Although numerous studies have examined the relationship among affect, personality, and physical activity, results are equivocal. Critics have cited inadequate experimental designs and analyses as the bases for ambiguity. This study addressed two identified weaknesses, length of exercise regimen and improper selection of subjects. Subjects were 72 college-age students who participated in one of three 75-min. activity classes (running, karate, weight lifting) and a lecture class (control subjects). The Profile of Mood States Test was administered prior to and immediately after exercise bouts. Analyses of variance and multiple t tests indicated that participating in a single bout of exercise significantly reduced reported total mood disturbance, tension, depression, anger, and confusion.

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28 college age students participating in a weight lifting class exhibited significant decreases in negative affect and increases in positive affect. Changes in affect were correlated with average exercise heart rates. Higher heart rates were correlated with reductions in negative affect and increases in positive affect. Correlations of .37 and .40 suggest that, in accordance with earlier studies, exercise intensity may be indirectly related to exercise.

A number of researchers have suggested that the syndrome of exercise dependence (addiction) is paralleled by a tendency towards eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. As considerable research has reported a high incidence of eating disorders among dancers and as rigorous physical demands are inherent in dance, we hypothesized that dancers would present a higher profile of exercise dependence on the Negative Addiction Scale than other athletes. To test this hypothesis, 47 female ballet and modern dancers completed a survey on exercise dependence adapted from Hailey and Bailey (1982) to assess quantitatively exercise dependence. Scores were compared with those obtained from 39 female endurance (running) athletes and 16 female nonendurance (field hockey) athletes. Significantly higher scores on dependence for dancers than for endurance or nonendurance athletes were noted. The data indicate that dancers may be at greater risk for psychophysiological problems associated with exercise dependence than other athletes and so should be monitored for symptoms.

Although numerous studies have examined the relationship among affect, personality, and physical activity, results are equivocal. Critics have cited inadequate experimental designs and analyses as the bases for ambiguity. This study addressed two identified weaknesses, length of exercise regimen and improper selection of subjects. Subjects were 72 college-age students who participated in one of three 75-min. activity classes (running, karate, weight lifting) and a lecture class (control subjects). The Profile of Mood States Test was administered prior to and immediately after exercise bouts. Analyses of variance and multiple t tests indicated that participating in a single bout of exercise significantly reduced reported total mood disturbance, tension, depression, anger, and confusion.

Research examining the relationship between beta-endorphin immunoreactivity and affect has resulted in equivocal findings. To examine this relationship further, 10 male and 10 female college-age students participated in a controlled free-weight exercise session. Blood plasma samples were procured both prior to and following the exercise bout and beta-endorphin levels were determined by immunoassay. Analysis indicated that plasma beta-endorphin levels following exercise were significantly decreased from pre-exercise levels. Pearson correlations showed no significant relationship between pre- or postexercise plasma beta-endorphins and either total mood disturbance or Profile of Mood States subscores. The data support previous failure of resistance exercise to produce an increase in beta-endorphin immunoreactivity as well as the lack of a significant relationship between affect and the beta-endorphin response to exercise.

Attaching chains to barbells to increase strength and power has become popular for athletes; however, little scientific evidence supports this practice. The present purpose was to compare chain training to traditional training for the bench press. Women collegiate athletes in volleyball and basketball (N = 19) participated in a 16-session bench press program. They were matched into either a Traditional or a Chain training group by 1-repetition maximum (1RM). The Traditional group performed the bench press with conventional equipment, while the Chain group trained with attached chains (5% of weight). Analysis showed a significant increase in 1RM for both groups over 16 sessions, Traditional +11.8% and Chain +17.4%. The difference between the groups was not statistically significant, but suggests the women who trained with attached chains improved their bench press more than the Traditional group.

Previous research investigating the response of plasma P-endorphins to resistance exercise has resulted in equivocal findings. To examine further the effects of resistance exercise on 3-EP immunoreactivity, 10 male and 10 female college-age students participated in a series of controlled isotonic resistance exercises. The session consisted of three sets of eight repetitions at 80% of one repetition maximum (1-RM) for each of the following exercises: (1) bench press; (2) lateral pull-downs; (3) seated arm curls; and (4) military press. Blood plasma was sampled both before and after the lifting routine and P-endorphin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. A Students t test for paired samples indicated that mean(s.e.) plasma P-endorphin levels after exercise (10.5(1.3) pg R-EP ml-') were significantly decreased as compared with pre-exercise (control) levels (16.5(1.2), P < 0.05). While the mechanism(s) contributing to the decrease in immunoreactivity is unclear, it may be the result of the synergistic effect of R-EP clearance during rest intervals and changes in psychological states between sampling.Keywords: Resistance exercise, P-endorphins Endurance exercise has been consistently shown to increase serum levels of 13-endorphinl-4. Limited research examining the effects of resistance exercise, however, has resulted in equivocal findings. Elliot Generalizations from the studies noted above are further complicated by differences in methodology such as lifting protocol and the duration of recovery intervals. The purpose of the present study was to examine further the effects of a controlled protocol of resistance (weightlifting) on plasma 13-endorphin immunoreactivity. MethodTen men recreational weightlifters (mean(s.e.) age 20.7(0.56) years; mean(s.e.) weight 79.9(2.2) kg; mean(s.e.) height 182.3(2.5) cm) and ten women basketball players (mean(s.e.) age 19.4(0.41) years; mean(s.e.) weight 68.6(1.7) kg; mean(s.e.) height 176.2(2.0) cm) volunteered to participate in the study. Each subject signed an informed consent document approved by the Human Investigation Committee of the University of Richmond. The participants were briefed on sampling and testing procedures after which blood was sampled from the group by venipuncture, placed on ice, then plasma was separated by centrifugation at 1500g for 10 min in a refrigerated centrifuge. The plasma was then stored in 1-ml aliquots at -70'C. Immediately after the first venipuncture, each subject began participation in a series of isotonic exercises using Nautilus (Lake Helen, Florida) resistance machines. This equipment was used (as opposed to 'free' weights) in order to standardize muscle movements and to control the duration of recovery intervals between exercises. The exercise session consisted of three sets of eight repetitions at 80% of one repetition maximum (1-RM) (or until muscular failure occurred) for each of the following exercises: (1) bench press; (2) lateral pull-downs; (3) seated arm curls; and (4) military press. One repetition maximum (1-RM) for eac...