exercise, fitness, performance

BACKGROUND: It is well known that concurrent increases in both maximal strength and aerobic capacity are associated with improvements in sports performance as well as overall health. One of the most popular training methods used for achieving these objectives is resistance circuit-based training. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present systematic review with a meta-analysis was to evaluate published studies that have investigated the effects of resistance circuit-based training on maximum oxygen uptake and one-repetition maximum of the upper-body strength (bench press exercise) in healthy adults...

Increasing water temperatures due to anthropogenic climate change are predicted to negatively impact the aerobic metabolic performance of aquatic ectotherms. Specifically, it has been hypothesized that thermal increases result in reductions in aerobic scope (AS), which lead to decreases in energy available for essential fitness and performance functions. Consequences of warming are anticipated to be especially severe for warm-adapted tropical species as they are thought to have narrow thermal windows and limited plasticity for coping with elevated temperatures...

Fry, AC, Housh, TJ, Cramer, JB, Weir, JP, Beck, TW, Schilling, BK, Miller, JD, and Nicoll, JX. Noninvasive assessment of skeletal muscle myosin heavy chain expression in trained and untrained men. J Strength Cond Res 31(9): 2355-2362, 2017-Numerous conditions and types of physical activity (e.g., exercise, aging, and muscle-related diseases) can influence muscle fiber types and the proteins expressed. To date, muscle fibers can only be characterized by actually obtaining a tissue sample using the invasive muscle biopsy procedure...

For cancer survivors, who also often present with co-existing health conditions, exercise testing is often performed using submaximal protocols incorporating linear heart rate response for estimating the cardiorespiratory capacity and assessing exercise tolerance. However, use of beta-blocker medications, during sub-maximal protocols based on linear HR response can be problematic. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE), which takes into account an individual's overall perception of effort, can be used as a complementary tool that does not rely solely on the heart rate response to increased workload...

BACKGROUND: Stress fractures (SFs) are one of the more severe overuse injuries in military training, and therefore, knowledge of potential risk factors is needed to assist in developing mitigating strategies. PURPOSE: To develop a prediction model for risk of SF in Royal Marines (RM) recruits during an arduous military training program. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: RM recruits (N = 1082; age range, 16-33 years) who enrolled between September 2009 and July 2010 were prospectively followed through the 32-week RM training program...

BACKGROUND: Induced premature menopause and cardio-toxic therapy increase cardiovascular disease risk in female cancer survivors. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of a 12 month aerobic-resistance fitness center intervention to home based physical activity on cardiovascular function and metabolic risk factors. METHODS: Subjects (N = 154) who had completed primary and/or adjuvant chemotherapy (past 3 years) were randomized to a fitness center intervention or a home based group...

BACKGROUND: Despite the growing interest concerning the laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) procedure, LESS presents multiple difficulties and challenges that are likely to increase the surgeon's cognitive cost, in terms of both cognitive load and performance. Nevertheless, there is currently no objective index capable of assessing the surgeon cognitive cost while performing LESS. We assessed if gaze-based indices might offer unique and unbiased measures to quantify LESS complexity and its cognitive cost...

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the predictors of knee osteoarthritis in community-dwelling elderly Japanese women. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology collected baseline data in 2008 and follow-up data in 2012 for participants from the Itabashi Ward of Tokyo, Japan. Participants were asked at each time point if they had been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. The baseline evaluation was conducted with 1289 community-dwelling women aged 75-85 years, of which 992 reported no history of knee osteoarthritis...

The outstanding progress in women's artistic gymnastics in recent decades has led to increased technical and physiological demands. The aim of this study was to investigate i) the physiological demands of elite French gymnasts and ii) the impact of a competitive routine on physiological pattern changes. Fourteen French elite female gymnasts performed anthropometric measurements, physical fitness tests and a simulated four event competition. Heart rate (HR) was continuously recorded throughout the duration of the simulated competition...

PURPOSE: Exercise testing by cycle ergometer allows to observe the interaction between oxygen uptake (VO2 ) and workload (W), and VO2 /W-slope can be used as a diagnostic tool. Respectively, peak oxygen uptake (VO2PEAK ) can be estimated by maximal workload. We aim to determine reference for VO2 /W-slope among prepubertal children and define agreement between estimated and measured VO2PEAK . METHODS: A total of 38 prepubertal children (20 girls) performed a maximal cycle ergometer test with respiratory gas analysis...

