<p>Abstract</p><p>Elderly people are going to be a growing number in Europe. Between one third are going to be 60 years or older at 2025. For Sweden the situation is going to be similar. A reduced muscle function could lead to complications for the individual to perform daily tasks and will lead to a higher rate for falling and getting bone fractures. The positive sides are that for men and women there are a possibility for maintaining physical function and strength even in older years. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of gaining strength in M. Quadriceps femoris among five elderly people. The training schedule followed over 6 weeks of time with training sessions twice a week, training the Quadriceps muscle with one set of each training session. The result shows that for the three people that completed the study, all of them managed to gain strength. Further the study examines resistance training comparing single and multiple sets. Is there any difference in gaining strength between training programs with single set training versus multiple sets training?</p>

Abstract Elderly people are going to be a growing number in Europe. Between one third are going to be 60 years or older at 2025. For Sweden the situation is going to be similar. A reduced muscle function could lead to complications for the individual to perform daily tasks and will lead to a higher rate for falling and getting bone fractures. The positive sides are that for men and women there are a possibility for maintaining physical function and strength even in older years. The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of gaining strength in M. Quadriceps femoris among five elderly people. The training schedule followed over 6 weeks of time with training sessions twice a week, training the Quadriceps muscle with one set of each training session. The result shows that for the three people that completed the study, all of them managed to gain strength. Further the study examines resistance training comparing single and multiple sets. Is there any difference in gaining strength between training programs with single set training versus multiple sets training?

abstract: The study of response of various materials to intense dynamic loading events, such as shock loading due to high-velocity impacts, is extremely important in a wide variety of military and industrial applications. Shock loading triggers extreme states, leading to high pressures and strain rates, and neglecting strength is a typical approximation under such conditions. However, recent results have shown that strength effects are larger than expected, so they must be taken into account. Recently, hydrodynamic instabilities, the most common being the Rayleigh-Taylor (RTI) and Richtmyer-Meshkov (RMI) instabilities, have been used to infer the dynamic strength of materials at high pressure conditions. In our experiments and simulations, a novel RMI approach is used, in which periodic surface perturbations are made on high purity aluminium target, which was laser ablated to create a rippled shock front. Due to the slow linear growth rate of RMI, the evolution of the perturbations on the back surface of the sample as a result of the rippled shock can be measured via Transient Imaging Displacement Interferometry (TIDI). The velocity history at the free surface was recorded by spatially resolved laser velocimetry. These measurements were compared with the results from the simulations, which were implemented using rate independent and rate dependent material models, to characterize the dynamic strength of the material. Simulations using the elastic-perfectly plastic model, which is rate independent, failed to provide a value of dynamic yield strength that would match experimental measurements of perturbation amplitudes. The Preston-Tonks-Wallace (PTW) model, which is rate dependent model, worked well for aluminium. This model was, in turn, used as a reference for calibrating the rate dependent Steinberg-Lund model and the results from simulations using the calibration models were also compared to experimental measurements. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Mechanical Engineering 2017

It is perhaps paradoxical that many material properties arise from the absence of material rather than the presence of it. For example, the strength, stiffness, and toughness of a concrete are related to its pore structure. Furthermore, the volume, size distribution, and interconnectivity of porosity is important for understanding permeability, diffusivity, and capillary action occurring in concrete, which are necessary for predicting service lives in aggressive environments. This research advances the state-of-the-art of multiscale characterization of cement-based materials, and uses this characterization information to model the material behavior under competing durability concerns. In the first part of this research, a novel method is proposed to characterize the entrained air void system. In the second and third parts of this research, microstructural characterization is used in tandem with mechanical models to investigate the behavior of cementitious materials when exposed to rapid rates of loading and to cyclic freezing and thawing. First, a novel analytical technique is presented which reconstructs the 3D entrained air void distribution in hardened concrete using 2D image analysis. This