Impact of Two Types of Fitness Programs on Soldier Physical Fitness

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(4): 1326-1346, 2022. This study compared an expert supervised, fully resourced physical training (PT) program compared to a traditional physical training PT plan on Army Officer Candidate School (OSC) soldier fitness outcomes. This retrospective cohort study compared 228 OCS soldiers (179 male [26.74±3.78 years] and 49 female [26.55±4.18 years]) in two companies for 12 weeks. One company participated in a fully resourced PT program designed by fitness experts to improve overall fitness and mobility (TAP-C). One company participated in traditional physical training designed to excel on the Army combat fitness test (ACFT, includes deadlift, power throw, push up, sprint-drag-carry, core strength, run) developed and led by OCS soldiers with standard resources. We assessed performance on the ACFT events, and grip strength, standing broad jump, overhead squat, and 90/90 switch assessment. Analysis of covariance was used to compare main effects of company on ACFT measures, controlling for covariates of pretest score differences and sex. Results included a significant effect of group on ACFT performance (N=228), F(1, 223) = 12.8, p\u3c0.001 and on performance of five of the six ACFT events: MDL, F(1, 223) = 5.44, p = 0.021; HRP, F(1, 223) = 11.67, p \u3c 0.001; SDC, F(1, 223) = 20.06, p \u3c 0.001; LTK, F(1, 223) = 16.95, p \u3c 0.001; and 2MR, F(1, 223) = 23.76, p \u3c 0.001. The traditional company performed significantly better on ACFT muscular, anerobic and aerobic endurance focused events; the TAP-C company performed significantly better on muscular strength/explosive power events and mobility assessments

Vertical and Side-Alternating Whole Body Vibration Platform Parameters Influence Lower Extremity Blood Flow and Muscle Oxygenation

This study directly compared blood flow and oxygenation during six treatment parameters used with vertical and side alternating whole body vibration (WBV). Twenty-seven healthy adults were randomized into the vertical or side-alternating (vibration type) WBV group. Participants completed three WBV sessions a week apart, 5 sets of 1 min on/off, at 3 conditions (Vertical: 30 Hz and 4 mm, 40 Hz and 2 mm, 45 Hz and 4 mm; Side-alternating: 10 Hz and 4 mm, 18 Hz and 3 mm and 26 Hz and 2 mm). Blood flow velocity and popliteal artery diameter, muscle oxygenation, skin temperature, heart rate and blood pressure were assessed. Muscle oxygenation was significantly increased for all vibration frequencies and types following two minutes of WBV (14.78%, p = 0.02) and continued until immediately after the cessation of WBV (24.7%, p p p < 0.001) regardless of frequency and vibration type. Side-alternating and vertical WBV increased muscle oxygenation and heart rate in healthy participants completing an isometric squat. Muscle oxygenation was not increased until the second vibration set indicating the amount of time spent on the platform may have a significant effect on increases in blood flow