Comparison of Tonal and free weight back squat workouts on muscle activation, muscle oxygenation and fatigue

Presentation Type

Poster

Full Name of Faculty Mentor

Justin Guilkey, Kinesiology; Jakob Lauver, Kinesiology

Major

Exercise and Sport Science

Presentation Abstract

The Tonal Home Gym is a cable resistance machine that utilizes its proprietary Smart Flex system, which provides dynamic resistance throughout a particular movement. This variable resistance could increase muscle activation, metabolic stress and muscle damage in sets to fatigue compared to traditional free weight exercise. This study will examine muscle activation, muscle oxygenation and fatigue during a single set of barbell squat to fatigue using free weights and Tonal. The participants will be healthy adults who are recreationally active. During the first visit, participants will perform a squat set to determine their predicted one-repetition maximum weight. During the two experimental trials will be Tonal Home Gym or free weights and will be assigned in a random order. The participants will back squat at 60% of their 1RM and will perform as many repetitions until to voluntary fatigue. Participant’s muscle oxygenation will be measured by near-infrared spectroscopy and their muscle activation will be measured using electromyography on the non-dominant and dominant vastus lateralis, respectively. Muscle oxygenation and electromyography will be normalized to a physiological calibration and maximal isometric voluntary contractions, respectively. Data will be compared at similar time points during the Tonal trial and free-weight trial. Fatigue will be measured by the change in jump height and power from before and after the squat. Based on the dynamic resistance offered by the Tonal Home Gym, it is hypothesized the Tonal Home Gym will exhibit lower muscle oxygenation, greater muscle activity, and greater muscle fatigue compared to free weights.

Start Date

11-4-2023 10:00 AM

End Date

11-4-2023 12:00 PM

Disciplines

Exercise Science

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Apr 11th, 10:00 AM Apr 11th, 12:00 PM

Comparison of Tonal and free weight back squat workouts on muscle activation, muscle oxygenation and fatigue

The Tonal Home Gym is a cable resistance machine that utilizes its proprietary Smart Flex system, which provides dynamic resistance throughout a particular movement. This variable resistance could increase muscle activation, metabolic stress and muscle damage in sets to fatigue compared to traditional free weight exercise. This study will examine muscle activation, muscle oxygenation and fatigue during a single set of barbell squat to fatigue using free weights and Tonal. The participants will be healthy adults who are recreationally active. During the first visit, participants will perform a squat set to determine their predicted one-repetition maximum weight. During the two experimental trials will be Tonal Home Gym or free weights and will be assigned in a random order. The participants will back squat at 60% of their 1RM and will perform as many repetitions until to voluntary fatigue. Participant’s muscle oxygenation will be measured by near-infrared spectroscopy and their muscle activation will be measured using electromyography on the non-dominant and dominant vastus lateralis, respectively. Muscle oxygenation and electromyography will be normalized to a physiological calibration and maximal isometric voluntary contractions, respectively. Data will be compared at similar time points during the Tonal trial and free-weight trial. Fatigue will be measured by the change in jump height and power from before and after the squat. Based on the dynamic resistance offered by the Tonal Home Gym, it is hypothesized the Tonal Home Gym will exhibit lower muscle oxygenation, greater muscle activity, and greater muscle fatigue compared to free weights.