Research and Studies

Training the muscles of the back is a complicated—and possibly time-consuming—endeavor, as these muscles vary tremendously in terms of their functions and angles of contraction. That said, most of your clients undoubtedly want to maximize their time at the gym. This latest ACE-sponsored research study uncovers how to best target the muscles of the back with as few exercises as possible.

In its never-ending quest to get people moving, ACE is always on the lookout for innovative approaches to encouraging people to live more active lifestyles. Research conducted at the University of Kansas investigated a novel approach to activating youngsters during the school day—the development of a series of 10-minute exercise videos that teachers could use as part of their lesson plans. So, what did the data reveal?

Zumba Gold®—a lower-intensity version of the super-popular Zumba®—is designed for middle-aged and older adults, but is it a safe and effective workout for this population? In this latest ACE-sponsored study, researchers examine Zumba Gold to determine if it is a good exercise option for middle-aged and older adults.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, examine the research validating the talk test as a way of identifying ventilatory markers, particularly the respiratory compensation threshold (RCT), also known as the second ventilatory threshold (VT2). While the science presented in this article is rather complex, there are some clear and practical implications for health and fitness professionals who are training athletes.

Can short-term use of sauna suits during training help athletes acclimate to the heat prior to competition? ACE enlisted researchers at Western State Colorado University to investigate whether wearing the Kutting Weight sauna suits would provide adequate heat acclimation to improve performance during an endurance event.