Kinesiology: Student Scholarship

Purpose: To compare anthropometric values, body composition, and muscular performance between baseball pitchers and position players. Methods: Thirty-two Division I collegiate male baseball players (20.0 ± 1.5 yr., 184.6 ± 7.2cm, 88.4 ± 9.2 kg) completed anthropometric, body composition, muscle ultrasound, and a lower-body muscular performance testing at the beginning of the off-season. Body composition was completed using a Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) device which reported body mass, body fat percentage, and bone mineral density. Muscle thickness (MT) of the rectus femoris (RF) and the vastus lateralis (VL) was measured via ultrasonography. To assess muscular performance, all athletes completed a 30-second maximal effort Wingate Anaerobic Test (WnT) on a cycle ergometer. The WnT assessed average power (APwr), peak power (PPwr), and fatigue index (FI) during the test. Athletes were divided into two groups (pitchers: n=15; position players: n=17) and independent t-tests were used to analyze each variable between the two groups. Results indicated that position players possessed larger leg circumference (p=0.039) and a trend for pitchers being taller (p=0.078) with no other significant differences in anthropometric data. For muscle thickness, position players have larger VLMT (p=0.002) with no difference in RFMT. DXA analysis yielded no differences in body composition. For the WnT, there were no differences in APwr or PPwr, however, trend (p=0.082) was found for a higher FI in position players. Conclusion: Based on our data, it appears that position players may possess a larger amount of leg muscle mass than pitchers indicated by circumference and muscle thickness values.

Caffeine has been studied as an aid to performance in aerobic exercise and muscular power. Fewer studies, however, have studied the relationship between caffeine and anaerobic metabolism. The aim of this study is to measure the effect of caffeine on anaerobic power in college students as measured by a Wingate bike test. Nine college students completed a Wingate bike test without caffeine intake for 12 hours prior to the test. Anaerobic power and peak power output were measured by a Wingate bike test, a 30-second bike sprint with resistance based on the subject’s weight. Approximately one week later, the subjects repeated the test after having been given 200 mg of caffeine one hour prior to the test. Anaerobic power and peak power output measurements were compared to the baseline data to determine significant changes as a result of the caffeine. Both anaerobic power and peak power output were significantly increased with caffeine supplements (p<0.05). The mean increase in peak power output was 113.0 watts and the increase in average power output was 15.899 watts. 200 mg of caffeine taken one hour prior to anaerobic exercise improves overall anaerobic power and peak power output in college students.

The purpose of this study is to compare levels of intrinsic motivation and exercise adherence between those who exercise in a group setting and those who exercise individually. 21 college-aged students enrolled in a yoga-based exercise class participated in this study, as well as 19 college-aged students who completed an at home exercise protocol on their own. Each subject completed a survey prior that measures attitudes and perceptions about exercise. The intervention lasted 7 weeks. The first group attended one exercise class per week, and the second group completed one provided exercise video per week that was similar in length and style to the class. After 7 weeks the subjects repeated the survey, and factorial ANOVA compared scores between the pre- and post-tests, between the two groups, and the interaction. There was a significant main effect for group (p0.05). We noted that the home group were volunteers whereas the class group were required to take the class. However, our class group had higher exercise adherence than our home group. Our results suggested that exercising in a class setting does not have a significant effect on intrinsic motivation when compared to exercising individually at home.

Researchers have found that music acts as a stimulant on the brain. The distraction music provides increases performance and decreases perceived exertion during a timed run test. The purpose of this study was to determine whether listening to music has an effect on performance during a 1.5 mile run in non-athlete college students. Twenty college students participated, ten males and ten females. Each participant completed a 1.5 mile run twice with counterbalanced trials, without music (NM) and with music (Mu). Their heart rates and run times were measured for each trial. The participants rated their level of perceived exertion (RPE). Data was analyzed with independent t-tests to determine the effects of listening to music while running on heart rate, RPE, and run time. Means, standard deviations, and p values were: heart rate change = 66.3 ± 18.1 bpm (NM) and 63.4 ± 19.8 bpm (Mu), (|t| = 0.57; p > 0.05); RPE = 14.6 ± 2.2 (NM) and 14.2 ± 2.5 (Mu), (|t| = 0.45; p > 0.05); run time = 811.2 ± 97.5 sec (NM) and 801.35 ± 110.3 sec (Mu), (|t| = 0.31; p > 0.05). These results from showed that listening to music versus not listening to music while running does not have a significant effect on the change in heart rate, feeling of exertion, or run time.

Researchers have found that acute exercise is related to an increase in cognitive abilities and lack of exercise causes a decrease in cognitive abilities. Participation in acute exercise may temporarily increase cognitive abilities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether exercise produced increased cognitive abilities, and which exercise timing was most beneficial. Twelve participants (age 20-22 yrs) volunteered to participate. Subjects completed two trials of exercise followed by a cognitive abilities test (1-2 hours after exercise and 6-8 hours after exercise) and one trial of no exercise within the past 24 hours followed by the same cognitive abilities test. Exercise consisted of 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular work, reaching a heart rate of 75% max HR. The cognitive abilities test consisted of four separate tests which gave an overall score, memory score, reasoning score and verbal score. Repeated Measures ANOVA was used to determine if acute exercise has an effect on cognitive abilities. Cognitive ability was significantly greater1-2 hours post exercise than after no exercise, (M=11.42 and 9.31, respectively, p = .0092). The 1-2 hours trial (M=11.42) and the 6-8 hours trial (M=10.43) were statistically equal (p=.2738) as were the no exercise vs. 6-8 hours trials (p=.2021). Results suggest that acute exercise causes an increase in cognitive abilities, with immediate post-exercise being most advantageous.

