Twelve middle aged men and women (23-59 years) participated in twelve weeks (36 sessions) of endurance swim training at an approximate intensity of 75% maximum heart rate (Karvonen Method) (14). This training resulted in improved cardiorespiratory fitness as evidenced by a significant (9.4%) increase in mean maximal oxygen uptake (liters/ min.) and a significant bradycardial response during submaximal walking. Subjects lost significant amounts of subcutaneous body fat, as measured by skinfold calipers, but experienced very little change in absolute body weight (.1 kg.) suggesting an increase in muscle weight. Data from the submaximal walking test, administered after each 12 session period of training, showed a nonlinear decline in heart rate throughout training. This, possibly, was in response to an accumulating fatigue factor brought on by a rapid increase in the amount of total work that the subjects were doing during the middle stage of training.

Untrained adult males, aged 25 to 65+ years (N=110) were studied to assess the effects of aging on the exercise responses of middle-aged and older adults engaged in an endurance exercise training program. Subjects were divided into four age group categories and exercised at a training heart rate intensity of 75% Karvoner, for three to six months, until all participants could continuously log two miles. All subjects were involved in pre (T1) and post (T2) testing sessions to assess selected resting and exercising physiological data. A standard two-tailed t-test war, utilized as the method of statistical analysis. Significant increases (p4.05) were demonstrated in V02 max and VE max within all groups. Significant decreases (p4.05) were observed in HR max.. HR rest, body weight, percent body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. It was concluded that exercise can improve various physiological variables studied, but that the effects of age do limit the ability of the older groups to attain the same level of fitness observed in the middle-aged groups.

The purpose of this thesis was to assess the adaptation of middle-aged and older females to a three to six month endurance training program. Sixty-nine subjects were divided into four age groups to determine the effect of aging on cardiorespiratory improvements. Two treadmill tests for maximal aerobic power were administered prior to training and following the subjects' ability to run a continuous two miles. As a result of training, maximal oxygen consumption (max V02) and maximal ventilation (max VE) increased significantly in all age groups with the youngest group exhibiting the greatest gains and the oldest group showing the least improvements. Age tended to effect max V02 at both T1 and T2 but it also played a role in interfering with the ability to improve in the 55 to 65 age range. Training had little effect on the resting variables observed in this study. Nor did age effect basal parameters such as body weight, serum cholesterol and resting heart rate. However, age did become significant when fat percent and blood pressures were observed.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of adult after-school supervision and the number of parents living at home on health-related fitness levels. Participants for the study were approximately 250 boys and girls in grades three, four and five from Selma Elementary School. The AAHPERD Physical Best Test (1988) was used to assess health-related fitness. This test measured the following components: a) flexibility (sit-and-reach test), b) cardiovascular endurance (timed run/walk test), c) body composition (sum of triceps and calf skinfolds) and d) muscular strength/endurance (timed sit-ups). A questionnaire and consent form were sent home to the parents of all participants. The questionnaire asked the child's name, grade, gender, number of parents/guardians living at home, and who supervises the child after-school. Each third-, fourth- and fifth-grade class completed two days of testing during physical education class time. The mile run/walk was administered on the first day. The second day consisted of three stations: 1) sit-and-reach, 2) skinfold assessment and 3) timed sit-ups. A 2 X 2 MANOVA was used to analyze the data. There was no significant difference between children with after-school supervision and those without after-school supervision. There was also no significant difference between children from one-parent families and children from two-parent families. However, there was a significant interaction between the number of parents and whether or not there was supervision [F(4, 109)= 4.23, p= .003]. An examination of the accompanying univariate Ftests showed that this interaction was mainly due to the difference on the variable sit-ups [F(1, 1 12)= 4.94, p= .028]. A post-hoc simple effects analysis of variance for one-parent families showed that the mean value for sit-ups for children without after-school supervision (x= 39.75) [F= 1, 112)= 5.27, p= .024] was significantly greater than the mean value for situps for children with after-school supervision(x= 34.33). The analysis also showed for two-parent families that there was no difference in the mean number of sit-ups between children with supervision (x= 35.94) [F(1, 112)= .36, p=.549] and those without supervision (x= 34.94). / Institute for Wellness

