Fitness and Functional Movement Benefits Associated with Suspension Training Course Curriculum
Presentation
Overview
Overview
Description
PURPOSE: To examine the impact of suspension training on health-related fitness and functional movement-screening scores. To implement a active-learning course delivering suspension training instructor principals and providing TRX suspension training qualification upon completion for higher education exercise science students. METHODS: Fifteen individuals (11 females; 4 males; Age = 24.9 ± 7.9 yrs; Height = 172.2 ± 10.7 cm; Body Mass = 69.17 ± 17.0 kg) in a suspension training education course completed 26 hybrid learning-workout sessions over a 14-week period. Throughout each 40-minute exercise session, six body positions were utilized across push, pull, rotational, squat, and lunge movements. Pre- and post-fitness assessments included body composition, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and functional movement screening. Dependent t-tests were used to determine if there were mean changes in health-related fitness and functional movement. Due to multiple comparisons, Bonferroni correction was used, therefore, alpha level was set at .007. Cohen’s Delta effect size was calculated for functional movement. RESULTS: There were no significant changes in mean fat mass, lean mass, and percent body fat. There were, however, significant positive changes in mean number of push-ups (27.7 ± 11.9 to 36.6 ± 11.7), hand grip strength (92.2 ± 39.1 kg to 99.7 ± 39.0 kg), sit-and-reach distance (43.3 ± 7.7 cm to 47.8 ± 5.5 cm), and functional movement screening scores (15.7 ± 1.5 to 17.7 ± 1.9). A large effect size was present for functional movement (Cohens’ Delta = 1.17). CONCLUSION: Significant gains in muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and functional movement screening scores were displayed amongst individuals participating in 26, 40-minute suspension training sessions.
