Brandon S. Shaw

Comparison of Resistance and Concurrent Resistance and Endurance Training Regimes in the Development of Strength

Shaw, BS, Shaw, I, and Brown, GA. Comparison of resistance and concurrent resistance and endurance training regimes in the development of strength. J Strength Cond Res 23(9): 2507-2514, 2009-Resistance and endurance training are often performed concurrently in most exercise programs and in rehabilitative settings in an attempt to acquire gains in more than 1 physiologic system. However, it has been proposed that by simultaneously performing these 2 modes of exercise training, the strength gains achieved by resistance training alone may be impaired. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of 16 weeks of resistance training and concurrent resistance and endurance training on muscular strength development in 38 sedentary, apparently healthy males (25 yr ± 8 mo). Subjects were age-matched and randomly assigned to either a control (Con) group (n = 12), resistance training (Res) group (n = 13), or concurrent resistance and endurance training (Com) group (n = 13). After 16 weeks, no changes were found in the strength of the subjects in the Con group. Resistance training and concurrent resistance and endurance training significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved strength in all of the 8 prescribed exercises. The data also indicated that 16 weeks of concurrent resistance training and endurance training was as effective in eliciting improvements in strength as resistance training alone in previously sedentary males. As such, concurrent resistance and endurance training does not impede muscular strength gains and can be prescribed simultaneously for the development of strength in sedentary, apparently healthy males and thus may invoke all the physiologic adaptations of resistance and endurance training at once.

Anthropometrically determined nutritional status of urban primary schoolchildren in Makurdi, Nigeria

BackgroundNo information exists on the nutritional status of primary school children residing in Makurdi, Nigeria. It is envisaged that the data could serve as baseline data for future studies, as well as inform public health policy. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among urban school children in Makurdi, Nigeria.MethodsHeight and weight of 2015 (979 boys and 1036 girls), aged 9-12 years, attending public primary school in Makurdi were measured and the body mass index (BMI) calculated. Anthropometric indices of weight-for-age (WA) and height-for-age (HA) were used to estimate the childrens nutritional status. The BMI thinness classification was also calculated.ResultsUnderweight (WAZ < -2) and stunting (HAZ < -2) occurred in 43.4% and 52.7%, respectively. WAZ and HAZ mean scores of the children were -0.91(SD = 0.43) and -0.83 (SD = 0.54), respectively. Boys were more underweight (48.8%) than girls (38.5%), and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.024; p < 0.05). Conversely, girls tend to be more stunted (56.8%) compared to boys (48.4%) (p = 0.004; p < 0.05). Normal WAZ and HAZ occurred in 54.6% and 44.2% of the children, respectively. Using the 2007 World Health Organisation BMI thinness classification, majority of the children exhibited Grade 1 thinness (77.3%), which was predominant at all ages (9-12 years) in both boys and girls. Gender wise, 79.8% boys and 75.0% girls fall within the Grade I thinness category. Based on the WHO classification, severe malnutrition occurred in 31.3% of the children.ConclusionsThere is severe malnutrition among the school children living in Makurdi. Most of the children are underweight, stunted and thinned. As such, providing community education on environmental sanitation and personal hygienic practices, proper child rearing, breast-feeding and weaning practices would possibly reverse the trends.

