Purpose Statement:

Teenage girls typically do not participate in resistance exercises for various reasons and weight

training equipment is both expensive and expansive. Teenage girls will be introduced to strength

training through the regular use of resistance bands.

Title: Strength Using Stretch

Overview

Mention resistance training to an adolescent female and you will likely be met with a

negative response stating that they do not want to develop large bulky muscles. As a result,

females tend to not participate in strength training of any type despite the well documented

benefits.

The goal of this experiment will be to introduce adolescent females in a high school

physical education class to strength training through the use of resistance bands. The participants

will be pre-tested using the YMCA’s Bench Press Test and will complete a short survey

regarding their attitude toward fitness in general, specifically strength training. This will be

followed by a 16 week training program conducted as part of their physical education class. At

the end of the training a post-test will be conducted consisting of the YMCA Bench Press Test

and a repeat of the initial survey. This will assess any improved muscle strength and endurance

changes as well as document any changes in the participants’ attitude toward fitness and strength

training.

The participants will be encouraged to continue the training on their own for the next 18

weeks and resistance bands will be made available to use out of school. Formal instruction will

not be provided during this time. At the end of the 18 week period, the YMCA Bench Press Test

and fitness survey will be repeated for a final time. Analysis of the test and survey results will

determine if the initial training session had a significant impact on the attitude of adolescent

females toward resistance training.

Problem Statement

The United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends muscular

strength and endurance training for adolescents as part of an overall fitness program. The

benefits of exercise, specifically resistance training are well documented. Muscle tissue is more

metabolically active than adipose tissue so increasing the percentage of lean muscle tissue can

increase the body’s basal metabolic rate which in turn, may aid in maintaining a healthy body

weight. According to a study published in 2003 in the Archives of Adolescent and Pediatric

Medicine, 30% of adolescent girls reported being teased by their peers about their body weight.

This teasing was found to be consistent among racial and ethnic groups and was also associated

with negative self-esteem that included depression, suicidal thoughts, and poor body image.

The Centers for Disease Control estimates approximately 20% of adolescents are

overweight and the percentage is expected to grow as poor nutritional and exercise choices

proliferate. A study released in 2009 reports that obese teens are as likely to die before they reach

old age as those who are heavy smokers, and teens that are considered overweight (but not

obese) have the same early death risk as light smokers. The Harvard School of Public Health

reported that women who were overweight at the age of 18 had an increased risk for death in

middle age.

Another health consideration for adolescent females is that of bone density. Bone mass is

only added through early adulthood with the major determining factor of the density is the

amount of bone mass gained during childhood and adolescence. Low bone density in the

formative years may be associated with an increase in the risk of bone fractures before

adulthood. Research by the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy state that as many as 80% of

adolescent girls may be calcium deficient. Resistance training has been proven to increase bone

mass and to help maintain bone mass in the adult years. As a training method, resistance training

is considered relatively risk free and is low cost to the participant, and as a side benefit, can

provide more variety than other forms of exercise.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association updated their position statement on

Youth Resistance Training in 2009 stating that, “research increasingly indicates that resistance

training can offer unique benefits for children and adolescents when appropriately prescribed and

supervised.” Properly designed resistance training programs can not only enhance the muscular

strength and power of participants, but also improve the cardiovascular risk profile. The benefits

also include, the promotion and development of good exercise habits that with transfer to

adulthood and the improvement of psychosocial well-being. The commercial market is

increasing its presence in youth fitness with the addition of youth members to fitness clubs and

there are organizations that are catering to young athletes.

Despite the preponderance of evidence of the benefits of a strength training program,

females are still reticent to participate. A common misconception among females is that

resistance training will result in unsightly bulky muscles. This misconception persists even

among female athletes and resistance to strength training is often encountered by coaches and

trainers even at the collegiate level. Part of this resistance is due to a lack of knowledge of the

physiology of strength training for females and part is due to a lack of equipment and instruction

on the proper use of equipment.

