FitBits
Exercise ETC's
Review of Exercise Related Research
April 15, 2009
Compiled by Chris Marino, MS, CSCS
Director of Education, Exercise ETC
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ACSM Updates Risk Stratification for 2009
The ACSM health risk stratification represents the gold standard in professional practice for pre-participation exercise screening. Although the protocol has remained relatively constant for more than a decade, the most recent edition of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription includes some important changes.
The actual "risk stratification" protocol remains unchanged;
risk factors are identified which allow the professional to categorize
the participant as low, moderate or high risk for atherosclerosis or cardiovascular
disease. Any participant who possesses two or more risk factors is
classified as moderate risk and is strongly encouraged to receive medical
clearance to exercise. Individuals with high risk have previously
been diagnosed with cardiovascular, pulmonary or metabolic disease and
"require" a physician's exam and clearance prior to starting
an exercise program.
The updated risk stratification includes two important changes. First, automatic medical clearance will no longer be required for men over 45 and women over 55 prior to beginning an exercise program. The current guidelines now consider "age" as the 8th "positive" risk factor.
The second significant change is that "diabetes" is no longer considered a "risk factor." Instead, the category is relabeled “pre-diabetes”, and the emphasis is placed on reducing risk for individual’s with “high normal” fasting blood glucose levels. The current guidelines now appropriately classify Diabetes as a metabolic disease that automatically requires physician’s clearance to exercise.
As a result of these changes, Fitness Professionals should update their medical history forms in effort to adhere to the updated guidelines and to optimize risk management for both their clients and themselves.
ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (2009)
Caffeine
May Lessen
Pain during Intense Exercise
Muscle pain and discomfort are a major limiting factor to high intensity exercise efforts. Previous attempts to reduce or minimize muscle soreness during exercise have produced relatively little practical benefit. A recent study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism suggests that caffeine may provide a solution.
Twenty-five college-aged men who were either low or high-caffeine consumers ingested caffeine or a placebo followed by 30 minutes of cycling one hour later. The experimental beverage contained 5mg caffeine per kg of bodyweight, or the equivalent of 3 to 4 cups of coffee or Red Bulls. The researchers assessed the participants perceived level of quadriceps muscle pain along with exercise oxygen consumption, heart rate, and cycling work rate.
Following testing, participants in the caffeine group reported a moderately significant reduction in quadriceps muscle pain. The effects were consistent for both habitually high and low-caffeine consumers. The researchers postulate that the effects of this study indicate that caffeine remains effective as an analgesic even in persons with a tolerance for caffeine.
Past research has identified the performance enhancing benefits of caffeine, but its effect on muscle pain during exercise had not been studied. This study indicates that pre-exercise ingestion of caffeine might reduce the soreness associated with a particularly intense training session or a change in the routine. However, caution is advised because as a stimulant caffeine can have negative side effects in some individuals.
Gliottoni, R.C., et al (2009) Effect of caffeine on quadriceps muscle pain during acute cycling exercise in low versus high caffeine consumers. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 19(2).
Just
11 Minutes
Improves
Metabolic Rate
Efficiency is a common theme in modern exercise programming. Although there is a consensus that greater benefits can be achieved in less time with high intensity efforts researchers continue to make sense of the associated frequency, intensity, duration and mode combinations that will produce optimal benefits for performance or fat loss.
The most recent study, soon to be published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that metabolism can be up-regulated with as little as 11 minutes of Strength Training three times per week.
Thirty-six previously sedentary, overweight, college-aged adults were randomly assigned to either a resistance training (RT) or control group. The RT group performed one set each of nine exercises with a 3 to 6RM resistance three times weekly for 6 months. The training sessions each lasted approximately 11 minutes.
The researchers assessed 24-hour energy expenditure, resting metabolic rate (RMR), sleep metabolic rate (SMR), and determined resting substrate oxidation.
Both RMR and SMR were higher in the RT group following 6 months of training. Additionally, fat oxidation was greater both at rest and during sleep when compared to controls. Six months of RT did not however appear to alter fat oxidation during exercise.
This study was one of the first to evaluate long-term changes in metabolism resulting from high intensity strength training. The results indicate a higher total daily energy expenditure and greater fat oxidation, which is expected to translate into greater fat loss in persons adhering to a similar protocol.
Kirk, E.P., et al
(2009) Minimal resistance training improves daily energy expenditure and
fat oxidation. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. April 3. Epub
ahead of print.
Post-Exercise
Massage Aids
in Recovery from Vigorous Exercise
Previous studies have found that high intensity exercise may suppress immune system function in the short-term. Researchers speculate that this effect may result from higher circulating cortisol levels following intense training. Although some strategies have been found to improve immune function in recovery, the effects of massage therapy on this factor are unknown.
Researchers in Spain recently studied the effects of post-exercise massage on both immune and endocrine system markers.
Sixty college-aged men and women performed three thirty-second Wingate tests with 3 minute recovery intervals. The Wingate protocol is commonly used to test peak anaerobic power, anaerobic fatigue, and total anaerobic capacity. The individual pedals for 30-seconds against a fixed resistance to near exhaustion, followed by 90 seconds of active recovery and 90 seconds of passive recovery.
After a 15 minute active/passive recovery participants either received 40-minutes of myofascial-type massage or 40-minutes of mock electrotherapy as placebo.
The researchers measured salivary cortisol levels, IgA or Immunoglobin-A, which is a marker of immune system function, and total protein in saliva at baseline, post-exercise and immediately post-recovery.
Although immune function was improved in the massage group for both men and women, the massage protocol was most beneficial to women as the rate of recovery for IgA was enhanced. Additionally, total salivary protein was higher in both sexes following massage, but not placebo recovery. Researchers speculate that increases in total salivary protein indicate improved immune response. Thus, myofascial-type massage appears to improve immune system function following highly intense exercise, but more so in women than men.
Arroyo-Morales, M., et al (2009) Massage after exercise-responses of immunologic and endocrine markers: a randomized single-blind placebo-controlled study. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 23(2): 638-644.
New Jersey to Vote on Legislation to License Fitness Professionals
The NJ State legislature will soon vote on a bill to license fitness professionals. Although other states have attempted to pass such legislation in recent years, none have been successful. This bill is considered to be the first to have a reasonable chance of actually becoming law. Because this type of legislation will affect the entire fitness industry from a variety of perspectives we felt it was important to keep you informed. If you feel passionately about legislation that will affect how you do business, please direct all concerns to your local and state representatives.
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/
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