Effects of a mat pilates programme on body composition in elderly women

BACKGROUND With ageing, the ability to mobilize fat is reduced and this, coupled with gradual decrease in lean body mass (LBM) from lessened exercise, allows for an increased body fat percentage (%BF). Exercising is considered a key to maintaining an appropriate body mass (BM), as it improves fat oxidation, while maintaining LBM. Although the effects of endurance and/or resistance training on fat mass (FM) and LBM in the elderly have well been established, limited data are forthcoming regarding the effects of Pilates as a training modality on these variables in the elderly. OBJECTIVE The present study was therefore conducted to determine the effects of a mat Pilates programme on body fat in elderly women. METHODS Fifty sedentary, apparently healthy females aged 60 years and older were randomly assigned a control (CG, n = 25) or an intervention (IG, n = 25) group. The IG took part in an eight-week progressive mat Pilates exercise programme, three times weekly while the CG were instructed to maintain their normal daily activities throughout the eight-week experimental period. All subjects underwent pre- and post-test in which FM and LBM were assessed. RESULTS Eight weeks of mat Pilates demonstrated a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in % BF (p = 0.016) and FM (p = 0.038), with a significant increase in LBM (p = 0.006), while not showing any significant changes (p ≥ 0.05) in BM (p = 0.979) and BMI (p = 0.992). The CG, however, did not produce any significant (p ≥ 0.05) changes in any of the tested anthropometric variables (BM: p = 0.266; BMI: p = 0.123; % BF: p = 0.516; FM: p = 0.937 and LBM: p = 0.522) after completion of the eight-week Pilates programme. CONCLUSION An eight-week mat Pilates exercise programme may contradict or even reverse some of the most serious consequences of ageing associated with an increased fat mass and reduced lean body mass in elderly females.

Overweight, obesity and underweight in rural black South African children

Abstract Background: The objective was to estimate the prevalence of overweight, obesity and underweight conditions among rural black children in South Africa. A cross-sectional study was undertaken. The setting was Mankweng and Toronto, both rural settlements in Capricorn district, Limpopo province, South Africa. Participants were 1172 school children (541 boys and 631 girls) aged 10–16 years. Method: The prevalence of overweight, obesity and underweight was examined, using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) body mass index (BMI) cut-off points. Height and body weight were measured using standard techniques. Results were analysed with student t-test statistics, with probability level set at p-value ≤ 0.05. Results: The percentage of children who were at risk of overweight were higher in girls (11%) than boys (9.1%), whereas obesity occurred more among the boys (5.5%), compared with the girls (4.4%). Applying the CDC cut-off points of 5th < percentile to define underweight, 25 (4.6%) and 35 (5.2%) of boys and girls respectively were underweight. Conclusion: Similar to previous studies, this study indicates that overweight and obesity are high among South African children, even in rural settings. The study also demonstrates that underweight is prevalent among the sampled children. This supports the notion of a double burden of disease in developing countries.

Oxygen Consumption, Heart Rate, and Blood Lactate Responses to an Acute Bout of Plyometric Depth Jumps in College-aged Men and Women

Brown, GA, Ray, MW, Abbey, BM, Shaw, BS, and Shaw, I. Oxygen consumption, heart rate, and blood lactate responses to an acute bout of plyometric depth jumps in college-aged men and women. J Strength Cond Res 24(9): 2475-2482, 2010-Although plyometrics are widely used in athletic conditioning, the acute physiologic responses to plyometrics have not been described. The purpose of this study was to investigate the oxygen consumption, heart rate, and blood lactate responses to a single session of plyometric depth jumps. Twenty recreationally trained college-aged subjects (10 men, 10 women) participated in a single session of 8 sets of 10 box depth jumps from a height of 0.8 m with 3 minutes of passive recovery between each set. Plyometric depth jumping elicited 82.5 ± 3.1% and 77.8 ± 3.1% of the measured maximal oxygen consumption (O2max) for women and men, respectively, with no difference in oxygen consumption in ml/kg/min or percent O2max between sexes or sets. Heart rate significantly increased (p < 0.05) from 68.1 ± 2.9 beats·min−1 at rest to 169.6 ± 1.2 beats·min−1 during depth jumping. Sets 5 to 8 elicited a higher (p < 0.05) heart rate (173.3 ± 1.3 beats·min−1) than sets 1 to 4 (164.6 ± 1.8 beats·min−1). Women exhibited a higher heart rate (p < 0.05) during sets 1 and 2 (169.9 ± 2.8 beats·min−1) than men (150.7 ± 4.4 beats·min−1). The blood lactate concentrations were significantly (p < 0.05) increased above resting throughout all sets (1.0 ± 0.2 mmol·L−1 compared with 2.9 ± 0.1 mmol·L−1), with no differences between sexes or sets. Plyometric depth jumping significantly increased oxygen consumption, heart rate, and blood lactate in both men and women, but no significant difference was found between the sexes. Plyometric depth jumping from a height of 0.8 m has similar energy system requirements to what Wilmore and Costill termed “Aerobic Power” training, which should enhance O2max, lactate tolerance, oxidative enzymes, and lactate threshold.

