PURPOSE: Body composition (BC) is a frequently assessed component of health-related fitness. A variety of laboratory methods including Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and field methods including bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) can be used to measure BC. The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of BIA for estimating percent body fat (% fat) in female collegiate gymnasts. METHODS: Participants’ % fat was estimated using two different BIA analyzers, the InBody 230 (INB) and the Omron HBF-306 (OMR), and then compared to DXA, which served as the reference value. Participants were 67 female collegiate gymnasts [age 19.54 (1.9) yrs., height 1.61 (0.07) m, body mass 70.0 (7.1) kg, and BMI 24.0 (2.4) kg/m2]. All participants were tested in the hydrated state [1.016 (0.01), Urine Specific Gravity]. The validity of the BIA % fat estimates was based on the evaluation of each BIA analyzer versus the reference value from the DXA by calculating the mean difference, standard error of the estimate (SEE), and coefficient of determination (R2) from linear regression analysis. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine overall and pairwise differences between INB, OMR, and DXA. RESULTS: The mean % fat results were as follows: INB = 22.20 (4.51), OMR = 20.92 (2.83), and DXA = 25.25 (4.18). Simple linear regression analysis for INB using DXA as the reference variable indicated an R2 value of 0.11 and SEE of 0.751. Simple linear regression for OMR using DXA as the reference variable indicated an R2 of 0.27 and SEE of 0.617. A repeated measures ANOVA indicated a statistically significant difference in % fat values between INB, OMR, and DXA (F (2, 132) = 67.56, p < 0.001). Post-hoc analyses indicated significant differences between INB and DXA [-3.06 (95% confidence interval: -3.86, -2.25) % fat, p < 0.001]; between OMR and DXA [-4.33 (95% confidence interval: -5.06, -3.60) % fat, p < 0.001]; and between INB and OMR [1.27 (95% confidence interval: 0.52, 2.03) % fat, p = 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: Neither the INB nor OMR % fat estimates provided a valid assessment of BC in this sample of female collegiate gymnasts. When compared to the reference (DXA), both BIA analyzers significantly underestimated % fat. Neither BIA analyzer can be recommended for estimating % fat in this population based on this analysis.

Body composition (BC) is a frequently assessed component of health-related fitness. A variety of field methods can be used to measure BC including bioelectrical impedance analysis and skinfolds. Recently a portable computer-based ultrasound (US) system has also become commercially available for estimating BC. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of a portable computer-based US system for estimating percent body fat (%fat) in male collegiate baseball players. METHODS: Participants’ %fat was estimated using US with both the biceps 1 site (US1) and the Jackson & Pollock 3-site (US3) methods and then compared to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), which served as the criterion value. Participants were 109 male collegiate baseball players [age 20.6 (1.3) yrs., height 1.83 (0.07) m, body mass 89.9 (9.0) kg, and BMI 26.9 (2.5) kg/m2]. All participants were tested in the hydrated state [1.014 (0.008), Urine Specific Gravity]. The validity of the US %fat estimates were based on the evaluation of each method versus the criterion value from the DXA by calculating the mean, SD, coefficient of determination (r2), and standard error of estimate (SEE) from linear regression analysis. To assess the average deviation of individual scores from the line of identity, total error (TE) was calculated for each field method. Paired sample t-tests determined pair-wise differences between measurements using an alpha level of 0.05. RESULTS: The mean %fat results were as follows: US1 = 14.1 (4.0), US3 = 15.7 (4.8) and the DXA = 20.3 (5.9). Mean differences were observed with US1 [-6.1 (95% limits of agreement: -14.5, 2.1) %, p < 0.001] and US3 [-4.5 (95% limits of agreement: -13.6, 4.4) %, p < 0.001] when compared to DXA. The r2 values were 0.46 for US1 and 0.41 for US3, SEE values were 4.2 %fat for US1 and 4.5 %fat for US3, and total error (TE) values were 7.4 %fat for US1 and 6.4 %fat for US3. CONCLUSIONS: Neither of the US estimates provided a valid assessment of body composition in this sample of male collegiate baseball players. When compared to the criterion (DXA), both of these US methods underestimated %fat. Neither US method can be recommended for estimating %fat in this population based on this preliminary analysis.

