Bike Athlete Performance

Faculty reflection on VCU Great Bike Race Book course. Course Description: This track will focus on nutritional and training practices of cyclists competing in the UCI Worlds. YouTube Videos referenced in reflection: VCU Exercise Science: Christian Vande Velde Interview VCU Exercise Science - Sports Nutritionist Dr Janet Rankin Interview Fuel for a 5 Hour Ride Assignment 3: My Musette Assignment 4: Bike Athlete Performance VCU Exercise Science: Professional Cyclist Evie Stevens Intervie

Exercise and the microbiota

The authors are supported in part by research grants from Science Foundation Ireland including a centre grant (Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre; Grant Numbers SFI/12/RC/2273 and 12/RC/2273). Dr. Orla O’Sullivan is funded by a Starting Investigator Research Grant from Science Foundation Ireland (Grant number 13/SIRG/2160). Dr. Paul Cotter is funded by a Principal Investigator Award from Science Foundation Ireland P.D.C are supported by a SFI PI award (Grant number 11/PI/1137).peer-reviewedSedentary lifestyle is linked with poor health, most commonly obesity and associated disorders, the corollary being that exercise offers a preventive strategy. However, the scope of exercise biology extends well beyond energy expenditure and has emerged as a great ‘polypill’, which is safe, reliable and cost-effective not only in disease prevention but also treatment. Biological mechanisms by which exercise influences homeostasis are becoming clearer and involve multi-organ systemic adaptations. Most of the elements of a modern lifestyle influence the indigenous microbiota but few studies have explored the effect of increased physical activity. While dietary responses to exercise obscure the influence of exercise alone on gut microbiota, professional athletes operating at the extremes of performance provide informative data. We assessed the relationship between extreme levels of exercise, associated dietary habits and gut microbiota composition, and discuss potential mechanisms by which exercise may exert a direct or indirect influence on gut microbiota.The authors are supported in part by research grants from Science Foundation Ireland including a centre grant (Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre; Grant Numbers SFI/12/RC/2273 and 12/RC/2273). Dr. Orla O’Sullivan is funded by a Starting Investigator Research Grant from Science Foundation Ireland (Grant number 13/SIRG/2160). Dr. Paul Cotter is funded by a Principal Investigator Award from Science Foundation Ireland P.D.C are supported by a SFI PI award (Grant number 11/PI/1137)

Motivation Contagion When Instructing Obese Individuals: A Test in Exercise Settings

We examined motivation contagion in a hypothetical exercise setting. Exercise science students (n = 164) were provided with quotes of hypothetical male and female obese exercisers displaying different quality of motivation to start an exercise program. We used a 3 (exerciser motivation) × 2 (exerciser gender) × 2 (student gender) between-subjects experimental design to examine students’ (a) motivation to instruct, (b) interpersonal style, (c) perception of barrier efficacy of the exerciser, and (d) effort to identify factors that could maximize the effectiveness of an exercise program for the exerciser. Results showed that students displayed less controlled motivation and rated the exerciser as more capable of overcoming barriers to exercise when they perceived the exerciser to be autonomously motivated. However, students, particularly females, reported more autonomy support and invested more effort toward female exercisers with controlled motivation. Our findings indicate that motivation contagion effects are plausible in exercise settings and may affect interactions between fitness instructors and obese clients

The acute effect of maximal exercise on central and peripheral arterial stiffness indices and hemodynamics in children and adults

Xavier Melo is supported by a research grant from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), Ministry of Education and Science of Portugal (grant: SFRH/ BD/ 70515/ 2010). Nuno M. Pimenta is cofinanced by national funds through the Programa Operacional do Alentejo 2007-2013 (ALENT-07-0262- FEDER-001883)This study compared the effects of a bout of maximal running exercise on arterial stiffness in children and adults. Right carotid blood pressure and artery stiffness indices measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV), compliance and distensibility coefficients, stiffness index α and β (echo-tracking), contralateral carotid blood pressure, and upper and lower limb and central/aortic PWV (applanation tonometry) were taken at rest and 10 min after a bout of maximal treadmill running in 34 children (7.38 ± 0.38 years) and 45 young adults (25.22 ± 0.91 years) having similar aerobic potential. Two-by-two repeated measures analysis of variance and analysis of covariance were used to detect differences with exercise between groups. Carotid pulse pressure (PP; η(2) = 0.394) increased more in adults after exercise (p < 0.05). Compliance (η(2) = 0.385) decreased in particular in adults and in those with high changes in distending pressure, similarly to stiffness index α and β. Carotid PWV increased more in adults and was related to local changes in PP but not mean arterial pressure (MAP). Stiffness in the lower limbs decreased (η(2) = 0.115) but apparently only in those with small MAP changes (η(2) = 0.111). No significant exercise or group interaction effects were found when variables were adjusted to height. An acute bout of maximal exercise can alter arterial stiffness and hemodynamics in the carotid artery and within the active muscle beds. Arterial stiffness and hemodynamic response to metabolic demands during exercise in children simply reflect their smaller body size and may not indicate a particular physiological difference compared with adults.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Exercise Science

Exam paper for first semester: Exercise Scienc

A coral reef as an analogical model to promote collaborative learning on cultural and ethnic diversity in science

An exercise designed to engage students in critical thinking and active conversation about gender, diversity, and ethnicity in science is described. First semester college science students frequently do not realize that individual scholarship is an integral component of global scholarship and that scientific progress stems from the scholarly contributions of numerous individuals. The described exercise initially uses a collage of a coral reef—chosen both for its visual impact and because it is an excellent model of diversity—highlighting various aspects of life on a reef. This is followed by a trawl of library resources to enable the development of a chronology of significant contributions and practices in the field of medicine and the identification of historical and contemporary scholars and practitioners by race, cultural heritage, and gender