FINALREPORT

November2011

ComparativeSkeletalMuscleActivation&

HeartRateReserveAttainment,

TheHelixLateralTrainervs.ThePrecorEFXEllipticalRider

HumanPerformanceResearchLabTheUniversityofTampaLeadresearcher,JacobM.Wilson,Ph.D,AssistantProfessor,HealthSciencesandHumanPerformance

Contents:Specificaimsofthestudy……………………………..………..1Thelaboratory……………………………………………………...2Leadresearcherbackground……………………….…………3Machinespecificsandtestsubjects:………………………..4Methodsandmaterials:………………………………………….5Muscleactivationresults:……………………..…………..……6Graphsre:muscleactivationresults……….……………..7Heartrate/fatburningresults:………………………………15Conclusions:…………………………………………………………16

Purpose:Thepurposeofthisstudywastoexaminetheeffectsoftwocompetingcardiovasculartrainingmachines,theHelixLateralTrainerandthePrecorEFXEllipticalRider,onheartratelevelandskeletalmuscleactivationduringcomparableaerobicactivities.Theheartratelevelcomponentofthestudyexaminedthetimeittooktestingsubjectstoreachasteadyheartratereserve(HRR)of65%.Themusclesmonitoredincluded: Vastuslaterals(outerthighs) Adductors(innerthighs) Gluteusmaximus Gluteusmedius Spinalerectors Rectusabdominals Hamstrings Obliques

TheLaboratory:TheUniversityofTampa’sexercisephysiologylaboratoriesaredesignedforstudying performance,exercisemetabolismandcardiovascularandmusclephysiology. TheHumanPerformanceResearchLabcontainsthelatestcomputerizedsystemsforthemeasurementofoxygenuptake,bloodlactateandbloodgasanalyzers.Electromyographyisusedtoanalyzeskeletalmuscleactivation,andaccelerometersareusedtoquantifytherateandvelocityofhumanmovement.Thelabalsohousesthemostcurrentforceplatetechnologyandiscapableofmeasuringpoweroutputinrealtime.

Leadresearcher:

JacobM.Wilson,Ph.D

Education:2004CaliforniaStateUniversity,B.S.2006CaliforniaStateUniversity,M.S.2010FloridaStateUniveristy,Ph.D

Careerspecialties:Dr.Wilson’sspecializationisontheeffectsofaminoacids,theirmetabolitesandresistancetrainingonskeletalmuscletissuemorphology(hypertrophyandsarcopenia),adiposetissue,strength,andfunctioninyoungandagingpopulations.

Honorsandawards:2009SandalsResearchFellowship,FloridaStateUniversity2008ResearchandCreativityAwardinthecollegeofHumanSciences,FloridaStateUniversityforTheEffectsofStaticStretchingonEnergyCostandEndurancePerformanceDuringa60minutetimetrial2006‐2008CollegeofHumanSciencesDoctoralResearchFellowship2006AttainedCertifiedStrengthandConditioningSpecialistcertification,NationalStrengthandConditioningAssociation

EquipmentSpecifics:TheHelix3000LateralTrainerbyHelixFormoreinformation,www.helixco.comTheEFXEllipticalRiderbyPrecorFormoreinformation,www.precor.comTestSubjects:Fifteensubjectswithameanageof20years,andameanbodyfatof9%,participatedinthisstudy.

MethodsandMaterialsPrimaryobjectivesweretoexamineskeletalmuscleactivationoftheouterthighs(vastuslateralis),innerthighs(adductors),gluteusmaximus,gluteusmedius,spinalerectors,rectusabdominals,andobliquemusclesin eachpositiondiscussedatalevelneededtoobtain65%ofthesubjectsheartratereserve.SixtyfivepercentofHRRwaschosenaspastresearchhasdemonstratedthatthisintensitycorrespondstothegreatestamountoffatcaloriesutilizedwithinagiventrainingintensityMuscleactivationwasmeasuredwiththedelsys,wireless,trignoelectromyographysystem. Priortotheexperiment,subjectswerefamiliarizedwithbothmachines,includingwatchinginstructionalvideos.Afterfamiliarization,subjectswerethenaskedtorandomlyparticipatein5separateconditionson5separateoccasions.Conditions1and2consistedofridingtheellipticalinaneutralpositionandthenlatmaximalinclinetofullyengageglutealmuscles.Inconditions3‐5,subjectswereaskedtoridetheHelixusingthelegpumpmotion,*startingwiththemotionwiththerightlegclockwise(emphasizinganouterthighmotion),ortheleftleginacounterclockwisemotion(emphasizinganinnerthighmotion).Subjectsthenwereaskedtoadoptthesquatting*motion.*Motionsasdescribedbythemanufacturer’svideo

SkeletalMuscleActivationResultsA.PrecorEllipticalinfulluprightvs.Helixinneutral

PrecorEFXElliptical

HelixLateralTrainer

VastusLateralus

+50%

Adductors GluteusMaximus

GluteusMedeus

SpinalErectors

RectusAbdominals

Obliques +55% Hamstrings +66%

B.PrecorEllipticalinfulluprightvs.Helixinsquatposition Precor

EFXElliptical

HelixLateralTrainer

GluteusMaximus +39%GluteusMedeus +33%

Conclusion:

TheHelixoutperformedthePrecorEFXEllipticalasfollows:VastusLateralus: +50%GluteusMaximus: +39%GluteusMedius: +33%Obliques: +55%TheEFXEllipticaloutperformedtheHelixasfollows:Hamstrings: +66%****researchersconcludedthathamstringsresultswereduetorelativelackofactivityinothermusclegroupsforellipticaluserparticipants;inessence,theellipticaluser'shamstringswereforcedtoincreasetheirperformanceloadsimplybecausetheotherlowerbodymusclegroupswerenotasengaged.

*Ellipticalinfulluprightpositionvs.HelixinSquatposition

*EllipticalinfulluprightpositionversusHelixinneutralposition

TargetHeartRateReserve(HRR)results:SubjectsweretimedtoachieveanHRRof65%,anintensitywhichcorrespondstothegreatestamountoffatcaloriesutilizedwithinagiventrainingintensity.TestsubjectsusingtheHelixwereabletoachievedesignatedHRRatarateof23%fasterthantestsubjectsusingtheellipticals.

Conclusions:Usingthelatesthightech,fullywirelesselectromyography, researchscientistsattheUniversityofTampaexploredhowmuscleswereactivatedorusedinboththePrecorEFXEllipticalRiderandtheHelix3000LateralTrainer.TheycomparedtheEllipticalRiderinaneutralpositiontotheHelixinaneutralpositionandfoundthattheHelixhadsuperiorresultsin7of8musclestested.Forexample,theHelixdemonstrated50%greaterelectricalactivity(moremusclewasbeingused)intheouterthighs,55%greateractivityintheobliques,and37%moreactivityintheinnerthighsthantheelliptical.WhencomparingtheHelixinasquattingpositionwiththeEllipticalRideratafullincline,researchersnoted40%moreactivityinthegluteusmaximusandmediuswiththeHelix.Additionally,thestudysetouttomeasurethetimeresearchsubjectstooktoachieveatargetsteadyheartratereserve(HRR)of65%.Resultswereclear;theHelixusersachievedanHRRof65%,afull23%fasterthanellipticalusers,translatingtomoretimespentexpendingfatcaloriesinequivalentlytimedworkouts.