Resistance training has grown in popularity over the past thirty years and is no longer

isolated to competitive athletes. There are a multitude of resistance training methods each

possessing their own range of cost, space requirements, safety and instruction required. Rubber-

based resistance bands/tubing, referred to in this project as resistance bands was initially used to

rehabilitate injuries, however, with the availability of interchangeable handles and inexpensive

higher resistance tubing, resistance bands have moved into the mainstream, becoming available

in commercial gyms, used by personal trainers and strength and conditioning coaches for various

sports due to their adaptability. Their effectiveness was tested in a study of recreational athletes

that used resistance bands for 6 – 12 weeks and they demonstrated strength increases of 10 –

30% which was similar to gains demonstrated by other forms of equipment.

Project Methodology

Goals

• An increase in participation in muscular strength training.

• To promote positive lifestyle behaviors and attitude toward strength training in

adolescent females.

Objectives

1. Test subjects will participate in resistance band training three times per week for 16

weeks.

2. Participants will increase their pretest posttest strength results by 10%.

3. The continued self- motivated participation in strength and conditioning.

First Project Goal:

An increase in participation in muscular strength training.

Project Objective #1:

Test subjects will participate in resistance band training three times per week for 16 weeks.

Participants will increase their pretest posttest strength results by 10%.

Project Procedure:

Each student's muscular strength will be pre-assessed using the YMCA bench press test

and fitness questionnaire (see appendix A).

The bench press test will begin with a brief 5-10 minute warm up using a 15 lb. barbell,

and after the warm up the barbell will be loaded with 35 pounds. A metronome will be set to a

cadence of 60 beats per minute (this will allow for a rate of 30 repetitions per minute), and the

student will be asked to lower the barbell to her chest and raise it back to its highest position in a

controlled motion to the beat of the metronome. The test subject will continue repetitions until

she pauses or can no longer keep time with the metronome. The full number of presses for each

female subject will be recorded.

Following the pre-training assessment, PE classes will be randomly assigned to one of the

two programs, Resistance Bands Training (RBT) or Control. For the experimental group, 80-

minute class sessions will be held three times a week with students being trained by the RBT

system. For the RBT program, each PE session includes a 10-15 minute warm-up segment with

light cardiovascular activities and dynamic stretching, followed by the RBT specific segment of

approximately 20-30 minutes conducted and supervised by trained research assistants. The

remainder of each class session is to be taught by the physical education teacher of the class,

following the usual PE curriculum. The first week of the intervention period will be devoted to

teaching the students the correct exercise and spotting techniques of 18 basic RBT exercises. In

the following four weeks 1 to 2 new RBT exercises will be introduced during each class session.

The Control group is to follow the general PE curriculum as taught by the physical education

teacher of the class. In general, physical education classes focus on skill development for various

individual physical activities (i.e. bowling, badminton, tennis, table tennis, golf, various track

and field events) and team physical activities (i.e. soccer, basketball, softball/baseball, volleyball,

floor hockey), as well as participation in leisure activities (i.e. hiking) and sport tournaments.

The independent variable in the experimental design includes a 16-week Resistance Band

Training (RBT) intervention applied in high-school-based PE classes. Individual assessments as

dependent variables will be conducted at baseline (pre-), at 9 weeks (midterm), and at 16 weeks

(post-training) of the intervention and include the YMCA bench press test. Participants in the

experimental program will be the students attending PE classes with the class being randomly

assigned to one of the two program groups: (a) a regular PE program that followed the usual

school curriculum (Control) or (b) a PE program that utilized the RBT in every class session.

The 16-week intervention will be implemented during the 22-week academic semester with 1-

week allocated for pre-testing, midterm-testing, and post-testing, respectively. All subjects in the

RBT experimental groups are to perform the same training routine, independent of pre-training

performance. All sessions will be organized in a tri-set or mini-circuit training format, where

three to four exercises are performed in succession with short (20-30 second) rest intervals

between each exercise. The volume and intensity of the training sessions is designed to apply the

principals of progressive overload and will be adjusted weekly according to the training plan.

Subjects perform a total of 12 sets per session at the beginning of the program, which is

then progressively increased up to 28 sets by the latter weeks of the program. Generally,

participants will perform six large upper- and lower-body muscle group exercises during each

session with two to four sets of eight to twelve repetitions. The application of these repetitions is

believed to provide sufficient stimuli for simultaneous improvements in muscular strength,

muscular endurance, and positive self-image. RBT exercises designed for the experimental

groups closely mimic the traditional weight resistance training exercises.

