Wayne T. Phillips

The best warm-up for the vertical jump in college-age athletic men.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of specific and nonspecific warm-ups on the vertical jump test performed by athletic men. Twenty-nine men (18–23 years) in athletics (speed positions in football) performed vertical jump tests on 4 separate days after completing 4 different warm-up protocols. The 4 warm-up protocols were (a) submaximal jump warm-up, (b) weighted jump warm-up, (c) stretching warm-up, and (d) no warm-up. The weighted jump warm-up protocol required 5 countermovement jumps onto a box, with the athletes holding dumbbells equaling 10% of their body weight. The submaximal jump warm-up protocol required the athletes to perform 5 counter-movement jumps at 75% intensity of their past maximum vertical jump score. The stretching warm-up protocol required the athletes to perform 14 different stretches, each held for 20 seconds. The no warm-up protocol required the athletes to perform no activity prior to being tested. Three vertical jumps were measured following each warm-up; the score for analysis was the best jump. The data were analyzed with a repeated measures analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc tests. The Bonferroni post hoc tests showed a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the weighted jump warm-up and all other warm-ups. The effect size was 0.380 and the power was 1.00 for the statistical analyses. We concluded that utilizing a weighted resistance warm-up would produce the greatest benefit when performing the vertical jump test.

Physical Activity as a Nonpharmacological Treatment for Depression: A Review

Physical activity is increasingly being cited as an alternative to more traditional drug treatments for treating depression. Although an increasing amount of research has investigated this theory, much of the literature has been criticized from a methodological perspective. Given rising concern for the increasing costs of mental health care, it is timely and important to examine valid, reliable, and objective research findings on the potential role of physical activity as a low-cost non-pharmacological intervention for the treatment of depression. This article reviews cross-sectional, longitudinal, and randomized studies that investigated the role of physical activity in the prevention and alleviation of depression. The review found that although there is undoubtedly a need for more research with a greater emphasis on methodological strength, the scientific literature is generally supportive of the beneficial effects of aerobic and nonaerobic exercise on depression in clinically and nonclinically depressed adults. Implications for public health are discussed.

Lifestyle activity : Current recommendations

SummaryAn accumulation of international scientific evidence indicates that physical inactivity is detrimental to health and that moderate levels of physical activity confer significant health benefits. Unfortunately, in countries where major surveys of physical activity have been conducted, the prevalence of sedentary behaviour has been found to be as high as 40%. In the US, where approximately 30% of adults report little or no physical activity, the Centers for Disease Control and the American College of Sports Medicine recently issued guidelines and recommendations on the amount and frequency of moderate levels of physical activity necessary to elicit health benefits in predominantly sedentary adults. These guidelines utilise a physical activity-health paradigm and, uniquely, recommend the potential effectiveness of activities of daily living or ‘lifestyle activity’ for achieving health benefits. This article briefly reviews the rationale behind these guidelines and, in view of the historical association of the exercise training-fitness model to health, highlights some challenges and potential problems in applying these new guidelines to the general population.

The Effect of Strength Training on Functional Fitness in Older Patients with Chronic Lung Disease Enrolled in Pulmonary Rehabilitation

&NA; The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a strength training‐enhanced program and a traditional pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program on functional fitness (FF) in older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), using the Senior Fitness Test. Twenty patients were recruited from an outpatient PR program. After completing baseline measures, including muscular strength and the Senior Fitness Test, patients were randomly assigned to the strength training program (TR+ST, n = 10) or traditional PR program (TR, n = 10). Patients completed 16 exercise sessions that were conducted twice a week for 8–10 weeks, after which patients repeated outcome measurements. Independent t tests were conducted to determine whether groups differed between measures. Both the TR+ST and TR groups improved on all FF measures. Moderate effect sizes were found for two of the FF measures when the groups were compared. The addition of strength training to PR may have a favorable impact on FF in older patients with COPD.