Differences between endurance athletes and power athletes is widely understood and researched. The Wingate anaerobic test (WAnT) is recognized as a test for anaerobic power. It is a 30 second maximal effort cycling test and gives peak power output, mean power output, and percent power drop values for the duration of the test. Anaerobic power can often be used to distinguish endurance athletes from power athletes. The purpose of this study is to determine the difference in power output values between female cross-country runners (endurance athletes) and female softball players (power athletes). Ten female crosscountry runners (ages 18-22) and ten female softball players (ages 18-22) volunteered to participate. Participants completed a 5-minute bike warm-up followed by a 5-second trial of the WAnT protocol. After taking 2 minutes to recover from the trial, they completed the 30-second WAnT protocol followed by a 5-minute cooldown. An independent T-test was used to determine significant differences between peak power output and mean power output between the two groups. There were significant differences in peak power (p= 0.0001), mean power (p= 0.0063), and percent power drop (p= 0.0003) between the two groups. The power athletes had higher peak power outputs and mean power outputs, while the endurance athletes had lower percent power drops. Significant differences in power output values between endurance athletes and power athletes on the WAnT suggest sport-specific training has an effect on anaerobic power/capacity and performance on the WAnT can distinguish between types of athletes.

The aim of the study is to compare the effects of two modalities of myofascial release (foam rolling vs. massage therapy) on the running efficiency of college-aged female cross-country runners. Methods: 11 Female cross-country runners (n = 11) completed VO2 max treadmill tests. Biometric data (height, weight, and BIA) were measured prior. Resting lactate was taken prior, immediate post lactate was taken immediately after cessation, and 2 minutes after. Heart rate and RPE were also measured during the VO2 max tests. There were 3 interventions. Each subject completed 3 submaximal treadmill tests at about 60% of their original VO2 max. Prior to each of their submax tests, they were assigned to 1 of 3 intervention groups: foam rolling, massage, or the intervention control group. Resting lactate and IP lactate values were taken. Heart rate and RPE were measured every 2 minutes during the submax test. Results: There was a significant difference in IP lactate values between intervention groups FR and C (p<.05). There was a 32 significant difference in IP lactate values between intervention groups M and C (p<.05). There was no significant difference in IP lactate values between intervention groups FR and M (p>.05). There was no significant difference in HR between the intervention groups (FR, M, C) (p= .31). There was a significant difference in RPE values between C group and FM, M groups (p<.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that pre-run interventions may improve running efficiency in college-aged female cross-country runners.

The purpose of this research is to determine whether or not there is a significant difference between the prevalence of intuitive eating in male and female athletes. Intuitive eating is characterized by honoring hunger, respecting fullness, enjoying the pleasure of eating, and making food choices without experiencing guilt or an ethical dilemma. Participants were volunteers from various Lipscomb University athletic teams. We surveyed 15 males and 15 females using the 27-question Likert-type Intuitive Eating Scale to determine their intuitive eating score. The scale includes four specific areas: intrinsic eating, extrinsic eating, antidieting, and self-care. The results indicate that in the subscales of intrinsic eating (p=.116) and self-care (p=.577), the genders were statistically equal. The males scored significantly higher in extrinsic eating (males M = 21.53 ± 3.2, females M = 18.93 ± 1.9; p=.012), which indicates that men are less influenced by external factors. Men also scored higher in anti-dieting (males M = 54.13 ± 8.3, females M = 44.6 ± 9.6; p=.007), suggesting that males more often disagree with dieting practices and behaviors. We concluded that there do seem to be some gender differences in intuitive eating variables.

The purpose of this study is to provide physiological evidence of intuition, signifying that the body is physiologically reacting to something the human consciousness is not able to perceive. The objective in this study is to replicate a previous experiment published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine that the body can respond to an “emotionally arousing” or disturbing stimulus in the seconds before it occurs. Our hypothesis was that when the body senses an arousing image coming, the heart rate variability drops, putting the heart into a more stable state. Twenty male participants were chosen to be in this study where they were shown 45 images, which had all been previously rated as either calm (30 images) or emotionally arousing or disturbing (15 images). Their heart rate variability numbers were recorded during the six seconds prior to the image being shown. The results of this study show that the difference in heart rate variability between calm images and arousing images was nonsignificant (t=1.56; p=0.134). The mean heart rate variability for the 15 arousing images was 84.85 ± 20.8; the mean heart rate variability for the 30 calm images was 90.7± 18.3. The results of this study do not prove that the body can subconsciously sense what is coming, though the data may support a trend in this direction.