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Fraile-Martinez O, García-Montero C, Fraile-Martinez M, Pekarek L, Barrena-Blázquez S, López-González L, Álvarez-Mon MÁ, Pekarek T, Casanova C, Álvarez-Mon M, Diaz R, Saez MA, Ortega MA. A comprehensive study of the academic benefits and practical recommendations to include resistance training programs in institutional education. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1387162. [PMID: 38817830 PMCID: PMC11139023 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1387162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The connection between physical activity and cognitive function has become a focus of attention in educational research in recent years. Regular exercise has been shown to have significant positive effects on physical health, but it also appears to have a significant impact on cognitive function and academic performance. Of all the exercise modalities, resistance training has drawn interest for its ability to improve cerebral abilities in addition to physical well-being. However, there is limited available knowledge exploring the relationship between resistance training regimens and academic performance. This narrative review aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms linking resistance training to academic performance. Firstly, we will examine the biological mechanisms and psychosocial links that potentially connect resistance training to academic performance to find and describe the different mechanisms by which resistance training improves academic performance. In the next part of the work, we delve into the existing observational and intervention studies that have explored the relationship between resistance training and academic performance. Lastly, we provide practical recommendations for including resistance training in institutional education settings, emphasizing the need of dispelling myths and addressing barriers to increase participation as well as the relevance of considering key training variables and adaptation of protocols to developmental stages, always guided by a properly trained professional. Overall, the available evidence supports that resistance training provides potential benefits to the academic performance of youth students with many biological and psychosocial factors that explain this relationship. However, most of the studies are observational, and broader interventional studies are needed to understand and maximize the benefits of this type of physical exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Fraile-Martinez
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cielo García-Montero
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marcos Fraile-Martinez
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Leonel Pekarek
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Silvestra Barrena-Blázquez
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Surgery Service, University Hospital Principe de Asturias, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Laura López-González
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Álvarez-Mon
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Tatiana Pekarek
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Casanova
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Melchor Álvarez-Mon
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
- Immune System Diseases-Rheumatology Service, University Hospital Principe de Asturias, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Raul Diaz
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
- Surgery Service, University Hospital Principe de Asturias, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Saez
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
- Pathological Anatomy Service, Central University Hospital of Defence-UAH, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Ortega
- Department of Medicine and Medical Specialties (CIBEREHD), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Alcala de Henares, Spain
- Ramón y Cajal Institute of Sanitary Research (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
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Wei W, Zhu J, Ren S, Jan YK, Zhang W, Su R, He L. Effects of progressive body-weight versus barbell back squat training on strength, hypertrophy and body fat among sedentary young women. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13505. [PMID: 37598268 PMCID: PMC10439966 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40319-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare the effects of progressive bodyweight training and barbell back squat on muscle strength, muscluar hypertrophy, and body fat percentage in sedentary young women. Thirteen sedentary young women (aged 19.77 ± 0.83 years, height 164.91 ± 6.01) were randomly assigned to either the progressive bodyweight group (n = 6, consisting of 10 levels of movements progressing from bilateral to unilateral) or the barbell squat group (n = 7, 60-80% 1RM). Both groups underwent two training sessions per week for 6 weeks. Measurements of muscle strength (isokinetic knee extensor and flexor muscle peak torque of each leg), muscle thickness (gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, and gastrocnemius muscles), and body fat percentage were taken at baseline and post-testing. Both groups showed a significant increase in isometric peak torque of the knee extensor and flexor (p < 0.05), but there were no significant between-group differences in isometric peak torque of the knee extensor and flexor (p > 0.05) or in the mean concentric peak torque of the knee H/Q ratio (p > 0.05). Both groups also showed significant increases in muscle thickness (p < 0.05), with no significant differences in Gastrocnemius, Rectus femoris and Gluteus maximus (p > 0.05). The percentage of body fat significantly decreased in the barbell group (pre: 28.66 ± 4.58% vs post: 24.96 ± 5.91%, p = 0.044), but not in the bodyweight group (pre: 24.18 ± 4.63% vs post: 24.02 ± 4.48%, p = 0.679). Our findings indicate that while both training methods increased maximum strength and muscle mass, barbell back squat training may be more effective in reducing body fat percentage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Sports and Health Improvement Research Center of College of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai Street 19, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - JingX Zhu
- The Sports Medicine Laboratory of Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Ren
- The Sports Medicine Laboratory of Peking University Third Hospital, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Yih-Kuen Jan
- Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, USA
| | - WuL Zhang
- Sports and Health Improvement Research Center of College of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai Street 19, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Ronghai Su
- Sports and Health Improvement Research Center of College of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai Street 19, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Li He
- Sports and Health Improvement Research Center of College of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Xinjiekouwai Street 19, Haidian District, Beijing, 100875, China.
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