The effects of Pilates vs. aerobic training on cardiorespiratory fitness, isokinetic muscular strength, body composition, and functional tasks outcomes for individuals who are overweight/obese: a clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Some studies have been conducted to verify the effects of Pilates for individuals who are obese, but conclusive results are not yet available due to methodological concerns. The present study aims to verify and compare the effects of Pilates and aerobic training on cardiorespiratory fitness, isokinetic muscular strength, body composition, and functional task outcomes for individuals who are overweight/obese. METHODS: Of the sixty participants, seventeen were allocated to the control group, since the intervention protocol (Pilates or walking sessions) was during their working hours. The remaining 44 participants were randomly allocated to one of two experimental groups (Pilates (n = 22)) or aerobic groups (n = 21).The Pilates and aerobic groups attended 60-min exercise sessions, three times per week for 8 weeks. The aerobic group performed walking training at a heart rate corresponding to the ventilatory threshold. The Pilates group performed exercises on the floor, resistance apparatus, and 1-kg dumbbells. The control group received no intervention. All volunteers were evaluated at the beginning and end of the intervention. The following assessments were conducted: food intake, cardiorespiratory maximal treadmill test, isokinetic strength testing, body composition and anthropometry, abdominal endurance test, trunk extensor endurance test, flexibility test and functional (stair and chair) tests. RESULTS: There was no significant difference pre- and post-intervention in calorie intake [F(2, 57) = 0.02744, p = 0.97)]. A significant improvement in oxygen uptake at ventilatory threshold (p = 0.001; d = 0.60), respiratory compensation point (p = 0.01; d = 0.48), and maximum effort (p = 0.01; d = 0.33) was observed only in the Pilates group. Isokinetic peak torque for knee flexor and extensor muscles did not change for any groups. Lean mass (p = 0.0005; d = 0.19) and fat mass (p = 0.0001; d = 0.19) improved only in the Pilates group. Waist and hip circumference measurements decreased similarly in both experimental groups. Abdominal test performance improved more in the Pilates group (p = 0.0001; d = 1.69) than in the aerobic group (p = 0.003; d = 0.95). Trunk extensor endurance and flexibility improved only in the Pilates group (p = 0.0003; d = 0.80 and p = 0.0001; d = 0.41, respectively). The Pilates group showed greater improvement on the chair and stair tests (p = 0.0001; d = 1.48 and p = 0.003; d = 0.78, respectively) than the aerobic group (p = 0.005; d = 0.75 and p = 0.05; d = 0.41, respectively). CONCLUSION: Pilates can be used as an alternative physical training method for individuals who are overweight or obese since it promotes significant effects in cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and performance on functional tests.

Hip muscular strength balance is associated with running economy in recreationally-trained endurance runners.

BACKGROUND: The percentage of sustained maximal oxygen uptake and the running economy are important factors that determine the running success of endurance athletes. Running economy is defined as the oxygen uptake required to run at a given speed and depends on metabolic, cardiorespiratory, biomechanical, neuromuscular, and anthropometric factors. With regard to anthropometric characteristics, total body mass seems to be a crucial factor for the running economy. Moreover, neuromuscular components, especially knee muscular strength and the strength balance ratio, also seem to be critical for the running economy. In addition to knee muscle strength, hip muscle strength is also an important contributor to running performance on level or hilly ground. However, the relationship between running economy and the hip muscles is unknown. Thus the aim of the present study was to verify whether hip flexor and extensor isokinetic peak torque, the isokinetic strength balance ratio, total body mass and fat free mass were associated with running economy in both sexes and to compare sex differences in physical fitness and isokinetic strength characteristics. METHODS: A total of 24 male (31.0 ± 7.7 years, 176.2 ± 7.3 cm, and 70.4 ± 8.4 kg) and 15 female (31.3 ± 6.7 years, 162.9 ± 3.9 cm, and 56.0 ± 5.3 kg) recreationally-trained endurance runners were recruited. Maximal oxygen uptake, running economy, conventional (concentric flexors-to-concentric extensors) and functional (concentric flexors-to-eccentric extensors) hip isokinetic strength balance ratios, peak torque of the hip flexor and extensor muscles, total body mass, and fat-free mass were measured. Running economy was assessed on two separate days by means of the energy running cost (Ec) using a motorized treadmill at 10.0 and 12.0 km h-1 (3% gradient) and 11.0 and 14.0 km h-1 (1% gradient). RESULTS: The functional balance ratio was significantly and negatively associated with Ec at 11.0 (r =  - 0.43, P = 0.04) and 12.0 km h-1 (r =  - 0.65, P = 0.04) when using a 3% gradient in male runners. Considering muscular strength, male runners only showed a significant relationship between Ec (assessed at 12 km h-1 and a 3% gradient) and peak torque for extensor muscle eccentric action (r = 0.72, P = 0.04). For female runners, only peak torque relative to total body mass for extensor muscles (180° s-1) was positively associated with Ec when assessed at 10 km h-1 using a 3% gradient (r = 0.59, P = 0.03). No significant relationships were found between Ec and total body mass or fat-free mass. DISCUSSION: Given that the functional balance ratio was associated with a better Ec, coaches and athletes should consider implementing a specific strengthening program for hip flexor muscles to increase the functional ratio.

