasing work capacity. This study aims to assess whether PC during rest intervals can delay the onset of fatigue and improve work capacity during upper-body resistance training.

METHODS: Three male NCAA Division I throwers (age 21.3 ± 1.2 yrs; BMI 32.1 ± 0.017) participated in this randomized crossover pilot study. Participants completed two experimental sessions following an initial 10RM test for the seated barbell overhead press. Participants performed four sets …

Empowering Black Girls Through Joy, Strength, And Sisterhood: The Smart Fit Girls, Black Girl Joy Program, Alexis O. Pope, Kellie Amanda Walters

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

BACKGROUND: Compared to adolescent boys, girls are more likely to be obese, sedentary, and experience psychosocial distress such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Physical activity (PA) is strongly linked to psychosocial well-being, particularly in girls, yet girls of color face fewer opportunities to engage in structured PA programs. PURPOSE: Smart Fit Girls, Black Girl Joy (SFG BGJ) is a culturally immersive 7-week program combining PA, nutrition, and psychosocial lessons to strengthen psychosocial well-being in Black middle school girls. METHODS: A mixed-methods design was used with 6th–8th graders in the Long Beach Unified School District. Quantitative data was collected …

Under Pressure: Floor-To-Stage Heart Rate Differences In Elite Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Players, Ashley Holland, Dillon Harris, Zachary R. Mcfadden, Steven B. Machek

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Background: The growing Esports industry features high stakes competition and large-scale viewership. Competitors in titles such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (SSBU) may experience increased performance anxiety indicators like elevated heart rate especially when placed into spotlighted stage matches, both live streamed and recorded in front of a live audience. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if heart rate elevations differ between competitive play on stage relative to the floor of a double-elimination style tournament bracket. Methods: Four internationally ranked SSBU players (24±1y; 4M) wore chest-based heart rate monitors throughout a double-elimination bracket.A 2-way (Bracket [Winners, Losers] …

Remote Activation Of A Connected Mobile-Health Application After A Clinical Exercise Physiology Consultation Within A Preventive Cardiology Practice, Theodore I. Nania, Frank T. Paul Iii, Dennis Fitz-Patrick, Regis I. Fernandes M.D., Robert Scales

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Connected mobile-Health (CmH) is an innovative healthcare model where clinicians use a shared mobile device application (app) and supportive technology to monitor and deliver care remotely. PURPOSE: This investigation pilot tested the feasibility of integrating a CmH communication platform into a preventive cardiology practice within a large integrated healthcare system. METHODS: A 6-month retrospective chart review of electronic medical records was conducted to identify the adoption of CmH in a self-selected group of patients after receiving a 1-hour in-person consultation from a graduate-level Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP). Exercise counseling included a short-term progressive home exercise prescription with instruction on how …

Observation Of Emerging Hand Preference Reflected In Hemispheric Eeg Patterns In Infants With Typical Development, Kashish H. Chainani, Riley Elmer, Erika G. Mora, Beth A. Smith

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

ABSTRACT

Reaching behavior in infants typically emerges around 4 months of age. Neural mechanisms reflected in reaching behavior are crucial for understanding brain organization, cognitive processing, and typical neuromotor development.

PURPOSE:

This study investigates the relationship between emerging hand bias and hemispheric electroencephalography (EEG) activity in infants with typical development. We hypothesize that within subjects, brain activation (EEG relative power) will be greater in the left hemisphere (C3) in infants with right reach bias (RB) and greater in the right hemisphere (C4) in infants with left reach bias (LB), with no significant differences between hemispheres for infants with no reach …

Relationships Between Depression And Body Composition In Collegiate Athletes And Non-Athletes, Aysha W. Cunningham, Keegan Pulford-Thorpe, Edward Kerr Iii, Tamara Hew-Butler

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Up to 62.9% of the general college student population report depression. Whether or not collegiate athletes have higher or lower depression scores remains unclear. PURPOSE: To 1) determine the incidence of depression at a midwestern university and 2) explore relationships between depression and body composition in collegiate athletes and non-athletes. METHODS: A convenience sample of student-athletes and non-athletes, from a NCAA Division II school, were screened for depression using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression – Revised (CESD-R) scale. The threshold for depression was ≥16. Total body composition was assessed using a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanner (Hologic, Horizon …

The Effects Of Altitude Hypoxia In Simulated Racing, Yahtziri Martinez, Daniela Torres, Evelin Ramirez Nila, Nathaniel Bodell

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

High-altitude environments impair physical and cognitive performance due to reduced oxygen availability. While hypoxia’s effects on endurance and cognition are well-documented, little is known about its impact on simulated racing performance, which may inform preparation for motorsport events held at altitude. PURPOSE: To examine the acute effects of simulated moderate altitude (~2,500 m) on performance, physiology, and cognition during a simulated racing task. METHODS: Thirteen healthy participants (mean age = 24.15 ± 5.83 y) completed two randomized crossover sessions one week apart: normoxia (~500 m) and hypoxia (~2,500 m), simulated with the Hypoxico Everest II. Outcome measures included …