method proposes a new spacing factor, which is believed to be more sensitive to microstructural changes than the current spacing factor commonly utilized in practiced, and specified in ASTM C457, as a measure of concrete's ability to resist to damage under cyclic freeze/thaw loading. This has the potential to improve economy by improving the quality of petrographic assessment and reducing the need for more expensive and time-consuming freeze/thaw tests, while also promoting the durability of concrete. Second, quantitative measurements of the sizes, shapes, and spatial arrangements of flaws which are through to drive failure at strain rates above 100/s were obtained in order to model mortar subjected to high strain-rate loading (i.e., extremes in load rate). A micromechanics model was used to study the ways in which flaw geometry and flaw interaction govern damage. A key finding suggests that dynamic strength may be multimodal, with larger flaws shifting the dynamic strength upwards into the highest strength failure mode. Third, a robust theoretical approach, based upon poroelasticity, is presented to further validate the utility of the novel spacing factor proposed this research. The model is truly multiscale, using in its formulation pore size data ranging from the nanoscale to the micro-scale, entrained air data from the micro-scale to the millimeter scale, and infers a representative volume element on the centimeter scale. The results provide an underlying physical basis for the performance of the novel spacing factor. Furthermore, the framework could be used as a forensic tool, or as a tool to optimize the entrained air void system against freeze/thaw damage.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the relationships between two types of vertical jumps and change of direction (COD) test in collegiate soccer players (n=24). 5-5 COD test was utilized to measure soccer athletes’ COD ability. 3m acceleration (3mAcc), Total time (TT) and Partial time (PT) were measured by two sets of timing gates. Countermovement jump (CMJ) and static jump (SJ) with 2 different loading conditionings (0kg and 20kg) were employed to evaluate athletes’ leg dynamic strength. Strong statistically significant relationships were found between COD test variables (r =0.71 to 0.90), and between vertical jump variables with PT and TT (r = -0.41 to -0.81). These results suggest that leg dynamic strength is vital for NCAA Division I soccer players’ COD performance and SJ 0kg jump height can be used to predict for COD performance.

The purpose of this study was to compare core muscle activity during resistance exercises performed on stable ground versus an unstable surface and to examine whether lifting at different relative intensities affects core muscle activity levels. Twelve trained men performed four different movements including the deadlift, back squat, military press, and curl. Surface electromyography (EMG) was utilized to assess the activity of the rectus abdominis, external oblique, transversus abdominis, and erector spinae muscles. Participants performed each movement under three separate conditions including standing on stable ground with 50% of their one repetition maximum (1-RM), standing on a BOSU balance trainer with 50% of their 1-RM and, standing on stable ground with 75% of their 1-RM. The following muscles exhibited greater activity during the 75% 1-RM condition than all other conditions: the transversus abdominis (TA) and external oblique (EO) muscles during the deadlift; the rectus abdominis (RA) during the squat; the TA, RA, and EO during the press, and TA and erector spinae (ES) during the curl. The ES muscle during the press movement and EO during the squat movement were more active during the BOSU 50% 1-RM condition than the stable 50% 1-RM condition. Healthy individuals might consider performing the military press, curl, squat and deadlift movements with higher intensity resistances while standing on stable ground to incur higher widespread muscle activity of the core region.

Experiments were conducted on ASTM A572 50 and A992 steel over a range of intermediate strain rates in order to determine material strength properties of structural members subjected to dynamic loadings. The yield and ultimate tensile stress (UTS) of the steels were determined at increasing strain rates using a hydraulic apparatus and compared to static values obtained from ASTM E8 standardized tensile experiments. Results revealed that A572-50 steel exhibited an increase in yield stress of up to 35% and UTS of up to 20% as strain rate increased from 0.002 to 2.0 s-1. A992 steel demonstrated a similar increase in yield stress of up to 45% and UTS of up to 20%. Ratios of dynamic-to-static strengths were used to develop dynamic increase factor curves spanning the range of strain rates studied. These curves provide designers with material property values required for accurate and economical design of protective structures.