As more children and adolescents are becoming involved in exercise and school or community based athletics, attention is turned towards proper training and conditioning to optimize performance, stimulate athletic development and ensure safety while tolerating long-term competition. Resistance training (RT) refers to the methodology of ensuring such optimal performance and safety. This is a common component of sports and physical fitness in schools and organized athletic programs around the country. RT is a physical conditioning program that involves various training techniques (e...

BACKGROUND: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to improve cardiometabolic health during supervised lab-based studies but adherence, enjoyment, and health benefits of HIIT performed independently are yet to be understood. We compared adherence, enjoyment, and cardiometabolic outcomes after 8 weeks of HIIT or moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), matched for energy expenditure, in overweight and obese young adults. METHODS: 17 adults were randomized to HIIT or MICT...

PURPOSE: The preventive role of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in cancer is not well established. The present study sought to evaluate the association between CRF and cancer incidence in men. METHODS: Maximal exercise testing was performed in 4920 men (59.2 ± 11.4 years) free from malignancy at baseline who were followed for 12.7 ± 7.5 years. Relative risks and population attributable risks were determined. RESULTS: During the follow-up, 25...

The aim of this study was to compare fitness levels in women aged 60 and over participating in a supervised exercise program (involving tai chi, recreational gymnastics, and/or aquatic fitness) with those in a sedentary group. An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed on a total of 171 women aged from 60 to 92 who attended public community clubs for older adults. The instruments used included the Senior Fitness Test, the Tinetti Balance Assessment Tool, the Katz Index, and the Lawton & Brody Activities of Daily Living Scale...

PURPOSE: Fitness level modulates the physiological responses to exercise for a variety of indices. While intense bouts of exercise have been demonstrated to increase tear osmolarity (Tosm), it is not known if fitness level can affect the Tosm response to acute exercise. This study aims to compare the effect of a maximal incremental test on Tosm between trained and untrained military helicopter pilots. METHODS: Nineteen military helicopter pilots (ten trained and nine untrained) performed a maximal incremental test on a treadmill...

The temporal dynamics of the oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]) during moderate exercise has classically been related to physical fitness and a slower [Formula: see text] dynamics was associated with deterioration of physical health. However, methods that better characterize the aerobic system temporal dynamics remain challenging. The purpose of this study was to develop a new method (named mean normalized gain, MNG) to systematically characterize the [Formula: see text] temporal dynamics. Eight healthy, young adults (28 ± 6 years old, 175 ± 7 cm and 79 ± 13 kg) performed multiple pseudorandom binary sequence cycling protocols on different days and time of the day...

Aquatic exercises can be used in clinical and sporting disciplines for both rehabilitation and sports training. However, there is limited knowledge on the influence of water immersion on the kinematics of exercises commonly used in rehabilitation and fitness programs. The aim of this study was to use inertial sensors to quantify differences in kinematics and movement variability of bodyweight squats, split squats, and single-leg squats performed on dry land and whilst immersed to the level of the greater trochanter...

Both playing a musical instrument and playing sport produce brain adaptations that might affect sensory-motor functions. While the benefits of sport practice have traditionally been attributed to aerobic fitness, it is still unknown whether playing an instrument might induce similar brain adaptations, or if a specific musical instrument like drums might be associated to specific benefits because of its high energy expenditure. Since the aerobic costs of playing drums was estimated to be comparable to those of average sport activities, we hypothesized that these two groups might show both behavioral and neurocognitive similarities...

BACKGROUND: Children with cancer experience severe reductions in physical fitness and functionality during and following intensive treatment. This may negatively impact their quality of life. PURPOSE: To describe the physical capacity and functionality of children with cancer during and after treatment as well as the feasibility of physical activity intervention in the Rehabilitation including Social and Physical activity and Education in Children and Teenagers with Cancer study...

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize and analyze the effects of Nordic Walking on physical fitness, body composition and quality of life in the elderly. METHODS: keyword "Nordic Walking" associated with "elderly" AND/OR "aging" AND/OR "old subjects" AND/OR "aged" AND/OR "older adults" were used in the onlines database Medline, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and SPORTDiscus. Only studies written in English language and published in peer-reviewed journals were considered...