Acute Effects Of Backpack Load Carriage On Vascular Stiffness And Pinch Strength, Madison Mower, Sean C. Newcomer, Osmar Pinto Neto, Deborah L. Feairheller, Deanna J. Schmidt

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Backpack load carriage has been shown to affect upper limb microvascular blood flow, nerve conduction and fine motor skills. But to the best of our knowledge Pulse Wave Analysis (PWA) measurements have yet to be reported pre- and post-carriage. PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of backpack carriage on vascular stiffness and hand function which may inform injury prevention strategies for individuals in physically demanding occupations requiring backpack carriage. METHODS: Thirteen healthy participants (5 F, 8 M; mean ± SD of 27.1 ± 7.4 yrs, 80.1 ± 19.8 kg) recruited as a …

Concurrent Heart Rate Validity And Reliability Of Polar Verity Sense Devices During Light And Moderate Intensity Resistance Training In Recreationally Active Adults, Kynlee Sperry, Catalina Kerwin, Juni Timmins, Jamaal Bovell, Jose Vasquez, Satereh (Star) Zarei, Jeff Guzman, Nathaniel Bodell, James W. Navalta Facsm, Marcus M. Lawrence

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Our laboratory previously determined that while wrist-worn wearable technology devices (e.g. Garmin watches) are not valid or reliable for heart rate, bicep-worn wearable technology devices (e.g., Polar Verity Sense) were valid and reliable for heart rate during light intensity resistance training (RT). However, these devices have never been tested for validity or reliability with varied intensities during resistance training. PURPOSE: To determine the concurrent validity and reliability of identical Polar Verity Sense bicep-worn devices to assess valid measures of average and maximum heart rate (HR) during light and moderately heavy RT. METHODS: Twenty adults (n=16 male, n=4 female, age: 25.65±8.59 …

Sex Differences In Perceived Stress And Emotional Eating Patterns Among College Students, Colton P. Reger, Claire Lindemier, Cody Takenaka, Nickolas Urias, Kaley Brennan, Alyssa Frumkin, Zachary Zeigler

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

This study examined sex differences in perceived stress and emotional eating behaviors among college students (N = 283; 164 males, 119 females; Mean age = 20.82 years, SD = 3.29). Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ), and Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ). Analysis of variance revealed significant sex differences in several key measures. Female students reported higher levels of perceived stress (M = 20.19, SD = 5.58) compared to male students (M = 17.50, SD = 6.39; p = .001). Regarding eating behaviors, females scored significantly higher on emotional eating (TFEQ-emotional: M = 2.43, SD = …

The Impact Of Deadlift Exercise Intensity On Rating Of Perceived Exertion, Perceived Fatigue And Anxiety During An Acute Session In Recreationally Active Adults, Juni Timmins, Kynlee Sperry, Catalina Kerwin, Jae Bovell, Jose Vasquez, Setareh Zarei, Jeff Guzman, Nathaniel Bodell, James W. Navalta Facsm, Marcus M. Lawrence

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Most literature examining the influence of exercise intensity on anxiety symptoms has been aerobic training and has found high-intensity efforts to be more beneficial than low-intensity on reducing symptoms. Yet, no study has directly assessed resistance training exercise intensity on anxiety symptoms and other perceptual outcomes acutely. PURPOSE: To determine the impact of deadlift exercise intensity on rating of perceived exertion (RPE), perceived fatigue and anxiety during an acute session. METHODS: 20 recreationally active adults (n=4 females, n=16 males, age: 25.7±8.6 yrs; mass: 92.8±29.7 kg; height: 179.4±9.8 cm) completed 4 sets of 6 repetitions of the deadlift exercise at a …

Gender Moderation Of Academic Performance And Blood Pressure Relationships Among College Students, Kayley E. Brennan, Elise Bayer, Lindsay Carter, Zachary Zeigler

International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings

Academic stress and performance may influence cardiovascular health in college students, but the relationship remains unclear. Previous research examining grade point average (GPA) and blood pressure has yielded inconsistent findings, potentially due to unexamined, gender differences. PURPOSE: To investigate whether gender moderates the relationship between academic performance and blood pressure in college students. METHODS: College students (n=106, 60.4% male, age range 18-24 years) provided GPA data and underwent blood pressure assessment, including brachial systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) measurements. Independent t-tests compared, gender differences. Hierarchical moderated regression tested GPA x gender interactions, with gender-stratified correlations calculated separately. RESULTS: Females demonstrated …