Exercise Research Reviews
Research within the physical activity, health and exercise science fields
Fitness Australia and the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL) at Victoria University are working together to provide monthly research updates about the current research within the physical activity, health and exercise science fields.
Where do these articles come from?
We will only describe studies that have gone through an academic peer review process and are published within scientific journals. This means that academic experts have reviewed and judged the research to be scientifically sound.
A good way to determine the quality of research is to look at a journal’s impact factor (IF). An IF is a measure reflecting the average number of times papers from this journal have been cited in other research papers. The higher the IF, the better quality the journal. Journals in the area of physical activity, health and exercise science fields generally range from, IF =1-8. Click here or here for other descriptions of IFs.
What will be covered?
Each month we’ll provide reviews of studies from a wide range of modes and training methods, such as:
- moderate-intensity aerobic
- high/vigorous-intensity anaerobic
- resistance/strength
- balance/coordination and
- flexibility
Glossary of Terms
When possible we will use plain language. However, sometimes technical terms may arise. Therefore, a glossary of terms has been provided which can be used to understand the specific language used in physical activity and exercise research.
How will it be useful to me?
The aim is to provide a summary of research findings that may be useful in delivering evidence-based training. We’ll complete each review with a practical example of how the findings may related to your clients and/or training.
Don’t believe the hype…
When reading these reviews it’s important to keep an open mind. Just because something has been reviewed by academia, it doesn’t automatically mean that you should incorporate this into your training program. It’s up to you to apply professional judgement and decide whether or not such research is applicable to your training methods or clients programs.
It's hip to walk
Title: Physical activity and inactivity and risk of hip fractures in menAuthors: Feskanich, D, Flint, A and Willett, WJournal: American Journal of ...
Even the strongest get injured
Title: Retrospective injury epidemiology of strongmen athletes Authors: Winwood PW, Hume PA, Cronin JB, Keogh JW.Journal: Journal of str...
Exercise to improve your blood fat profile - what works best?
01-Feb-2014A poor blood lipid (fat) profile is referred as dyslipidaemia, and is strongly related to cardiovascular disease and other health complications (stroke, peripheral artery disease etc.).
Being active during pregnancy is good for delivery-related outcomes
Research has shown that being physical active while pregnant is associated with beneficial health outcomes for expectant mothers
The other PT in your life is good for increasing your physical activity as well…
31-Mar-2014Recently, government and public/environmental health agencies have commenced examining the role of increasing use of public transport (aka the other PT) for beneficial health outcomes.
Creatine for post-weight training recovery – save your money?
Creatine is an amino acid that helps to supply energy to all cells in the body, primarily the muscles, and can be found in foods such as red meat and fish. Creatine is also available in a supplement form, and can be taken by ingesting a powder or tablet.
If you sit all day at work…standing up often may reduce your type 2 diabetes risk
There is a rapidly increasing amount of evidence suggesting that prolonged periods of sitting may be harmful to your health. In a recent controlled experiment, a single bout of 8 hours of uninterrupted sitting time was shown to inhibit the metabolising of fat and sugar from the bloodstream, and thus increasing risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (1,2)
Cycle hard and short!
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves frequent short bursts (30sec-2mins) of vigorous-intensity anaerobic exercise and has recently become a popular training method. However, few studies have examined the effects of HIIT training on fitness outcomes in healthy adults who do not regularly participate in physical activity.
Be fit and beat the blues
Studies have shown that regular physical activity is beneficial for mental health (e.g. reduced levels of depression & anxiety). However, less is known about how a person’s mental health is related to their cardiovascular fitness level. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between mental health status and fitness levels among community-dwelling generally healthy adults.
That’s stretching it!
Poor flexibility may limit activities of daily living such as bending over to do up your shoes or stretching to reach a jar from the top shelf. This study compared several stretching techniques and their effect on the flexibility of the hamstrings.