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the reliability and validity of VO2max estimates from the ACSM submaximal cycle ergometer test compared to a maximal cycle ergometer test. Thirty healthy male and female subjects aged 21-54 volunteered for this study. Each subject performed a maximal cycle ergometer test and two ACSM submaximal cycle ergometer tests. At least 48 hours elapsed between the maximal test and the first submaximal test while at least 24 hours elapsed between the two submaximal tests. Heart rates were recorded from a radio telemetry monitor and from 15 second palpation of the radial artery. A trained technician performed all palpations and was blinded from the telemetry monitor during testing to eliminate any bias. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was estimated by extrapolatingrate for each submaximal trial. To determine inter-test radio telemetry monitor (MON), to an age predicted maximal heart reliability between submaximal trials, correlational analysis andt-test were performed. A correlation of r= .863 and r= .767 were found between the two trials for MON V02max and PALP VO2max respectively. Paired t-test revealed no significant difference (p< .01) between MON V02max 1 and MON VO2max 2 or between PALP V02max 1 and PALP VO2max 2. Although there were no significant differences between trials, the mean data was often not indicative of the individual data since there were 8 MON VO2max cases and 19 PALP VO2max cases where VO2max estimates varied by > 0.5 L/min. There were significant differences between all V02max estimates when compared to measured VO2max and mean percent error in estimates for MON VO2max and PALP VO2max were 25.7% and 33.8%, respectively. The mean error of MON VO2max 1 and MON VO2max 2 were .61 and .63 L/min, respectively. The mean error for PALP VO2max 1 and PALP VO2max 2 were somewhat higher at .90 and .73 L/min, respectively. The present data indicates that a large error is present in VO2max estimates between trials and between measured and estimated VO2max. Therefore, caution must be used when interpreting VO2max estimates from the ACSM submaximal cycle ergometer test. / School of Physical Education

The Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health recommends expending 200 kcals "on most, if not all days of the week" (1000 to 1400 kcals/week) as a minimum quantity of exercise energy expenditure (EE) required to obtain health benefits. The ACSM recommends expending a minimum of 1000 kcals/week to receive fitness benefits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of EE above and below 1200 kcals/week on health and fitness benefits. Twenty-six previously sedentary males and females (mean age = 47 ± 2 years), with at least one risk factor for CAD completed the 22-32 week endurance exercise training study. Subjects performed an initial health screening and treadmill test which included measures of heart rate, blood pressure, blood lipids, body composition at rest, and metabolic data (V02, VE, RER) during the maximal treadmill test. Subjects began exercising with the Adult Physical Fitness Program at a self-selected amount of energy expenditure, recording heart rate, frequency, and duration of exercise on an exercise log card after every exercise session. After 22-32 weeks, subjects returned to the laboratory for a final evaluation identical to the first. The metabolic data from the initial and final tests, along with the data from the exercise log card was used to develop an estimation of energy expenditure/week. Subjects were then categorized into either < or > 1200 kcal/week energy expenditure. Results of the pre/post (n=12) training blood pressure, blood lipids, body composition and V02 __ measures were:EE <1200 kcalsEE >1200 kcalsVariablePre TrainingPost TrainingPre Training 'PostTrainingVO2.(L/min)2.287+.1982.397±.1983.064±.2073.290±.210VO2.(ml/kg/min)27.4+1.7-28.2+1.7-33.0+2.4-37.3±2.6 #HDL-C(mg/dl)51+4.355±4.547±2.850±3.2SBP(mmHg)121±4117±3124±4y120±37BMI(k g/m2)28.0±1.728.3+1.731.2+1.6730.0+1.5y #*p <0.05 training main effect, #p < 0.05 group by time interaction, y: n=14The group that expended above 1200 kcals/week displayed more improvement inrelative V02 n,.,., and BMI following the training program than the group thatexpended less than 1200 kcals/week. Furthermore, there was a training main effect showing adaptations in V02 ., HDL and SBP. In conclusion, previously at risk, sedentary individuals exercise training > 2 days/week can receive health and fitness benefits. However, those expending more than 1200 kcals/week will receive a greater benefit in terms of body composition and cardiovascular fitness. / School of Physical Education

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

There is no abstract available for this thesis.

There is no abstract available for this thesis.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a resistance exercise routine that consists of a minimum of 1 set of 8-12 repetitions on 8-10 exercises, 2 times per week. These guidelines are less than traditional programs and are based on the premises that longer programs are associated with lower adherence and that additional sets and repetitions produce little, if any, additional increases in strength. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if greater gains in strength and endurance could be attained by doubling the recommended dose. Sixteen subjects were randomly assigned to one of two training groups that performed 1 or 2 sets of 8-12 repetitions for 10 weeks on 7 exercises (chest press, lat pull-down, leg ext., leg curl, shoulder press, triceps ext., biceps curl) and 8 subjects were assigned to a non-training group. Pre- and post-training 1repetition maximum (RM) and muscular endurance were measured. To assess endurance, subjects completed as many repetitions as possible at 75% of their pre-training 1-RM on all exercises except the shoulder press (60% of 1-RM). Both training groups showed a significant increase in 1-RM strength and endurance compared to controls (P < 0.05). Only the biceps curl exercise showed a significant difference in strength between the two training groups (P < 0.05). The 2 sets group increased post-training endurance to a greater degree than the 1 set group, but only the lat pull-down exercise was significant (P < 0.05).. Contrary to previous studies, these findings pertain to 8-10 exercises that use larger muscle groups. It was concluded that 1 set of 8-12 repetitions was as effective as 2 sets in increasing muscular strength and endurance. / School of Physical Education