Many pharmacists report they lack nutritional knowledge and believe the best time to educate pharmacists about nutrition is during pharmacy school. Purpose: This study was conducted to determine if today’s pharmacy students receive education in nutrition and if they realize the importance of a nutrition course. Methods: Ninety-five pharmacy students attending pharmacy school were surveyed in two pharmacy schools in the United States. Results: The survey showed only 13.7% received nutrition education and 82.9% of students believed nutrition education should be incorporated into the pharmacy degree curriculum. When the pharmacy-related experience was taken into account, 73.3% of students believed that a nutrition course should be incorporated into the curriculum. Conclusion: This study suggests that pharmacy students from two major universities in Alabama and Illinois realize the importance of nutrition education and believe a nutrition course should be incorporated into the pharmacy degree curriculum.

Hydration status is essential for optimal health and human performance. Past research has shown education (e.g., knowledge) is important to ensure collegiate athletes have a positive attitude towards hydrating and adhere to adequate hydration practices. Albeit this has been elucidated in collegiate athletes, few, if any, studies have researched recreationally active college students. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between hydration knowledge, attitudes, and practices in recreationally active college students. METHODS: Recreationally active students, as defined by ACSM (aerobic exercise ≤2 days/wk for a total of 80 min/wk) [n = 45 (10 male, 35 female), age 22 ± 5 years), completed a previously developed hydration knowledge, attitudes, and practices questionnaire. The instrument consisted of 17 knowledge items (true/false statements), 17 attitude items (5-point Likert scale; strongly agree to strongly disagree), and 17 practice items (yes/no statements). All participants were given a total score for each section which was quantified by summing the total number of correctly answered questions from all three sections. The minimum score for all three sections was zero while the maximum score was 17. After screening data for normality, Spearman’s correlations were performed to compare hydration knowledge, attitudes, and practices. RESULTS: The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores for all participants were 13 ± 2, 11 ± 2, and 11 ± 2, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between knowledge and attitude towards hydration (rs = .622; p < .001) and between knowledge and hydration practices (rs = .540; p < .001). There was no significant correlation between attitude towards hydration and hydration practices. CONCLUSION: The positive correlations between knowledge and attitude towards hydration and knowledge and hydration practices indicate the importance of knowledge of hydration in recreationally active college students. Further research should compare knowledge, attitudes, and practices with measured hydration status.

Adequate hydration is important for optimal health and physical performance. Longer exercise sessions require greater volumes and frequencies of fluid replacement. Participants may not understand the importance of fluid replacement compared to time spent exercising which could lead to dehydration due to inadequate fluid replacement. PURPOSE: To assess the relationship between average time spent exercising (ExTime) and hydration status in Recreationally Active College Students (RACS) while also assessing the relationship between exercise modes and hydration status. METHODS: As part of an ongoing study, RACS were instructed to arrive hydrated to the laboratory and provide investigators with a mid-stream urine sample. Hydration Status [Urinary Specific Gravity (USG)] was determined using a digital refractometer. ExTime was translated into average minutes from a combination of Resistance Training (RT) and Aerobic Training (AE) time ranges. A total of 46 participants were included in the following analysis (20 male, 26 female, age = 21 ± 2 years). After screening data for normality, a Pearson’s Bivariant Two-Tailed Correlation was used to assess the relationship between hydration status and ExTime. A one-way ANOVA was used to analyze hydration status among the three exercise mode categories (RT, AE, RT + AE). RESULTS: No significant correlation was found between hydration status and ExTime [r = 0.031, p = 0.836]. There was also no significant difference between hydration status and exercise mode (p = 0.426). CONCLUSION: No significant relationship existed among the observed variables. A limitation of this study is that hydration status may have been impacted by the instruction for the RACS to arrive at the laboratory hydrated. Future research should assess relationships between hydration knowledge, perceived importance of hydration, and average time spent exercising. Follow-up studies should also ensure RACS are tested in ad libitum hydration states without instruction on fluid intake.

