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| Research article summary (published 13 Mar 2002): |
Resistance training and the enhancement of the gains in material-handling ability and physical fitness of British Army recruits during basic training.
Full Abstract
The aim was to evaluate the efficacy of a modified British Army basic training that included resistance training in improving material-handling performance and physical fitness, and to compare the modified training directly with the normal basic training. Forty-three males [19.2 (2.6) years of age, 1764 (72) mm in height, 73.0 (10.6) kg in mass] and nine females [19.1 (2.2) years, 1641 (67) mm, 62.0 (7.2) kg] performed the modified basic training. Testing occurred in the week before and in the final week of the 11-week basic training. Improvements with the modified training were observed for all six material-handling tests, including 8-12% for maximal box lifting, 15-19% for repetitive lifting and carrying and 9-17% for loaded marching (all p < 0.01), and other established measures of aerobic fitness, strength and kinanthropometric characteristics. Significantly greater improvements were observed for the modified training compared with the normal training in maximal box lift to 1.45 m (12.4 versus 1.7%, p < 0.01), 3.2 km loaded march performance with 15 kg (8.9 versus 3.6%, p < 0.05), estimated fat-free mass (4.2 versus 1.5%, p < 0.001), predicted VO(2max) (1 min(-1)) (9.3 versus 4.1%, p < 0.01) and dynamic lift to 1.45 m (15.5 versus 0.2%, p < 0.001). It was concluded that the improvements in material-handling ability and other aspects of physical fitness brought about in recruits by British Army basic training can be enhanced by the use of a physical training programme that includes a carefully designed resistance training element. Of particular note are the improvements shown in performance on material-handling tasks that require muscular strength, as these represent many of the tasks that soldiers encounter in their military careers.
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Author information
Author/s: Williams, A G (AG); Rayson, M P (MP); Jones, D A (DA);
Affiliation: Human Physiology Research Group, School of Health, Staffordshire University, Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 2DF, UK. a.williams@staffs.ac.uk
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal: Ergonomics (Ergonomics), published in England. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2002-Mar; vol 45 (issue 4) : pp 267-79
Dates: Created 2002/05/24; Completed 2002/07/01; Revised 2006/11/15;
PMID: 12028724, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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