Shawn R. Simonson

Leukocytosis Occurs in Response to Resistance Exercise in Men

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a single bout of resistance exercise on immune cell numbers of moderately active men. Subjects were 16 male volunteers (mean ± standard deviation [SD] age 30 ± 7 years, height 180.1 ± 7.0 cm, mass 83.97 ± 10.33 kg); 8 were randomly assigned to treatment and 8 to control groups. Treatment was a common resistance training routine (3 sets of 8–10 repetitions at 75% of 1 repetition maximum) of 8 large muscle mass exercises using resistance machines. Blood samples were drawn before exercise and at 0 minutes (P0), 15 minutes (P15), and 30 minutes (P30) postexercise. Control subjects sat quietly in the training facility; blood was drawn at the same intervals as treatment. Leukocyte and lymphocyte (LY) subpop-ulation numbers were determined. Statistical analysis was analysis of variance (ANOVA) (repeated measures, p ≤ 0.050) and multiple comparisons (Dunn method) to isolate variability. All leukocyte subpopulations, except basophils (BA) and eosinophils (EO), increased and counts declined by P15 and P30. Only neu-trophils (NE) did not return to preexercise levels by P30. The majority of resistance exercise induced leukocytosis was due to an increase in circulating LY (natural killer cells increased most, CD4+/CD8+ ratio unchanged) and monocytes (MO). The transient, inconsequential immune cell population responses to resistance exercise are similar to those during aerobic activity. The lack of large alterations in and rapid recovery from cell number changes suggests that resistance exercise is not immunosup-pressive.

How Prepared are College Freshmen Athletes for the Rigors of College Strength and Conditioning? A Survey of College Strength and Conditioning Coaches

Abstract Wade, SM, Pope, ZC, and Simonson, SR. How prepared are college freshmen athletes for the rigors of college strength and conditioning? A survey of college strength and conditioning coaches. J Strength Cond Res 28(10): 2746–2753, 2014—Training programs for high school athletes have changed over the last 20 years. High school physical education classes have transformed into sport-specific conditioning classes with intensities matching college or professional athlete programming. In addition, involvement in private, sport-specific, training increased; but despite these advanced training methods, are high school athletes prepared for collegiate sport competition? An anonymous survey was sent to 195 Division I strength and conditioning coaches (SCC) to discern incoming college freshman athletes physical and psychological preparedness for the rigors of collegiate training and sport competition. Fifty-seven (29%) responses were received. Strength and conditioning coaches stated that incoming college freshman athletes lack lower extremity strength, overall flexibility, and core strength as well as proper Olympic lifting technique. Strength and conditioning coaches also stated that athletes lacked the mental toughness to endure collegiate sport training in addition to claiming incoming athletes lacked knowledge of correct nutrition and recovery principles. These results suggest a lack of collegiate training/sport preparedness of high school athletes. High school strength and conditioning specialists goal is to produce better athletes and doing so requires the strength and conditioning coach/trainer to have knowledge of how to train high school athletes. One way to assure adequate knowledge of strength and conditioning training principles is for high school coaches/trainers to be certified in the field. Strength and conditioning certifications among high school strength and conditioning coaches/trainers would encourage developmentally appropriate training and would provide universities with athletes who are prepared for the rigors of collegiate sport training/competition.

Heart rate and blood pressure during initial LBNP do not discriminate higher and lower orthostatic tolerant men

Abstract.High (n = 7, 25 ± 2 yr) and low (n = 8, 26 ± 3 yr) lowernbody negative pressure (LBNP) tolerant men were exposed to –15nmmHg (for 12 min) followed by –50 mmHg (for 21 min) to test thenhypothesis that heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) datanfrom acute exposure to LBNP would not discriminate between thenhigher and lower tolerance men. Central venous pressure (CVP),nHR, and systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressuresnmeasured before and at 15-s intervals during LBNP and calculatednmean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse pressure (PP), and work ofnthe heart (HW) were analyzed using ANOVA (p ≤ 0.05). There werenno significant changes in HR, SBP, DBP, MAP, PP, or HW duringnexposure to –15 mmHg LBNP. Throughout –50 mmHg LBNP, there werenno significant changes in SBP, MAP, PP, or HW, but HR increasednsignificantly (high tolerance by 30%, low tolerance by 40%) withnno difference between groups. Diastolic blood pressure changednby +7.6 % (NS) in the high group and by –3.3% (NS) in the lowngroup; the initial exposure to –50 mmHg resulted in ansignificant difference between groups for the first 45 s.nCentral venous pressure decreased significantly at –15 mmHgn(high group by –33%, low group by –38 %) and at –50 mmHg (highngroup by –70%, low group by –73%) with no difference betweenngroups. Thus, HR and BP responses at –15 and –50 mmHg of LBNP forn30 min do not discriminate between the high and low tolerant mennand questions the validity and usefulness of the clinical standntest to predict orthostatic tolerance.

Improving Power Output in Older Adults Utilizing Plyometrics in an AlterG Treadmill: 245 Board #66 May 31 9

............................................................................................................................ vi TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................... viii LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ xii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 Purpose .......................................................................................................................... 6 Hypothesis..................................................................................................................... 6 Significance................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................. 8 Muscular Strength Training in Older Adults .............................................................. 10 Muscular Power Training in Older Adults.................................................................. 13 Plyometrics ................................................................................................................. 19 Anti-gravity Treadmills .............................................................................................. 23 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 3: METHODS ...................................................................................................... 25 Participants .................................................................................................................. 25 Procedures ................................................................................................................... 25 Visit 1: Orientation (45-60 min) ..................................................................... 26