PURPOSE: Lean mass, fat mass, and bone mineral density are important determinants of health. The ability to change these values over time are important to overall wellness and also athletic success. The ability of athletes and non-athletes to change body composition over time are important for setting realistic expectations of change over time. METHODS: 815 college aged students (469) and student athletes (346 Division I athletes from a variety of sports) participated in this longitudinal tracking study (ht. 173.8 ± 6.2 cm, wt. 76.6 ± 29.24 kg, age 20.156 ± 1.73 years, Body fat % 24.06 ± 7.13%). After filling out informed consents and health history questionnaires students were scanned for total body composition utilizing a Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scanner (Lunar Prodigy by GE). Regional and total fat mass, fat free mass, and bone mineral density values were analyzed for change relative to days between scans, results were multiplied by 28 for standardization/monthly projections. Athletes were compared to non-athletes by a one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: Overall monthly changes for body fat percentage was 0.00 ± 0.59% with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.18% to -1.20%. Lean mass monthly change was 0.083 ± 0.795 kg with a 95% CI of 1.67 to -1.51 kg. Fat mass monthly change was 0.001 ± .495 kg with a 95% CI of .99 to .988 kg. Finally, bone mineral density monthly change was -.0069 ± .1014 g/cm2 with a 95% CI of .196 to -.210 g/cm^2. Overall, monthly change mean differences for athletes compared to non-athletes were: lean mass 0.305 kg, fat mass 0.056 kg, body fat -0.002%, and bone mineral density -0.001 g/cm2. Athletes compared to non-athletes were on average 1.4 kg higher in lean mass, 4.5 kg lower fat mass*, and 4.5% lower in body fat percent*, and had .0445 g/cm^2 higher bone mineral density*. Where * was significant at P < .001. CONCLUSIONS: On average changes for body composition were small, but the confidence intervals were much larger. This was an observational study utilizing different testing frequency. More defined body composition change timeline expectations for athletes and non-athletes would be useful for coaches, trainers, and researchers.

BACKGROUND: Body composition is frequently measured by sports, fitness, and healthcare professionals. Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) analysis is a validated measurement of body composition and is considered a criterion or "gold-standard" measurement. However, due to long scan times, accessibility and cost, conducting DXA scans on larger athletes (i.e., football players) is difficult. Hence fitness professionals, notably strength and conditioning coaches, typically use other methods to measure body composition. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) and Integrative Body Composition (IBC) techniques to DXA body fat percent (BF%) in collegiate American Football players.METHODS: Participants performed all three modes of body composition measurement: DXA, BIA (BIA-A [athlete]and BIA-NA [non-athlete modes]), and IBC, on the same day during early morning hours in a fasted state.RESULTS: The BF% measured via all methods significantly correlated with BF% measured via DXA (i.e., BIA-A [P<0.001, r=0.903], BIA-NA [P<0.001, r=0.891], and IBC [P<0.001, r=0.867]). However, values obtained via BIA-A (athlete) (P<0.001) and IBC (P<0.001) methods under predicted BF%.CONCLUSIONS: BIA and IBC can be used as an alternative to DXA for measuring BF% in American Football players. The BIA-A and IBC under predicted BF% compare to DXA, therefore, a correction formula can be utilized by coaches and athletes to predict BF% more accurately compared to IBC and BIA-A methods in American Football players.

A large muscle mass to total body mass ratio benefits power athletes such as gymnasts. While collegiate gymnastics athletes train strength and power in the pre-season but reduce training during the competitive season, the degree to which body composition changes during the competitive season is not known. PURPOSE: This study examined changes in body composition in a team of female Division I collegiate gymnastics athletes before and after their competition season. It was hypothesized that percent body fat (%BF), total fat mass (TFM), and bone mineral content (BMC) would remain unchanged from pre- to post-season. METHODS: Fifteen female collegiate gymnasts (age = 19 ± 1 year, ht = 1.62 ± 0.05 m, wt = 62.7 ± 7.2 kg) volunteered to undergo measures of body composition assessment before and after their spring competitive season. During pre-season (PRE), participants were instructed to arrive to the laboratory in a euhydrated state. Following written informed consent, participants provided a mid-stream urine sample which was used to screen for pregnancy and to determine urine specific gravity (USG) using a handheld digital refractometer. Participants then performed a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan to determine TFM, %BF, and BMC. Immediately after the competitive season, participants returned to the laboratory and repeated all procedures (POST). Data were analyzed using paired-samples t-tests with significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: BMC significantly increased across the season (6.422 ± 0.206 g PRE vs. 6.485 ± 0.203 g POST; p < 0.05). While there was a downward trend in both TFM (34.158 ± 2.211 kg PRE vs. 32.905 ± 2.335 kg POST; p < 0.1) and %BF (25.68 ± 1.16 % PRE vs. 24.99 ± 1.23 % POST; p < 0.1), these were not significantly different at the a priori p < 0.05 level. There was no change in body weight. CONCLUSION: The significant increase in BMC, combined with the downward trend in TFM and %BF, with no change in body weight, suggests athletes maintained body composition in a favorable manner during the competitive season. The increase in BMC further suggests that stimuli during the competitive season were strong enough to elicit favorable changes in bone remodeling during in-season competition.

