PURPOSE This study investigated the effect of non-linear periodization strength training on basic and professional fitness of national cross-country skiers. METHODS The body composition (height, weight, BMI, body fat %), basic physical strength (grip strength, lung capacity), anaerobic power (peak power, average power), graded exercise test (maximum heart rate, running time, VO2max, lactic acid), isokinetic strength (trunk strength), and 1RM (bench press, dead-lift, squat, shoulder press, leg curl, bicep curl, cable triceps extension) of nine national cross-country skiers (male: 5, female: 4) were measured. All analyses were performed using SPSS 25.0, Kruskal-Wallis H tests were applied to observe the changes by training methods. Mann-Whitney U tests were used as Post Hoc. RESULTS The results indicated that running time and VO2max post-test improved compared to that for the pre-test for graded exercise test. The lumbar extension strength of the post-test was higher than that for pre-test. There was no significant difference in other variables. CONCLUSIONS It is suggested that nonlinear periodization strength training can be expected to improve running time, VO2max, and trunk strength for cross-country athletes; however, it does not affect the overall changes.
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate whether foam roller, preexhaustion, and static stretching had any effect on isometric muscular endurance of the finger flexors and climbing performance in sport climbers. METHODS Nine sport climbers who were able to perform at a climbing difficulty of 5.11d, were included in this study. Warm-up exercise consisted of myofascial release, pre-exhaustion exercises, and static stretching. Grip and back strengths were measured for muscular strength, and isometric muscular endurance of the finger flexors was measured as the time spent hanging on each hold according to the angle of the elbow joint. Repeated measures of ANOVA were performed to confirm the difference in treatment, and a significant difference between groups was confirmed by contrast test. RESULTS Myofascial release, pre-exhaustion, and static stretching before climbing did not affect muscle strength. However, the static stretching exercise significantly decreased isometric muscle endurance of the finger flexor at 90° open hold, and the pre-exhaustion exercise significantly decreased the hanging time at 180° crimp and slope grips. There was no effect on climbing performance according to the type of warm-up exercise. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggested that various warm-up exercises did not directly affect muscle strength, muscular endurance, and climbing performance in sport climbers. Thus, we suggest that future research on complex warm-up exercises considering climbing postures should be conducted.
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of visual color perception on autonomic nervous activity and exercise capacity in healthy male college students. METHODS The subjects who were healthy male college student (n=10) were participated in 4 visual colors using by randomized crossover; clear color group (CG), red color group (RG), blue color group (BG) and green color group (GG). All subjects wore goggles for five minutes prior to the exercise to adjust to color, and they did not take off goggles until recovery after exercise. Significant differences between groups were determined by two-way repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS As a result of this study, the low frequency (LF) was significantly higher in RG than those in GG. But the high frequency (HF) was significant higher in BG compared to GG. Exercise capacity such as maximum strength, muscle endurance, reaction time, power, agility and aerobic performance did not differ significantly between all groups. CONCLUSIONS Therefore, our findings suggested that perception of the visual color might be change autonomic nervous activity, while don’t influence exercise capacity.
Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the differences in physique and physical fitness factors affecting exercise performance according to the vitamin D receptor (VDR) FokI gene polymorphism in athletic gifted children. Methods FokI VDR polymorphisms were genotyped in 82 boys (9.1±0.9 years) and 55 girls (9.3±0.9 years). Basic physical fitness (basketball throw, half-squat jump, standing long jump, 15m pacer, 50m run, handgrip strength, side-step, trunk forward flexion, sit-up) and physique were measured and analyzed using one-way ANOVA with bonferroni’s correction. Results No association was found between the VDR FokI genotypes and all the physical fitness variables as well as physique variables in boys and girl. However, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium results for VDR polymorphism distribution showed significant differences (χ2= 6.516, df=2, p=.038). Conclusion Although there was no significant difference in the fitness variables according to the VDR Fok1 genotype, it was difficult to exclude the potential for predicting fitness in that the H-W equilibrium test showed a significant difference. Therefore, in order to confirm the true potential of the VDR Fok1 gene to predict physical fitness, it is considered that additional studies on general children should be conducted.
Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of a power-specific weight training program in order to improve the muscle strength of Korean national team’s freestyle wrestlers. Methods Participants were 13 male athletes in the national freestyle wrestling team. The period of the program was 6 weeks. Muscle strength, muscular endurance, muscle power, flexibility, agility, cardiorespiratory endurance, anaerobic power and isokinetic muscle function were measured. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics ver. 23.0 (IBM Co., Armonk, NY, USA). Paired t-test was conducted for comparison between pre-test and post-test score. Results There were significant difference and tendency in the leg isokinetic power and trunk isokinetic flexion strength. However, there was no significant difference in muscle strength, muscular endurance, muscle power, flexibility, agility and cardiorespiratory endurance. Conclusion The 6-week program focusing on the power-specific weight training indicated a significant difference not in every variable but in isokinetic muscle power, speed power and core strength. It is suggested that the training program was applied to the athletes less continuously and not in the long term because of frequent international games abroad and the need for losing weight. Consequently, a year-long training program with personalized methods should be developed to bring about more significant outcomes.
The purpose of this study was a investigate the endothelial function of prehypertensive during dynamic exercise. Hypothesis of this study was to impair the endothelial function in prehypertensive compared to normtensive during dynamic handgrip exercise. Eleven healthy prehypertension (24±2 yrs) and ten healthy normotensive (25 ± 2 yrs) were recruited in this study. Participants were performed dynamic handgrip exercise in one contraction per second at 30% of maximum voluntary contraction for three minutes. Vascular (blood vessel diameter, blood flow) and cardiar response (stroke volume, heart rate and cardiac output) were measured at rest and during exercise. Flow mediated dilation (FMD) was decrease significantly in prehypertensive less than normotensive (p<0.05) at rest, and vasodilation of prehypertensive was reduced significantly less than normitensive during exercise (p<0.05). All the cardiovascular responses were aot significantly different at rest and during exercise between prehypertensive and normotensive. These results suggest that endothelial function is impaired in prehypertensive compared to in normotensive
PURPOSE This study investigated the effects of 12 weeks of clubbell and stepbox training on physical fitness, badminton skills, and fatigue in male badminton, grade A (top grade) club members aged 20–30s, with over 5 years’ experience. METHODS Participants in a training group (TR: n=15) engaged in 12 weeks of clubbell and stepbox circuit training involving maximum 8–12 reps of clubbell exercises and stepbox exercises at over 77% of HRmax for 50–55 min/sessions three times a week. Participants in a control group (CON: n=15) maintained their normal lifestyle pattern during the same intervention period. Dependent variables were measured and compared using repeated measures two-way ANOVA. RESULTS The main results were as follows: 1) The groups showed no significant differences in body composition. 2) Regarding physical fitness, VO2max, relative peak power, relative average power, grip strength, push ups, repeated jump squats, SSPT (seated single-arm shot-put test), 10 m sprint, and hexagon agility increased significantly in the TR, while push ups decreased significantly in the CON. 3) As for badminton skills, forehand clear accuracy, badminton agility, badminton endurance, and smash speed increased significantly in the TR. Forehand clear accuracy decreased significantly in the CON, but badminton agility and smash speed increased significantly. 4) The groups showed no significant differences in fatigue. CONCLUSIONS In male badminton club members aged 20–30s, 12 weeks of clubbell and stepbox circuit training effectively improved physical fitness and badminton skills. However, lack of any improvement in body composition and fatigue warranted further research in these areas.