Energy Cost of Single-Set Resistance Training in Older Adults

&NA; Phillips, W.T., and J.R. Ziuraitis. Energy cost of single‐set resistance training in older adults. J. Strength Cond. Res. 18(3):606–609. 2004.—The purpose of this study was (a) to assess the intensity and energy cost of a single‐set resistance training (RT) protocol as recommended by the recent American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines for older adults and (b) to compare obtained values to those recently reported as eliciting health benefits via endurance‐based physical activity (PA). Five males and 5 females (73.1 ± 5.5 years) performed 1 set of 15 repetitions of 8 RT exercises while connected to a portable metabolic unit (CosMed K4b2). The RT intensity (metabolic equivalents [METs]) was 3.3 ± 0.7 (males) and 3.0 ± 0.6 (females). Energy cost (kcal) was 84.2 ± 14.6 (males) and 69.7 ± 17.4 (females). We conclude that a single‐set 8‐exercise RT protocol may be a feasible alternative for achieving moderate intensity (3–6 METs) for older adults but that additional sets and/or repetitions appear to be necessary to accumulate moderate amounts (150–200 kcal) of PA.

Arm crank exercise with static leg FNS in persons with spinal cord injury

Persons with spinal cord injury experience considerable difficulty, during aerobic exercise, in achieving even moderate levels of oxygen uptake. Therefore, the effect of static functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) on this parameter during arm crank exercise (ACE) was investigated. Eight subjects with spinal cord injury, lesion levels range C6-T12, performed ACE at 60% and 80% of VO2peak, both with and without concurrent FNS of the lower limbs. ACE was performed with no FNS, with FNS at 40 milliamperes (mA), and with FNS at 80 mA. Significant differences in oxygen uptake were found between ACE without FNS and ACE with FNS-80 mA at 60% VO2peak (10% increase, 12.5 ml.kg-1.min-1 to 13.7 ml.kg-1.min-1, P < 0.05), and between ACE without FNS and ACE with FNS-80 mA at 80% VO2peak (16%, increase, 14.8 ml.kg-1.min-1 to 17.2 ml.kg-1.min-1, P < 0.01). A 10% difference between ACE without FNS and ACE with FNS-40 mA, did not reach significance. These data indicate that, in this population of subjects with spinal cord injury, (a) FNS can increase submaximal ACE oxygen uptake, and (b) that such increases are enhanced both at higher levels of FNS and of work load. Implications for wellness are discussed.

Single Set Strength Training Increases Strength, Endurance and Functional Fitness in Community Living Older Adults

Abstract Fifteen men and women (76 ± 8.3 yr., range 65-91 yr.) performed a 12-week single set strength training program designed to increase strength (1RM), endurance/training volume (VOL) and Functional Fitness (FF). Their 1RM increased by 9% (p= 0.04) for Leg Press and by 5% (p= 0.15) for Bench Press. VOL increased by 36% (p< 0.001) for Leg Press and by 26% (p< 0.001) for Chest Press. FF improved for Chair Stand (21%, p= 0.06), Up and Go(20%, p= 0.018), and Lift and Reach (13%, p= 0.03). Single set strength training appears to be a viable approach to increasing strength, endurance and functional fitness in older adults.

Oxygen uptake during arm cranking with and without leg electrical stimulation in able bodied individuals

Ten able bodied subjects (AB) volunteered to be tested with a Respond II neuromuscular stimulator applied to the lower extremities during submaximal arm crank exercise (ACE) to determine its effect on heart rate (min−1) and VO2 in ml·min−1 ·kg−1. One to two hours after a maximal ACE test, subjects performed four 9‐minute submaximal bouts of ACE; two at 25% and two at 70% of VO2peak. Each work rate was performed with and without, a randomly ordered, electrical stimulation (ES) of the quadriceps and hamstring muscle groups respectively. Electrical stimulation intensity was determined by a subjects maximal tolerance. Data, from four submaximum tests were analyzed with a two 2×2 repeated measures analysis of variance. The main effects were work rate (25% VO2peak and 70% VO2peak) and electrical stimulation (STIM) no stimulation (NOSTIM). No statistical differences was found between the STIM and NOSTIM in VO2 or heart rate at either 25% VO2peak (11.0 ml·min−1·kg−1 vs. 11.2 ml·min−1·kg−1; and 89 min−1 vs. 88 mi...