Comparison Of DXA And Ultrasound For Measurement Of Body Composition In Physically Active College Students Jeremy T. Barnes, Jason D. Wagganer, Jeremy P. Loenneke, FACSM, Monica L. Kearney, William M. Miller, Majid M. Syed-Abdul. Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO. The University of Mississippi, University, MS. The University of Mississippi, Cape Girardeau, MS. The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.

Over several decades, traditional resistance training has incorporated body-mass suspension training (SPT), for example, Total-Body Resistance Exercise (TRX); however, very little research has been completed investigating the effects of lower body SPT. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess sex differences in myoelectric activity via electromyography while performing a stable (i.e., bench) traditional split squat (TSS) compared with suspension body-mass split squat (TRXSS). Nineteen recreationally active individuals (mean +/- SD = men: n = 9; 21.4 = 2.1 years; 177.2 +/- 9.0 cm; 84.2 +/- 8.8 kg; women: n=10; 21.5 +/- 1.6 years; 160.7 +/- 8.5 cm; 59.1 +/- 7.9 kg) participated in this investigation. Subjects performed 3 training sessions, 1 familiarization and 2 (one for each variation) split squat. The TRXSS was performed by placing the rear foot within the foot cradle of the strap, while the TSS required placement of the rear foot on a stable bench (40.64 cm). The TRXSS resulted in higher peak and average myoelectric activity overall, as well as greater gluteus maximus myoelectric activity. No gender or rectus femoris myoelectric activity differences were found. The increased myoelectric activity of the gluteus maximus during the TRXSS was most likely due to increased medial/lateral stabilization demands on the suspended leg. These findings provide insight into TRX as a useful exercise modality for recreationally active or rehabilitative purposes.

Syed-Abdul, MM, Soni, DS, Miller, WM, Johnson, RJ, Barnes, JT, Pujol, TJ, and Wagganer, JD. Traditional versus suspended push-up muscle activation in athletes and sedentary women. J Strength Cond Res 32(7): 1816-1820, 2018-Many strength training programs incorporate push-up exercises, which primarily activate upper-body muscles. Past data support the fact that shoulder girdle muscles (i.e., triceps (T) and anterior deltoids [AD]) exhibit greater electromyography (EMG) activity when a push-up is performed on an unstable (i.e., suspended [SP]) vs. stable (i.e., traditional [TD]) surface (). Sixty-nine healthy female volunteers (soccer players [SO], n = 24; gymnasts [GY], n = 21; sedentary [SE], n = 24) performed three TD and three SP push-ups. Muscle activation, expressed as absolute integral (mV), was measured using EMG analysis. Significant increases in muscle activation were exhibited by GY (TD: p < 0.01 and SP: p < 0.001) and SO (TD: p < 0.05 and SP: p < 0.05) compared to SE for the T muscle. Only SO (p < 0.05) exhibited significantly higher muscle activation during the SP versus TD. For the AD, values were significantly higher for SO (TD: p < 0.001 and SP: p < 0.001) and GY (TD: p < 0.01 and SP: p < 0.01) compared to the SE group. In addition, significantly higher values were exhibited by SO compared with GY during TD push-ups (p < 0.01). Both the SO (p < 0.05) and GY (p < 0.05) group exhibited significantly higher values during SP versus TD push-ups. Finally, values were significantly higher for the AD compared to the T muscle only in the SO group during TD (p < 0.01) and SP (p < 0.05) push-ups. Data from this study for trained women (i.e., SO) are consistent with previous studies, whereas for untrained women (i.e., SE) the findings differed during TD and SP push-ups for both muscles. Differences were also observed between female SO and GY are unexplainable and therefore need further investigation.