Impact of 9-week strength training of racing cyclist candidate during training camp on body composition, racing cyclist specific fitness, and racing cycle performance was examined. Two by two (cyclist experience, y/n and strength training (ST) participation, y/n) experiment design was employed. A total of 20 candidates participated and divided evenly into four groups; 1) experienced cyclist participating ST (CST), 2) non-experience cyclist participating ST (nCST), 3) experienced cyclist no participating ST (CnST), and 4) non-experience cyclist no participating ST (nCnST). Two programs were introduced; 1) non ST containing, pre-existing program emphasizing on sprint and acceleration training and 2) new-program containing ST and sprint and acceleration training. CST and nCST participated the latter program. Before and after the 9-week training, body composition, racing cyclist specific fitness, and racing cycle performance was tested. After 9 weeks, all groups decreased body weight(p<0.05), body fat content(p<0.05), body mass index, and CST and nCST increased lean body mass(p<0.05). Muscular strength measures such as grip strength, low back strength, 1RM of bench press, 1RM of squat, and anaerobic capacity improved after 9 weeks in all groups(p<0.05). The magnitude of changes was greater in order of CST, nCST, CnST, nCnST. Time trial of 200 meter sprint was faster after 9 weeks in all groups except CnST while 500 meter sprint was improved only in nCnST(p<0.05). After 9 weeks, regardless of previous cyclist experience, those who participated in ST ranked high places at racing cycle competition. Both training programs for the candidates improved body composition and racing cyclist specific fitness. When strength training was added to pre-existing training program emphasized on sprint and acceleration, the racing cycle performance was enhanced. Strength training for racing cyclist is highly recommended to improve their racing performance.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of National Fitness Award program group exercise classes on daily fitness and balance-confidence among the elderly participants(n=496, 80.2% women). This study investigated body composition, daily fitness, and balance-confidence, and quality of life among the subjects who participated in the combined exercise program of improving physical fitness class for 8-week in the 10 national physical fitness certification centers by the demonstration project for the elderly of 2013 Korean National Fitness 100 project. Body composition and physical fitness for daily living were defined by Korean National Fitness 100 project for elderly, also the balance-confidence and health-related questionnaires were added. The following results were obtained by comparing the pre-test and post-test. In body composition body weight (p<.05), body mass index (p<.05), fat mass (p<.01), and percent body fat (p<.05) were significantly decreased, but muscle mass was not. Except for walking-around-two-cones-in-a-figure 8, all other daily fitness items such as relative grip strength (p<.001), chair sit to stand, two minutes place to walk, and sit-and-reach significantly increased (p<.01), and timed up and go were significantly decreased (p<.01). In balance confidence rating ABC tests (p<.001) were shown significantly increased. Although, quality of life measured by EQ-5D was not significantly improved, self-health status measured by EQ-VAS (p<.001) showed significant increase. Therefore, the group exercises of National Fitness Award program improved body composition, daily fitness and balance confidence in Korean elderly participants.
The aim of the study was to examine the tracking of body composition and physical fitness in boys and girls for 6 years. Thirty-seven boys and girls participated throughout the study. All measurements were performed annually. Body height, body weight, circumferences and skinfold thicknesses were measured and skeletal maturity was assessed. Body composition and bone mineral density were measured by DXA. Nine physical fitness tests were administered. Results of the study showed that there are significant interaction effects of time and group for body height(p<.01), waist circumference(p<.001), and skinfolds at triceps(p<.01), suprailiac(p<.01), thigh(p<.001) and medial calf(p<.01). All anthorpometric variables except skinfold thickness increased during the study period. Significant interaction effects of time and group were found for percent body fat(p<.05) and bone mineral density(p<.01). Percent body fat and fat tissue increased in boys from 7 to 11 years, then decreased in 12 years. Lean tissue(p<.001), bone mineral content(p<.001) and bone mineral density(p<.001) increased both in boys and girls throughout the study. There were significant interaction effect of time and group on sit and reach, standing long jump and sit-ups. In conclusion, percent body fat and fat tissue increased until 11 years, lean tissue and bone mineral density increased throughout the study both in boys and girls.