Profiling exercise intensity during the exergame Hollywood Workout on XBOX 360 Kinect®.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing popularity of exergame practice and its promising benefits in counteracting physical inactivity, limited research has been performed to document the physiological responses during an exergame session. This study aims (i) to investigate the responses of heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake ( V˙O2 ) during an exergame session and to compare with HR and V˙O2 measured during joystick session and (ii) to compare HR and V˙O2 obtained during exergame and joystick session with those HR and V˙O2 associated with first and second ventilatory thresholds (VT1 and VT2, respectively) obtained during a maximal graded exercise test. METHODS: A total of 39 participants performed a maximal graded exercise test to determine maximal oxygen uptake ( V˙O2max ), VT1, and VT2. On separate days, participants performed an exergame and traditional sedentary game (with a joystick) sessions. The time that participants remained with HR and V˙O2 below the VT1, between the VT1 and VT2 and above the VT2 were calculated to determine exercise intensity. RESULTS: Heart rate and V˙O2 were below VT1 during 1,503 ± 292 s (86.1 ± 16.7%) and 1,610 ± 215 s (92.2 ± 12.3%), respectively. There was an increase in HR and V˙O2 as a function of exergame phases, since HR mean values in the 'warm-up' period (119 ± 13 bpm) were lower than the 'main phase' (136 ± 15 bpm) and 'cool-down' periods (143 ± 15 bpm) (p < 0.001). Regarding V˙O2 values, the 'warm-up' (25.7 ± 2.9 mL.kg-1.min-1) were similar to the 'main phase' (25.1 ± 2.8 mL.kg-1.min-1) (p > 0.05) and lower than the 'cool-down' (28.0 ± 4.8 mL.kg-1.min-1) (p < 0.001). For all times of the joystick session, average HR and V˙O2 were below the VT1 levels. CONCLUSION: Exergames can be classified as light to moderate exercise. Thus, exergames could be an interesting alternative to traditional forms of exercise.

Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training vs. Sprint Interval Training on Anthropometric Measures and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Healthy Young Women.

Purpose: To compare the effects of 8 weeks of two types of interval training, Sprint Interval Training (SIT) and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), on anthropometric measures and cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy young women. Methods: A randomized clinical trial in which 49 young active women [age, 30.4 ± 6.1 years; body mass index, 24.8 ± 3.1 kg.m-2; peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), 34.9±7.5 mL.kg-1.min-1] were randomly allocated into a SIT or HIIT group. The SIT group performed four bouts of 30 s all-out cycling efforts interspersed with 4 min of recovery (passive or light cycling with no load). The HIIT group performed four bouts of 4-min efforts at 90-95% of peak heart rate (HRpeak) interspersed with 3 min of active recovery at 50-60% of HRpeak. At baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention, waist circumference, skinfolds (triceps, subscapular, suprailiac, abdominal, and thigh), body mass and BMI were measured by standard procedures and cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by cardiorespiratory graded exertion test on an electromagnetically braked cycle ergometer. Results: The HIIT and SIT groups improved, respectively, 14.5 ± 22.9% (P < 0.001) and 16.9 ± 23.4% (P < 0.001) in VO2peak after intervention, with no significant difference between groups. Sum of skinfolds reduced 15.8 ± 7.9 and 22.2 ± 6.4 from baseline (P < 0.001) for HIIT and SIT groups, respectively, with greater reduction for SIT compared to HIIT (P < 0.05). There were statistically significant decreases in waist circumference (P < 0.001) for the HIIT (-3.1 ± 1.1%) and SIT (-3.3 ± 1.8%) groups, with no significant difference between groups. Only SIT showed significant reductions in body weight and BMI (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Eight weeks of HIIT and SIT resulted in improvements in anthropometric measures and cardiorespiratory fitness, even in the absence of changes in dietary intake. In addition, the SIT protocol induced greater reductions than the HIIT protocol in the sum of skinfolds. Both protocols appear to be time-efficient interventions, since the HIIT and SIT protocols took 33 and 23 min (16 and 2 min of effective training) per session, respectively.