Exercise Science Commons^™

The Acute Effects Of Whole-Body Vibration Training On Passive And Dynamic Flexibility In Gymnasts, Caisa Nicole Brooks

Theses and Dissertations

Gymnasts must attain extreme ranges of flexibility to execute performance requirements, thus effective stretching proves vital to advancement in the sport. This study examined the acute effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) on passive and dynamic flexibility in young, female gymnasts. Participants (n = 27, Junior Olympic levels 5-10) served as their own control. Measurements of passive and dynamic flexibility were obtained using the TOPS forward split testing method to examine passive flexibility and dynamic flexibility was measured via split jumps that were analyzed with video and Dartfish software. According to randomized order, all participants completed a stretching protocol either with …

Pharmacokinetics Of Dexamethasone Delivered Via Iontophoresis, Justin Holbrook Rigby

Theses and Dissertations

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Objectives: To determine the time course of dexamethasone sodium phosphate (Dex-P) iontophoresis delivery to underlying tissues using microdialysis. Background: The efficacy of iontophoresis at delivering Dex-P through the skin is unknown in humans because of the lack of minimally invasive measurement techniques. Methods: Sixty-four healthy male participants (age = 24.4 ± 3.3 yrs, height = 71.8 ± 2.5 in, weight = 181.8 ± 26.1 lbs) were randomly assigned into one of six groups: 1) 1 mA current, 1 mm probes depth ; 2) 1 mA current, 4 mm probes depth; 3) 2 mA current, 1 …

Obm Thesis Project: Composing An Undergraduate Thesis Manual, William Strong

Honors Theses

The Behavioral Research Supervisory System (BRSS) is a class designed to assist undergraduate and master students in completing a thesis project in a timely manner. Prior to beginning this project, undergraduate students were not utilizing the thesis manual for the class effectively and master students did not have an effective tool to grade the quality of their undergraduate thesis students’ work. Therefore, the ultimate goal of this thesis project is to create a better manual for undergraduate students to reference while working on their thesis projects and to provide a systematic grading system for their graduate student supervisors. A pre-manual …

Variability Of Practice And Strength Training Periodization: When Theories Collide, Katherine Lauren Streder

Master's Theses

The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether variability of practice enhances neuromuscular adaptations when compared to traditional strength training. The secondary purpose was to investigate whether there was a difference in perception of exertion between the two strength programs. Forty one subjects (23 women and 18 men) were assigned to either the control group or one of two treatment groups by a blocked-random method. Subject's one repetition maximum (1RM) for the kettlebell press and leg press were measured at baseline, after 4 weeks of training, and after 8 weeks of training. The treatment groups completed 8 weeks …

Racial Differences In Self-Efficacy Expectations For Exercise, Selena P. Smith

Honors Theses

This project examined the link between race and self-efficacy. Self-efficacy pertains to an individual’s confidence in ability to complete or engage in a particular task or activity (Bandura, 1986). Prior research shows that self-efficacy has a great influence on exercise initiation and adherence (Bandura, 1986; Dishman, 1982; Rodgers and Sullivan, 2001). Research also supports that Caucasians are more likely to participate in exercise than African Americans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000).

Participants included 51 females, 31 Caucasians and 20 African Americans, between the ages of 18 and 50 years old. The women were recruited from local fitness gyms, …

Evaluation Of Shake Weight Protocol In Senior Populations, Isaac F. Cook

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Shake Weight® (SW®) is designed to improve muscular fitness in a quick and inexpensive way. This study aimed to determine if the SW® was an effective tool at improving muscular fitness, body composition, and bone mineral density (BMD) in post-menopausal women. Participants were 17 healthy, post-menopausal women from aMidwestern University and divided into two training (SW® and HIT) interventions that lasted 10 weeks. HIT participants performed three sets of 8 repetitions at 80% of their estimated 1RM for the chest press, leg press, lat pulldown, and seated row. SW® participants performed the exercises prescribed by the SW® manufacturer. Changes …

The Effects Of 8 Weeks Of Low Dose Supplementation Of Creatine And Sodium Bicarbonate On Exercise Performance, Amanda Jessica Morris

Master's Theses

Short-term (3-7 days), high doses of creatine (20g/d) and/or sodium bicarbonate (0.5g/kg body weight) supplementation increase exercise performance during short term high intensity activities; however, it remains unclear whether long-term, low doses of these supplements have a positive impact on exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of long-term (8 weeks), low dose creatine supplementation on exercise performance, and whether combining creatine and sodium bicarbonate supplementation has an additive effect. Sixty-three healthy, habitually active, adults (28 M, 35 W; 22+2 years; 23+ 3 BMI) were randomly assigned by sex to one of three supplement groups: …