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar o impacto de oito semanas de um programa de treinamento de força sobre a estratégia de prova e o desempenho de corredores de longa distância durante uma prova contrarrelógio de 10 km. Antes e após a fase de intervenção com o programa de treinamento de força, dezoito corredores recreacionais divididos nos grupos treinamento (GT) (n = 9) e controle (GC) (n = 9) foram submetidos aos seguintes testes: a) antropometria e teste progressivo até a exaustão voluntária, b) teste com velocidade submáxima constante, c) simulação de uma prova de 10 km para análise da estratégia de prova, d) teste de drop jump, e) teste de wingate, f) teste de uma repetição máxima (1RM) e g) teste de tempo limite. A atividade eletromiográfica dos músculos vasto medial e bíceps femoral foi medida durante o teste de 1RM. No GT, a magnitude de melhora para o 1RM (23,0 ± 4,2%, P = 0,001), drop jump (12,7 ± 4,6%, P = 0,039), e velocidade de pico na esteira (2,9 ± 0,8%, P = 0,013) foi significativamente maior em relação ao GC. Este aumento do 1RM para o GT foi acompanhado por uma tendência a uma maior atividade eletromiográfica (P = 0,080). A magnitude de melhora no desempenho na prova de 10 km foi maior (2,5%) no GT que no GC (-0,7%, P = 0,039). O desempenho foi melhorado principalmente devido a velocidades mais elevadas durante as últimas sete voltas (últimos 2800 m) da prova de 10 km. No entanto, não houve diferenças significativas antes e após o período de treinamento para o padrão de estratégia de prova utilizada, consumo máximo de oxigênio, ponto de compensação respiratória, economia de corrida e desempenho anaeróbio para ambos os grupos (P > 0,05). Em conclusão, estes resultados sugerem que, embora um programa de treinamento de força não altere a estratégia de prova adotada, ele oferece um potente estímulo para combater a fadiga durante as últimas partes de uma corrida de 10 km, resultando em um melhor desempenho total / The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of an 8-week strength-training program on performance and pacing strategy adopted by runners during a self-paced endurance running. Eighteen endurance runners were allocated into either strength training group (STG, n = 9) or control group (CG, n = 9) and performed the following tests before and after the training period: a) anthropometric measures and maximal incremental treadmill test, b) running speed-constant test, c) 10-km running time trial, d) drop jump test, e) 30-s Wingate anaerobic test, f) maximum dynamic strength test (1RM), g) time to exhaustion test. Electromyographic activity of vastus medialis and biceps femoris was measured during 1RM test. In the STG, the magnitude of improvement for 1RM (23.0 ± 4.2%, P = 0.001), drop jump (12.7 ± 4.6%, P = 0.039), and peak treadmill speed (2.9 ± 0.8%, P = 0.013) was significantly higher compared to CG. This increase in the 1RM for STG was accompanied by a tendency to a higher electromyographic activity (P = 0.080). The magnitude of improvement for 10-km running performance was higher (2.5%) for STG than for CG (-0.7%, P = 0.039). Performance was improved mainly due higher speeds during the last seven laps (last 2800 m) of the 10-km running. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences between before and after training period for pacing strategy, maximal oxygen uptake, respiratory compensation point, running economy, and anaerobic performance for both groups (P > 0.05). In conclusion, these findings suggest that, although a strength-training program does not alter the pacing strategy, it offers a potent stimulus to counteract fatigue during the last parts of a 10-km running, resulting in an improved overall running performance

O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a existência de associação entre os diferentes genótipos do polimorfismo R577X do gene ACTN3 e variáveis fisiológicas e neuromusculares associadas à aptidão aeróbia e ao desempenho em provas de longa duração. Cento e cinquenta indivíduos fisicamente ativos foram submetidos aos seguintes testes: a) teste incremental máximo para determinação do consumo máximo de oxigênio, velocidade de pico, limiar ventilatório (LV) e ponto de compensação respiratória (PCR); b) dois testes de cargas constantes nas velocidades de 10 km.h-1 e 12 km.h-1 para determinação da economia de corrida; c) teste de uma repetição máxima no exercício leg press para determinação da força máxima de membros inferiores; d) teste de salto vertical para determinação da potência máxima de membros inferiores e; e) genotipagem para determinação do genótipo do gene ACTN3. Os principais resultados foram a maior representação do genótipo XX entre os indivíduos com maiores velocidades associadas ao LV e ao PCR. Além disso, entre os indivíduos mais econômicos, foi observada uma maior representação de pelo menos uma cópia do alelo X (genótipos RX e XX). Esses resultados sugerem que o genótipo XX do gene ACTN3 parece ser favorável às variáveis fisiológicas associadas à aptidão aeróbia, sobretudo aquelas determinadas em intensidades submáximas / The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship among the genotypes of the ACTN3 gene and physiological and neuromuscular parameters related to aerobic fitness and endurance performance. One hundred and fifty male physically active subjects performed the following tests: a) a maximal incremental test to determine maximal oxygen consumption, peak velocity, ventilatory threshold and respiratory compensation point; b) two constant speed tests at 10 km.h-1 and 12 km.h-1 to determine running economy; c) one repetition maximum in the leg press to determine the maximal dynamic strength of the lower limbs; d) vertical jump test to determine the maximum power of the lower limbs and; e) genotyping for the ACTN3 gene polymorphism. Our main results were a higher frequency of the XX genotypes among the individuals with the highest speeds associated to ventilatory threshold and to the respiratory compensation point. It was observed a higher frequency of at least one copy of the X allele (RX and XX genotypes) among the more economical individuals. These results suggest that the XX genotype of the ACTN3 gene seems to be associated with physiological variables related with the aerobic fitness, mainly those determined in submaximal intensities