Screening for body-weight disorders in Nigerian children using contrasting definitions.

Several indices for body‐weight disorders exist in scientific literature, but it is inconclusive whether or not they can yield comparable results when applied to Nigerian children. The prevalence of weight disorders in Nigerian children was examined using the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) body mass index (BMI) for age charts and the International Obesity Task Forces (IOTF) age‐ and sex‐specific BMI cut‐off points. Participants were 2015 pupils (979 boys and 1036 girls) aged 9–12 years, attending 19 public primary schools in Makurdi, Nigeria. Stature and body mass were measured using standard techniques. Results were analysed using student t‐test and Chi‐squared statistics, with the probability level set at ≤0.05. CDCs BMI charts categorized 2.1%, 1.6% (boys) and 3.2%, 2.8% (girls) as overweight and obese respectively. Corresponding data for the IOTFs BMI charts were 1.7%, 0.9% (boys) and 2.6%, 2.0% (girls). CDC cut‐off points indicated higher prevalence of overweight and obesity, thus suggesting the need for a single definition for evaluating measurements of body mass‐for‐stature in the children. However, more disconcerting is the fact that CDC charts showed a high prevalence of underweight for the boys (87.1%) and girls (79.7%). Prevalent underweight conditions in our sample need urgent intervention. The IOTF method is limited in its utility to identify children who are underweight and may be at risk of growth faltering.

Efficacy of massage on muscle soreness, perceived recovery, physiological restoration and physical performance in male bodybuilders.

Abstract It is believed that sport massage after intensive exercise might improve power and perceptual recovery in athletes. However, few studies have been done in this area. This study aimed to examine the effect of massage on the performance of bodybuilders. Thirty experienced male bodybuilders were randomly assigned to either a massage group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). Both groups performed five repetition sets at 75–77% of 1RM of knee extensor and flexor muscle groups. The massage group then received a 30-min massage after the exercise protocol while the control group maintained their normal passive recovery. Criteria under investigation included: plasma creatine kinase (CK) level, agility test, vertical jump test, isometric torque test, and perception of soreness. All variables were measured over 6 time periods: baseline, immediately after the DOMS inducing protocol, right after the massage, and 24, 48, and 72 h after the massage. Both groups showed significant (P < .001) decreases in jumping, agility performance, and isometric torque, but significant (P < .001) increases in CK and muscle soreness levels. The massage group in general demonstrated a better recovery rate. As such, a post-exercise massage session can improve the exercise performance and recovery rate in male bodybuilders after intensive exercise.

Online Quizzes Promote Inconsistent Improvements on In-Class Test Performance in Introductory Anatomy and Physiology.

Review quizzes can provide students with feedback and assist in the preparation for in-class tests, but students often do not voluntarily use self-testing resources. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate if taking a mandatory online review quiz alters performance on subsequent in-class tests. During two semesters of a single-semester introductory anatomy and physiology course, students were required to complete brief online quizzes after each textbook chapter had been covered during lecture as well as the day before an in-class test. During the next two semesters, students were not required to take the online review quizzes. Overall scores on chapter specific in-class tests were higher (P < 0.05) during the semesters in which students took online review quizzes (82.9 ± 14.3%) compared with when they did not (78.7 ± 15.5%), but all in-class tests were not improved. Scores on comprehensive midterm examinations were higher (83.0 ± 12.9% vs. 78.9 ± 13.7%, P < 0.05) but not on final examinations (72.4 ± 13.8% vs. 71.8 ± 14.0%) between those with online review quizzes and those without, respectively. Overall scores on in-class tests and comprehensive examinations were higher (P < 0.05) during the semesters in which students took online review quizzes (83.4 ± 16.8%) compared with when they did not (80.3 ± 17.6%). These data suggest that an online review quiz taken the day before an in-class test increases performance on some in-class tests. However, online review quizzes taken after completion of each chapter do not consistently enhance performance on comprehensive examinations.