Seasonal Changes In Body Composition, Block Jump, Attack Jump And Lower Body Power Index In Male Collegiate Volleyball Players, Geoffrey W. Loomis

Theses and Dissertations

Jumping ability in volleyball players is crucial to a team's success. There are both muscular and neural components in jumping. Coaches often test jumping ability and body composition prior to the start of the competitive season, but many fail to monitor these important variables during the course of the season. Jumping ability can decrease over the course of the season as the focus moves from strength training in the weight room to skill development on the court. It is imperative that players maintain their jumping ability and body composition over the course of the season. Seasonal changes in elite-male volleyball …

Regulation Of The Myostatin Protein In Overload-Induced Hypertrophied Rat Skeletal Muscle, Paige Abriel Affleck

Theses and Dissertations

Myostatin (GDF-8) is the chief chalone in skeletal muscle and negatively controls adult skeletal muscle growth. The role of myostatin during overload-induced hypertrophy of adult muscle is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that overloaded adult rodent skeletal muscle would result in reduced myostatin protein levels. Overload-induced hypertrophy was accomplished by unilateral tenotomy of the gastrocnemius tendon in male adult Sprague-Dawley rats followed by a two-week period of compensatory overload of the plantaris and soleus muscles. Western blot analysis was performed to evaluate changes in active, latent and precursor myostatin protein levels. Significant hypertrophy was noted in the plantaris (494 ± …

Post-Exercise And Post-Recovery Blood Lactate In Peripheral Arterial Disease, Rebecca Kate Roderick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to observe how the presence of peripheral arterial disease affects the level of post-exercise blood lactate and post-recovery blood lactate during and following the six-minute walk test (6MWT). The 6MWT was administered to 49 participants (33 classified as Non-PAD and 16 classified as PAD) over the age of 50 with no uncontrolled cardiovascular or metabolic diseases or a cardiovascular event in the previous 6 months. Results demonstrated that no significant statistical difference exists between the presence of PAD and resting blood lactate (F = 0.86, p = .36), post-exercise blood lactate (F= 0.48, p …

The Relationship Between Television Viewing Time And Cardiorespiratory Fitness In Adult Women, Peter Jacob Arens

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The present investigation was conducted to assess the relationship between television viewing time and cardiorespiratory fitness. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Intermountain West. Participants: 302 middle-aged women. Method: TV viewing was assessed using a questionnaire. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using a maximal graded treadmill test. Physical activity (PA) was evaluated using Actigraph accelerometers worn over seven consecutive days, while body fat percentage (BF%) was measured using air displacement plethysmography (Bod Pod). Results: (Mean ± SD) age: 40.2 ± 3.0 years. VO2max of the frequent (≥ 3hrs/day) TV group (32.6 ± 6.4) was significantly lower than both the moderate (1-2 hrs/day) (36.2 …

Hemodynamic And Neuromuscular Responses To Exercises Performed On Stable And Unstable Surface With And Without Blood Flow Restriction, Agnelia Tiffany Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of circuit training exercises on stable and unstable surface with and without blood flow restriction (BFR) on several physiological measures (heart rate, blood pressure, muscle unit activation and rate of perceived exertion).

METHODS: Sixteen recreationally active, males (age= 24.3 ± 1.2); n=8) and females (age= 23.1 ± 0.9); n=8) completed four testing sessions, no blood flow restriction (NBFR) on a stable surface, NBFR on an unstable surface, BFR on a stable surface, and BFR on an unstable surface. Participants performed lower body exercises in a circuit like …

The Association Between Dairy Consumption And Insulin Resistance, Andrea Rose Erickson

Theses and Dissertations

Background: A cross-sectional design was employed to ascertain the relationship between dairy consumption and insulin resistance (IR) in 272 middle-aged, nondiabetic women. Methods: Participants kept a seven-day weighed food record to report their diets, including consumption of dairy foods. IR was assessed using the homeostatic model assessment (HOMA), using the following formula: fasting plasma insulin (µU/ml) x fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)/405. The Bod Pod was used to examine body fat percentage, and accelerometry over a seven-day period was used to assess physical activity. HOMA values were log-transformed and regression analysis and the General Linear Model procedure were used to determine …

Speed Is Relative (Human And Animal Running Speeds): Are You A Cheetah, A Chicken, Or A Snail?, Chad E. Buckley

Faculty and Staff Publications – Milner Library

To put matters in perspective, running speeds for humans and other land animals are compared over various distances. Humans compare quite favorably over longer distances with many species. Both fast and slow human runners can benefit from comparing their individual times in races with other species.