O objetivo do presente estudo foi comparar os efeitos da manipulação da ordem dos exercícios de força e aeróbico durante o treinamento concorrente na hidroginástica sobre as variáveis neuromusculares e cardiorrespiratórias de mulheres jovens e pósmenopáusicas. No estudo I, 26 mulheres jovens (25,12 ± 2,94 anos) foram aleatoriamente divididas em dois grupos de treinamento: força-aeróbico (FA) (n=13) e aeróbico-força (AF) (n=13). Para o estudo II, 21 mulheres pós-menopáusicas (57,14 ± 2,43 anos) foram divididas, também aleatoriamente, em dois grupos: força-aeróbico (FA) (n=10) e aeróbico-força (AF) (n=11). Em ambos os estudos os sujeitos realizaram o treinamento concorrente no meio aquático, duas vezes na semana durante 12 semanas, executando ambos os tipos de exercícios (aeróbico e força) na mesma sessão de treinamento. O treinamento de força foi realizado com séries em máxima velocidade e o treinamento aeróbico foi executado na frequência cardíaca do segundo limiar ventilatório. Todas as variáveis foram avaliadas antes e após o período de treinamento. Para análise dos dados foi utilizado o teste ANOVA para medidas repetidas com fator grupo (α=0,05). No estudo I, com as mulheres jovens, houve um aumento significativo da força muscular dinâmica máxima, avaliada através do teste de 1 repetição máxima (1RM), de todos os grupos musculares analisados (flexão e extensão de cotovelos e joelhos) após o período de treinamento. O grupo FA apresentou maiores ganhos da força muscular dinâmica máxima dos extensores de joelho em comparação ao grupo AF (43,58 ± 14,00% vs. 27,01 ± 18,05%, respectivamente). Após o treinamento houve um aumento do pico de torque isométrico (PT), avaliado no dinamômetro Biodex, de todos os grupos musculares avaliados (exceção PT extensores de cotovelo), sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. Além disso, após o treinamento, houve um aumento significativo da taxa de produção máxima e em diferentes janelamentos (50, 100, 250 ms), durante a contração isométrica voluntária máxima (CIVM) de extensão de joelho, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. Houve um aumento significativo da amplitude máxima isométrica do sinal eletromiográfico (EMG), após o treinamento, dos músculos bíceps braquial e vasto lateral, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. Além disso, observou-se uma diminuição significativa da amplitude submáxima isométrica do sinal EMG dos músculos bíceps braquial em 40% da CIVM, do vasto lateral em 40 e 80% da CIVM e do reto femoral em 80% da CIVM, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF após as 12 semanas de treinamento. Após o treinamento, houve um aumento significativo da espessura muscular do bíceps braquial, braquial, vasto medial e reto femoral, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. O percentual de ganho da espessura muscular do vasto lateral e vasto intermédio diferiu significativamente entre os grupos, com maiores ganhos para o grupo que treinou na ordem FA em comparação a ordem AF (vasto lateral: 10,00 ± 7,64% vs. 5,28 ± 3,42%, vasto intermédio: 11,58 ± 5,36% vs. 4,40 ± 3,77%, respectivamente). Para os saltos, após o treinamento, houve um aumento significativo da altura do countermovement jump, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. Por fim, ainda em relação ao estudo I, após o treinamento, houve um aumento significativo do consumo de oxigênio de pico (VO2pico) e referente ao primeiro limiar ventilatório (VO2LV1), sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. No estudo II, com as mulheres pós-menopáusicas, após o treinamento, houve um aumento significativo da força muscular dinâmica máxima dos flexores e extensores de cotovelo, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. Para o teste de 1RM de extensão de joelhos, foi observado que o grupo FA apresentou maiores ganhos de força em comparação ao grupo AF (34,62 ± 13,51% vs. 14,16 ± 13,68%). Após o treinamento, houve um aumento significativo do PT dos flexores e extensores de joelho, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. Além disso, houve um aumento significativo da taxa de produção máxima e também nos diferentes janelamentos (50, 100, 250 ms), durante a CIVM de extensão de joelho, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. Houve um aumento significativo da amplitude máxima isométrica do sinal EMG dos músculos vasto lateral e reto femoral, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF após 12 semanas de treinamento. Também houve uma diminuição significativa da amplitude submáxima isométrica do sinal EMG do músculo reto femoral em 40% da CIVM, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF após o treinamento. Após o treinamento, houve um aumento significativo da espessura muscular de todos os músculos analisados, sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF (exceto reto femoral). Por