Maintaining adequate hydration status is important to safely maintaining a physically active lifestyle. Most individuals are unable to accurately predict internal (i.e., perceived) hydration status. Urine Specific Gravity (USG) is a criterion measure (i.e., actual) of hydration status, and can be used to accurately and objectively gauge the hydration status of an individual. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between perceived and actual hydration status in recreationally active college students. METHODS: A total of 58 participants (20 Male, 38 Female, Age=22.8+4.2yr, Ht=1.72+.22m, Wt=73.40+14.25kg) were assessed for various hydration-related indicators. Perceived hydration was assessed via a survey upon arrival at the laboratory. Participants provided a mid-stream urine sample in a sterile, clear container. Self-perceived hydration was assessed using the urine color (UC) eight-point scale. Actual hydration status was assessed utilizing using a pen refractometer (Atago model 3749, Bellevue, WA) and UC. A Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to analyze relationships between perceived and actual hydration values using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (v24.0). RESULTS: A weak but significant correlation was shown between perceived hydration status and USG (r= 0.284; p<0.05). Perceived hydration status and UC had a strong correlation (r= 0.776; p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between USG, urine color, and perceived hydration indicate a strong sense of internal hydration status in participants. The findings of this study are supported by past research on competitive athletes, suggesting that a high level of physical activity (and the associated high hydration demands) correlates with a strong sense of hydration status. Future research should assess the relationship between activity level and perceived compared to actual hydration status.

Body composition (BC) is a frequently assessed component of health-related fitness. Many different field methods are used to measure BC including bioelectrical impedance analysis and skinfolds. Recently, a portable computer based ultrasound (US) system has become commercially available for estimating BC. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of a portable computer based US system and skinfolds (SKF) for estimating percent body fat (%fat) in collegiate baseball players. METHODS: Participants’ %fat was estimated using US (3 site) and SKF (3 site) and then compared to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), which served as the criterion estimate. Participants were 35 male collegiate baseball players [age 20 (1) yrs., height 1.84 (0.06) m., body mass 89.2 (11.0) kg, and BMI 26.5 (2.9) kg/m2]. All participants were tested in the hydrated state [1.016 (0.012), Urine Specific Gravity]. The validity of the US and SKF %fat estimates was based on the evaluation of each method versus the criterion value from the DXA by calculating the mean, SD, coefficient of determination (r2), and standard error of estimate (SEE) from linear regression analysis. To assess the average deviation of individual scores from the line of identity, total error (TE) was calculated for each field method. Paired sample t-tests determined pair-wise differences between measurements using an alpha level of 0.05. RESULTS: The mean %fat results were as follows: US = 14.4 (3.3), SKF = 13.8 (5.9) and the DXA = 21.4 (6.3). Mean differences were observed with US (-6.9%, p=0.001) and SKF (-7.5%, p=0.001) when compared to DXA. The r2 values were 0.605 for US and 0.875 for SKF; SEE values were 4.0 %fat for US and 2.2 %fat for SKF; and total error (TE) values were 8.12 %fat for US and 7.86 %fat for SKF. CONCLUSIONS: In this study neither the US nor SKF estimates provided a valid assessment of body composition. When compared to the criterion (DXA), each of these methods underestimated %fat. Neither the US 3 nor SKF method can be recommended for estimating %fat in this population based on this preliminary analysis.

The purpose of this study was to validate a one-minute abdominal SEMO crunch test by comparing it to the Canadian Curl-up Test (CCT). The SEMO crunch test was designed to evaluate muscular endurance via a one-minute timed effort. The CCT is a valid curl up test which ensures that an equal amount of work is being performed with each repetition. The advantage of the SEMO crunch test is time efficiency when testing large groups of subjects. All participants [n=179 (82 females; 97 males)] voluntarily consented to the study. Mean age (M=21.6 yr, F=21.4 yr), height (M=180.6 cm, F=165.8 cm), weight (M=79.7 kg, F=61.1 kg), and hours of activity per week (M=8.1, F=6.8) were reported for the participants. Participants were given specific instructions for each test prior to administration. The order of testing was counterbalanced and a minimum five-minute resting period between the two tests was required. Correlation coefficient between the CCT and the SEMO crunch test demonstrated a weak but significant relationship (r=0.185, p<0.01). The correlation coefficient for females was significant (r=0.325, p<0.01), however, the correlation coefficient for males (r=0.058, p>0.05) was not. The results indicate the SEMO crunch test is valid, however, the practical significance is questionable due to the poor relationship with the CCT. In addition, there appears to be a difference between males and females which may be attributable to the nature of the criterion measure.

The underlying factors which contribute to being overweight and/or obese are not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between sleep patterns and body mass index (BMI) in American college students. The sample population (n=150, age=21.4±2.2 yr) at Southeast Missouri State University completed a validated questionnaire. For the sample, 59.3% slept seven or more hours; 29.3% slept seven hours; and 40.7% slept less than seven hours. Twenty percent had a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score of less than five, while 80% had a global PSQI score of five or higher. Overall, as PSQI increased, sleep quantity decreased (p<0.001) and BMI increased (p=0.024). Moreover, as sleep quantity increased, eating out decreased (p=0.035) and days of eating breakfast increased (p=0.006). These findings suggest that both sleep quality and quantity are important factors in the contribution to lifestyle behaviors that may increase BMI overtime.

