The purpose of this investigation was to compare two different methods of assessing body composition (i.e., a multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (MF-BIA) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)) over a four-week treatment period in exercise-trained men and women. Subjects were instructed to reduce their energy intake while maintaining the same exercise regimen for a period of four weeks. Pre and post assessments for body composition (i.e., fat-free mass, fat mass, percent body fat) were determined via the MF-BIA and DXA. On average, subjects reduced their energy intake by ~18 percent. The MF-BIA underestimated fat mass and percentage body fat and overestimated fat-free mass in comparison to the DXA. However, when assessing the change in fat mass, fat-free mass or percent body fat, there were no statistically significant differences between the MF-BIA vs. DXA. Overall, the change in percent body fat using the DXA vs. the MF-BIA was −1.3 ± 0.9 and −1.4 ± 1.8, respectively. Our data suggest that when tracking body composition over a period of four weeks, the MF-BIA may be a viable alternative to the DXA in exercise-trained men and women.
Introduction: Oral administration of arginine has been associated with physical performance improvement due to probable decrease of muscular fatigue derived from the vasodilatation factor of the nitric oxide over the skeletal muscles. Objective: to evaluate the effects of oral administration of L-Arginine during an exercise program with weights. Methods: 20 male individuals, randomly divided in two groups: A and B, were submitted to eight weeks of training with weights (three times per week). Group A used 3 grams of L-Arginine + vitamin C during the eight weeks and group B used only vitamin C (control group). Results: After eight weeks of training, group A presented body weight values and lean mass significantly higher (p < 0.05), body fat percentage significantly lower (p < 0.05), and strength of lower limbs significantly higher (p < 0.05), while group B did not present significant differences for the same period. Conclusion: Oral administration of arginine associated with a training program with weights increased the stimuli of the exercise to the skeletal muscles level, enabling hence, increase of muscular strength and mass.
Introduction: A great number of studies have been conducted lately concerning the use of mechanical vibration as part of the training for improvement of physical conditioning. However, the majority of these studies have evaluated the effects of the exercises joined with the vibrating training in order to determine if there was post-training improvement, and did not evaluate the effects of both vibrating and non-vibrating platform exercises. Objective: To evaluate the acute effect of exercise on the knee extensors, with and without the stimulus of the vibrating platform. Methods: Thirty male active individuals, with age range between 18 and 45 years, randomly conducted three protocols: with the platform on (POG), the platform off (POFFG) and control group (CG). Each protocol began with a five minute warm-up on the ergonomic bicycle, with loads ranging from 75 to 100 watts and 70 rotations per minute, followed by six sets of 10 unilateral squats with one minute of pause between them, with or without mechanical vibrating, and finished with the Work Test, performed only on the dominant leg for determination of the physical valences: work, strength, power and speed. results: Only the variable speed has presented statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) when the platform on was compared to the control. Conclusion: The training on the vibration platform had no influence on the work or muscle power variables, but it exerted negative influence on the movement velocity causing fatigue in the quadriceps muscles.
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