The aim of this study was to assess effects of a short-term resistance program on strength in fit young women using weight machines/free weights or elastic tubing. 42 physically fit women (21.79±0.7 years) were randomly assigned to the following groups: (i) the Thera-Band (®) Exercise Station Group (TBG); (ii) the weight machines/free weights group (MFWG); or (iii) the control group (CG). Each experimental group performed the same periodised training program that lasted for 8 weeks, with 2-4 sessions per week and 3-4 sets of 8-15 submaximal reps. A load cell (Isocontrol; ATEmicro, Madrid, Spain) was used to test the evolution of the Maximum Isometric Voluntary Contraction (MIVC) in 3 different exercises: Vertical Rowing (VR), Squat (S) and Back Extension (BE). A mixed model MANOVA [group (CG, TBG, MFWG) x testing time (pre-test, post-test)] was applied to determine the effect of the different resistance training devices on strength. The only groups to improve their MIVC (p<0.005) were TBG and MFWG, respectively: VR 19.87% and 19.76%; S 14.07 and 28.88; BE 14.41% and 14.00%. These results indicate that resistance training using elastic tubing or weight machines/free weights have equivalent improvements in isometric force in short-term programs applied in fit young women.

The principal aim of our study was the determination of the effectiveness of a standardized ratio, allometric scaling model and a gamma function model in normalizing the isometric torque data of spinal cord patients and healthy subjects. For this purpose we studied a sample of 21 healthy males and 23 spinal cord injury males. The experiment consisted of the measurement of the force of the upper limb movement executed by all the subjects. We also determined anthropometric variables with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The experimental data were analyzed with 3 force normalization methods. Our results indicate that the most important confounding variable was the fat free mass of the dominant upper limb (r>0.36, p<0.05). With the standardization by body mass and allometric scaling model, the normalized torque was influenced by body size variables. However, the normalized torque by the gamma function model was independent of body size measures. Paraplegics were weaker (p<0.05) in extension movements when the data were normalized by the gamma function model. In summary, this study shows that the gamma function model with fat free mass of the dominant upper limb was more effective than the standardized ratio in removing the influence of body size variables.

p=0.000), and JH (20.1 ± 0.02cm vs.24.1 ± 0.02; p=0.013). CONCLUSION:These data indicate that drop jump characteristics were altered by hand placement. Hands free drop jump trials produced significantly better scores than hands on hips in women collegiate basketball players. (No relationships reported)PURPOSE: Previously we demonstrated that a 12-week periodized resistance training (RT) program results in improvements in glucose tolerance and body composition, without any effect on arterial stiffness, independent of weight loss in overweight, sedentary young adult men. To investigate if the same intervention exhibited effects on plasma lipids, atherogenic mediators, adiponectin (Acrp30), and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT).METHODS: 33 sedentary, overweight young adult men (age = 22 ± 2.5 yrs, BMI = 31.5 ± 2.9 kg/m 2 ) were randomized in a 3:1 fashion to a RT group (12 wks of training at 3 sessions/wk) or control group (C, 12 wks of no training). After an overnight fast and abstaining from exercise for 72 hrs, pre-and post-intervention measures of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), non-HDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), myeloperoxidase (MPO), soluble-E-selectin (sE-selectin), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular adhesion molecule 1 (sVCAM-1), tissue plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (tPAI-1), Acrp30, and cIMT were determined.