Globally, overweight and obesity is a major public health concern, and there are more overweight or obese than underweight adults. In 2016, 39% men and 39% of women aged 18+ were overweight and 11% of men and 15% of women were obese. Thus, nearly 2 billion adults worldwide were overweight and, of these, more than half a billion were obese. Both overweight and obesity have shown a marked increase over the past four decades (WHO, 2018a). Obesity is a known risk factor for numerous health problems, including hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory problems (asthma), musculoskeletal diseases (arthritis) and some forms of cancer, and mortality also increases progressively once the overweight threshold is crossed (Sassi, 2010). Social determinants of health such as poverty, inadequate water and sanitation, and inequitable access to education and health services underlie malnutrition. A key driver of the increasing obesity epidemic is a changing food environment, in which nutrient poor and energy dense processed foods are aggressively marketed, readily available and often cheaper than healthier alternatives. The economic priorities and policies that promote consumption-based growth, and the regulatory policies that promote market and trade liberalisation are increasingly regarded as contributing to the global rise of obesity too (Swinburn et al., 2011).

Partnerships have been developed between faculty in the Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation at Southeast Missouri State University and professionals from several organizations. These include on-campus partnerships with other academic departments, Recreation Services, Counseling and Disability Services, and a wide variety of off-campus partnerships including those with hospitals, fitness centers, county health departments, local coalitions, not-for-profits, schools K–12, and local corporations. All of these partnerships have resulted in substantial experiential learning opportunities for the students in the BS in Health Management: Health Promotion Option Program. Some of the skills students have acquired include improved written and oral communication skills, public speaking, program planning, program implementation, data collection, program evaluation, exercise testing, and prescription and health screening. The experiential learning activities students completed in two of the required classes in the major are described in this article.

3631 Board #70 June 4, 9:30 AM 11:00 AM A Comparison of Total Bone Mineral Density Between College Baseball Players and Recreationally Active Students. Kylie Williamson, William Miller, Majid Mufaqam Syed-Abdul, Kurt McDowell, Chelsey Gegg, Jason Wagganer, Jeremy Barnes. Southeast Missouri State, Cape Girardeau, MO. University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO. University of Missouri, Columbia, MO.

To date, traditional resistance training (TRT) programs incorporate a minute amount of instability training (IT). Over several decades TRT has transformed and taken on new and unusual concepts, such as Total Body Resistance Exercise (TRX). However, very little research has been completed investigating the effects of the TRX. PURPOSE: Therefore, the purpose of the study was to measure electrical muscle activity via electromyography (EMG) while performing a bodyweight split-squat in a stable environment compared to an unstable environment (i.e, TRX). METHODS: Twenty non-athlete (10 male; 10 female) experienced resistance and/or aerobically trained individuals participated in the investigation. The study consisted of three sessions including two variations of bodyweight split-squats and a training session to acclimatize the participants. The TRX split-squat was performed by placing the rear foot within the foot cradle of the TRX strap, while the traditional split-squat required the participant to place the rear foot on a stable bench, both 16 inches in height. Each session was separated by one minute of rest and each split-squat required the participant to perform three correct, consecutive, repetitions. EMG analysis was performed to assess the muscle activity of the gluteus maximus (GMa) and rectus femoris (RF). Final EMG data for the GMa and RF was analyzed via paired samples t-tests using IBM SPSS v. 23, between gender and environment. RESULTS: Paired samples t-tests were performed to compare the relative amount of EMG activity of the RF and GMa, between the TRX and traditional split squat. Significantly (p<0.001) higher EMG activity was displayed for the GMa during the TRX split-squat (569.91 ± 138.47 mV), compared to the traditional split-squat (499.78 ± 119.34 mV). No other significant differences in EMG activity of the GMa or RF were observed. CONCLUSIONS: The results were significant for the EMG activity of the GMa during the TRX split squat, which most likely was due to stabilizing any medial or lateral rotation of the trail leg knee. Little research has utilized the TRX and this investigation provides insight for future studies. Future implications include, perhaps involving an external resistance or performing another movement with the TRX, such as a two-leg squat or reverse lunge, may elicit greater results.