Body mass index, overweight, and blood pressure among adolescent schoolchildren in Limpopo province, South Africa

OBJETIVO: Este estudio evalua la relacion entre indice de masa corporal, sobrepeso y presion arterial en adolescentes rurales sudafricanos. METODOS: La muestra incluyo a 1.172 ninos de 10-16 anos de edad (541 del sexo masculino y 631 del sexo femenino). La estatura, la masa corporal y los pliegues cutaneos se midieron utilizando procedimientos estandares. El sobrepeso se definio segun el indice de masa corporal para sexo y edad. Se monitorizo la presion arterial por tres veces en cada nino utilizando aparatos electronicos validados (Omron HEM-705 CP, Omron, Tokio, Japon). Se determino la hipertension cuando los promedios de la presion sistolica o diastolica, calculados con base en las tres mediciones de presion arterial, fueron ≥percentil 90 para edad y sexo. Se calcularon estadisticas descriptivas para todas las variables. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de sobrepeso fue del 5,5% en los ninos y 4,4% en las ninas. El porcentaje de adolescentes con presion arterial sistolica >percentil 90 oscilo entre el 2,3 y el 5,9%. La probabilidad de desarrollo de hipertension entre los jovenes fue notable a los 10 anos tanto en los ninos como en las ninas (0,2 y 0,1%, respectivamente) y oscilo entre el 0,2 y el 1,7% en los ninos y entre el 0,1 y el 1,2% en las ninas. Colectivamente, la prevalencia de hipertension fue del 4,1 y el 2,8% en ninos y ninas, respectivamente. La presion arterial estuvo positivamente correlacionada con estatura, masa corporal, indice de masa corporal, grasa corporal y suma de pliegues cutaneos (p=0,00). CONCLUSIONES: La presion arterial se elevo con la edad tanto en los ninos como en las ninas, y estuvo positivamente correlacionada con estatura, masa corporal, indice de masa corporal, grasa corporal y suma de pliegues cutaneos. La medicion de rutina de la presion arterial como parte del examen fisico de escolares es crucial para la prevencion precoz y la implementacion de programas de intervencion.

Effects of endurance and high intensity training on ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels and arterial pressure in obese and normal weight adolescents

ABSTRACT Objectives: Obesity prevalence has increased in Iranian adolescents in recent years. However, few studies have examined the impact of intervention programs on this health issue. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of 8-week endurance training (ET) and high intensity interval training (HIIT) on intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) and vascular adhesion molecule-1(VCAM-1) levels among obese and normal-weight male adolescents. Methods: Thirty obese and 30 normal-weight subjects were assigned to the ET, HIIT, or control group for eight weeks. Before and after the intervention, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, body weight, BMI, VO2max, and blood pressures were measured. SPSS (Version 21) was used for data analysis, and the significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: Mixed design ANOVAs indicated that the obese participants had significantly (p < 0.05) lower ICAM-1 levels in the ET (from 509 ± 61 ng/ml to 387 ± 43 ng/ml) and HIIT (from 517 ± 72 ng/ml to 374 ± 50 ng/ml), but their VCAM-1 level was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced only after the HIIT (from 1689 ± 119 ng/ml to 1282 ± 63 ng/ml). Similarly, normal weight participants significantly (p < 0.05) lowered their ICAM-1 levels in the ET (from 296 ± 18 ng/ml to 216 ± 14 ng/ml) and HIIT (from 289 ± 22 ng/ml to 202 ± 12 ng/ml), but their VCAM-1 level was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced only after the HIIT (from 895 ± 50 ng/ml to 673 ± 142 ng/ml). Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressures of all the participants were significantly (p < 0.01) decreased at the conclusion of the ET and HIIT. Conclusion: While both the ET and HIIT were useful in lowering the SBP and DBP of the participants, HIIT was more effective than ET in reducing ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 content in normal and obese adolescents.