Progressive resistance exercise and its application to health and clinical problems

• Main Author: MacQueen, Ian James
• Other Authors: Davies, Francis ; Trueta, Joseph ; Haines, Wheeler
• Published: Imperial College London 2006
• Subjects: 613.718
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.440469

The term "Progressive Resistance Exercise" means exercise performed against Resistance which is increased periodically as the exerciser gains strength. The American College of Sports Medicine defines it as - "the problems by which muscle forces or torques are increased to overcome the internal or external resistances imposed upon skeletal muscles". Progressive Resistance Exercise is based on the overload principle and usually refers to weight lifting exercise. To achieve gains in muscle strength and Itypertroplty, progressive resistance is essential to compensate for gains as the training progresses. Without this, the body's adaptation to the stimulus is limited. This thesis will be presented in four consecutive parts. The first will be an introduction outlining the history of Progressive Resistance Exercise (PRE) and its use in developing physical health and strength and how in the last half century exercise programmes have been experimented and designed for use in the treatment of different clinical conditions. Mention will also be made of the contribution of the lay sports community in designing and improving Progressive Resistance Exercise protocols for physical developmait and better performance in sports. This interest and technology has penetrated deeply into mary Olympic events. The second part of the thesis is a detailed description of animal experimmts with rats done by the auftor under British Medical Association and Nuffield Research Scholarships. The experiments involve testing the effect of different Progressive Resistance Exercise programmes on skeletal muscle. Comparative graphs of the performance results have bean made and also clear photomicrographs of the results of the Progressive Resistance Exercise on the gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscles. Similar experiments were done on partially dmervated muscles and impressive adaptations found in the process of axon sprouting and reinnervation of these animal muscles. As these experiments were done a long time ago, it recommended that the literature on Progressive Resistance Exercise be reviewed and this has been done back to 1950 but particular attention paid to tiie literature during the last ten years. Thirty-two selected papersfi-omthis decade will be analysed in detail and their programmes and results discussed and criticized in the light of tiie most modem concepts on Progressive Resistance Exercise training. These modern exercise techniques will be described and suggestions made for modifications to bring the medical use of Progressive Resistance Exercise more up to date.