fim, no estudo II, após o treinamento, houve um aumento significativo do consumo de oxigênio referente ao segundo limiar ventilatório (VO2LV2), sem diferença entre os grupos FA e AF. Em suma, a ordem exercícios de força seguidos dos exercícios aeróbicos otimizou os ganhos de força muscular dinâmica máxima dos extensores de joelho tanto em mulheres jovens quanto em mulheres pós-menopáusicas, bem como a espessura muscular do quadríceps em mulheres jovens quando comparada com a ordem inversa (aeróbico-força). / The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of the intra-session exercise order (i.e., resistance-aerobic or aerobic-resistance) during water-based concurrent training on the neuromuscular and cardiorespiratory variables in young and postmenopausal women. Twenty-six young women (25.12 ± 2.94 years) were randomly assigned into two groups in study I: resistance-aerobic (RA) (n=13) and aerobicresistance (n=13). For study II, twenty-one postmenopausal women were also randomly assigned into two groups: resistance-aerobic (RA) (n=10) and aerobic-resistance (n=11). In both studies the subjects performed the water-based concurrent training two times a week during 12 weeks, performing both resistance and aerobic training in the same session. The resistance training was performed with sets at maximal effort and the aerobic training with exercises at heart rate corresponding to the second ventilatory threshold. All variables were evaluated before and after training. A repeated measure ANOVA with group factor was used to analyze the data of the present study (α=0.05). After training in study I, with the young women, there was a significant increase in the maximal dynamic strength in all muscle groups (elbow and knee flexors and extensors) evaluated using the one-repetition maximal test (1RM). The RA group presented grater relative gains of the knee extensors maximal dynamic strength compared to the AR group (43.58 ± 14.00% vs. 27.01 ± 18.05%, respectively). After training there was a significant increase of the maximal isometric peak torque (PT) of all muscle groups (except elbow extensor PT) evaluated using the Biodex dynamometer, with no difference between RA and AR groups. In addition, after training there was a significant increase of the maximal rate of force development (RFD) and of the RFD at different windows (50, 100, 250 ms) during the knee extension maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC), with no difference between RA and AR groups. There was a significant increase of the maximal isometric electromyography (EMG) activity of biceps brachii and vastus lateralis after training, with no difference between RA and AR groups. Moreover, the submaximal isometric EMG activity of biceps braachi at 40% of MIVC, the submaximal isometric EMG activity of vastus lateralis at 40% and 80% of MIVC and the submaximal isometric EMG activity of rectus femoris at 80% of MIVC showed lower values after training, with no difference between RA and AR groups. After training, there was a significant increase of the muscle thickness of biceps brachii, brachialis, vastus medialis and rectus femoris, with no difference between RA and AR groups. The relative gains of the muscle thickness of the vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius were greater for the RA group compared to the AR group (vastus lateralis: 10.00 ± 7.64% vs. 5.28 ± 3.42%, vastus intermedius: 11.58 ± 5.36% vs. 4.40 ± 3.77%, respectively). The height of the countermovement jump improved after training, with no difference between RA and AR groups. In addition, the peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and corresponding to the first ventilatory threshold (VO2VT1) showed significant increases after training, with no difference between RA and AR groups. In study II, with the postmenopausal women, there was a significant increase in the maximal dynamic strength of the elbow flexors and extensors, with no difference between RA and AR groups. The knee extensors 1RM in the RA group showed greater increases than the AR group (34.62 ± 13.51% vs. 14.16 ± 13.68%). After training, there were significant increases of the knee flexors and extensors PT, with no difference between RA and AR groups. In addition, there was a significant increase in the knee extension maximal RFD and in the knee extension RFD at different windows (50, 100, 250 ms), with no difference between RA and AR groups. Moreover, there were increases of the maximal isometric EMG activity of vastus lateralis and rectus femoris, with no difference between RA and AR groups. Furthermore, the submaximal isometric EMG activity of rectus femoris at 40% of MIVC showed lower values after training, with no difference between RA and AR groups. Also, there were significant increases of the muscle thickness of all muscles evaluated, with no difference between RA and AR groups (except rectus femoris). Significant increase was also observed in the oxygen uptake corresponding to the second ventilatory threshold (VO2VT2) after training, with no difference between RA and AR groups. In summary, the intra-session exercise order with resistance exercises prior to aerobic exercises optimizes the knee extensors maximal dynamic strength gains in young and postmenopausal women, as well as the quadriceps femoris muscle thickness in young women when compared to the inverse order (i.e., aerobic-resistance).