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Fitness researcher spreads word to industry
Are personal trainers as savvy with their nutrition knowledge as dietitians?
Is bike-riding at a constant speed more effective than stop-start riding in people aged 65 and over?
And, is there any scientific reason for the traditional ban on behind-the-head shoulder presses in a fitness session?
These questions will be answered by University of the Sunshine Coast Post Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Mark McKean at a national conference in Sydney from 15-17 April that will attract more than 2,500 fitness professionals.
Dr McKean will outline various research projects conducted by students and academics at USC’s Fitness Research, which was established in 2009.
The physiologist and coach to elite athletes said he was looking forward to attending next month’s FILEX fitness convention at the Sydney Convention Centre.
The event is held annually by the Australian Fitness Network, which has just funded a three-year, $90,000 scholarship for a USC PhD student to research group fitness exercise.
USC is sponsoring Dr McKean’s presentations at the convention, believed to be the biggest fitness-based conference in the southern hemisphere.
“The Australian industry has nearly 25,000 registered fitness professionals and this is an opportunity to disseminate the most current, quality information and help influence the health and wellbeing of Aussies,” Dr McKean said.
“It will also showcase the postgraduate options available at this University. No other uni has a specific program of research based on what’s happening in the fitness industry.”
He said one of the research projects to be presented was conducted by a USC Honours student.
“Tim Stockwell compared the exertion levels of elderly people in two 20-minute bike rides, the first at a constant heart rate and the second at a range of speeds,” he said.
“He found the interval training was slightly more effective in burning excess calories, though the rate of exertion was almost the same.”
Dr McKean’s research found that shoulder presses both in front of, and behind, the head had different benefits and risks for different parts of the body.
“That means personal trainers should do detailed screenings of clients before making a decision on what type of shoulder press to use,” he said.
Another study benchmarked the nutrition knowledge of personal trainers with that of dietitians.
– Julie Gatehouse