Formulation To Predict Lower Limb Muscle Forces During Gait, Gil Serrancolí, Jonathan P. Walter, Allison Kinney, A. Barjau, Benjamin J. Fregly, Josep M. Font-Llagunes

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The human body has more muscles than Degrees of Freedom (DoF), and that leads to indeterminacy in the muscle force calculation. This study proposes the formulation of an optimization problem to estimate the lower-limb muscle forces during a gait cycle of a patient wearing an instrumented knee prosthesis. The originality of that formulation consists of simulating muscle excitations in a physiological way while muscle parameters are calibrated. Two approaches have been considered. In Approach A, measured contact forces are applied to the model and all inverse dynamics loads are matched in order to get a physiological calibration of muscle parameters. …

Comparison Of The Effect Of Caffeine Ingestion On Time To Exhaustion Between Endurance Trained And Untrained Men, Steven Porterfield, Jon Linderman, Lloyd L. Laubach, Corinne M. Daprano

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

This study compared the ergogenic effects of caffeine on men who were endurance trained to those who were untrained. The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover experimental design. Ten endurance trained men (mean age 24.4 ± 2.0 yrs, weight 79.4 ± 8.5 kg, predicted VO2 max 46.3 ± 1.8 mL·kg-1·min-1) and 10 untrained men (mean age 22.8 ± 1.9 yrs, weight 88.9 ± 9.9 kg, predicted VO2 max 37.6 ± 2.7 mL·kg-1·min-1) completed two cycle ergometer trials to exhaustion at 80% of their predicted workload max 30 min after ingesting either 5 mg·kg-1 of body weight of caffeine or a …

The Relationship Between Subjectively Motivational Music And Various Exercise Variables While Running At Maximal Speed, Michael Maloney

Honors College Theses

Purpose: To determine whether there are differences in steps/min/m, highest achieved exercise heart rate, average exercise heart rate, average running speed, estimated relative VO2, and RPE, while listening to subjectively motivating music, as compared to non-motivating music, while running at max speed. Methods: Eleven students enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Boston, considered “non-runners” from 19 to 34 years of age, ran at max speeds for 12-15 minutes, once while listening to a play-list of songs they ranked most motivating, and a second time on a separate day, while listening to a play-list of songs they ranked least …

Relationships Of Physical Performance Tests To Military-Relevant Tasks In Women, Tunde K. Szivak, William J. Kraemer, Bradley C. Nindl, Lincoln A. Gotshalk, Jeff S. Volek, Ana L. Gomez, Courtenay Dunn-Lewis, David P. Looney, Brett A. Comstock, David R. Hooper, Shawn D. Flanagan, Carl M. Maresh

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Purpose: This investigation sought to determine the most predictive measures of performance on a repetitive box lifting task (RBLT) and load bearing task (LBT) among 123 women (aged 23±4 years, height 165±7 cm, body mass 64±10 kg).

Methods: To determine the relationship of various predictors to performance on the RBLT and LBT, multiple regression analysis was conducted on body mass, height, leg cross-sectional area, upper and lower body muscular strength, lower body explosive power, upper and lower body local muscular endurance, and aerobic capacity.

Results: The mean±SD (range) number of repetitions for the RBLT was 86±23 (20-159). The mean±SD (range) …

A Comparison Of Two Sock Types On Navicular Drop And Center Of Pressure Measurements In Standing, Walking, And Running, Ashlee Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: The New Balance Core Low Cut Sock (New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc. · Boston, MA United States) is one of many arch support socks out in the market. These socks have an elastic portion, called a Stability Fit Arch Support & Hold technology, which has been incorporated into the arch area of the sock. The company makes the following claim that the socks provide, "Gentle compression to support the arch, relieving arch-related pain and discomfort."1 If these socks do provide adequate arch support, then they would allow individuals the ability to have an inexpensive method of arch support that …

The Effects Of Long-Term Physical Activity On Food Attention Allocation In College Freshmen Women, Sharla Elizabeth Compton

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of long-term (24 weeks) physical activity on attention allocated toward food in college freshmen women. Methods: Seventy-nine freshmen college women wore a multi-function pedometer for 24 weeks after being randomly assigned to a daily step level: 10,000; 12,500; or 15,000. After at least 16 weeks of intervention, participants were given a cognitive viewing task (pictures of food and flowers) with the neural response measured using electroencephalogram (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs). P300s and LPPs are components of the ERP indicating increased attention to stimuli. Results: There was a significant …