Second Project Goal:

To promote positive lifestyle behaviors and attitude toward strength training in adolescent

females.

Project Objective #3:

The continued self- motivated participation in strength and conditioning.

Project Procedure:

Our participants will be encouraged to continue the muscular strength training program

on their own for the next 18 weeks and will have access to the resistance bands to use out of

school. The PE teachers for each campus and class will be responsible for noting participation by

our research subject. Formal instruction will not be provided during this time. At the end of the

18 week period, the YMCA Bench Press Test and fitness survey will be repeated for a final time.

Analysis of the test and survey results will determine if the initial training session had a

significant impact on the attitude of adolescent females toward resistance training.

Available Resources

American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)

1900 Association Dr.

Reston, VA 20191-1598

(800)213-7193

United States

The American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance is the largest

organization of professionals supporting and assisting professionals involved in physical

education, recreation, fitness, sport and coaching, dance, health education and promotion, and all

specialties related to achieving a healthy and active lifestyle. AAHPERD is an alliance of five

national associations, six district associations, and a research consortium that is designed to

provide members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources at both national and

local levels, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills and so as to further

the health and well-being of the American public.

The Physician and Sports Medicine

admin@physsportsmed.org

(610) 889-3730

United States

The Physician and Sports Medicine is a peer-reviewed medical journal published for physicians

who treat patients with active lifestyles, focusing on maintaining a balance between health and

exercise. With contributions from experts in primary care, sports medicine, nutrition,

orthopedics, and exercise physiology, they serve physicians with research from around the

world, making dedication to health and fitness for patients of all age’s paramount. Focus is on

healthy habits of children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly and publishing research that

supports better care and treatments for these patients. A philosophy is maintained that with good

fitness comes good health, and the use of exercise can help control life obstacles such as

diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and nearly

every other illness that limits longevity and quality of life. The Physician and Sports Medicine

supports the belief that through exercise and the best practices in medicine, a longer, healthier

life can be attained.

American School Health Association (ASHA)

4340 East West Highway, Suite 403

Bethesda, MD 20814

(800)445-2742

Email: info@ashaweb.org

United States

ASHA plays an active role in the National Initiative to Improve Adolescent Health (NIIAH), a

joint initiative of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department

of Health Resources and Services Administration. Adolescence represents a unique period in a

young person's life, a time when adolescents make significant choices that can affect their future

for a lifetime

ASHA serves with several federal agencies and national organizations to:

• identify best policies, practices and partners to attain the 21 critical health objectives;

• integrate positive youth development approaches in school health programs and services;

• help states and schools implement school health programs informed by work with the

World Health Organization (WHO) to analyze and apply experience across nations to

improve adolescent health, and from Health Passages: A community-based Longitudinal

Study of Adolescent Health;

• develop model policy statements on health issues of particular importance to adolescents;

• increase the capacity of states and schools to deliver health programs and services to

adolescents; and

• Offer technical assistance, training and resources to schools on adolescent health issues.

Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA)

101 N Wacker Drive

Chicago, Il 60606

(800)872-9622

United States

The YMCA has been in operation for 160 years. This is an organization of men, women, and

children mission is to promote social responsibility and healthy living. It is nonprofit that reaches

10,000 areas in the Unites States. As it makes grass root changes in communities, it also impacts

individual greatly.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

1600 Clifton Rd

Atlanta, GA 30333

(800)232-4636

United States

The CDC is an important component of the Department of Health and Human Services. The

CDC is one of the major operating components of the Department of Health and Human

Services. They collaborate to create the expertise, information, and tools that communities need

to stay healthy. They protect people and promote health. They work with prevention of disease,

injury and disability and prepare us for health threats.

American College of Sports Medicine (ASCM)

401 West Michigan Street

Indianapolis, IN 46202-3233

(317)637-9200

United States

The American College of Sports Medicine has been the leading organization in sports medicine

and exercise science since 1954. In 1984 the ASCM Foundation was developed to support the

work of college. The foundation brings in corporate dollars as a major commitment to colleges.

It also maintains several endowments.

The National Institute of Health (NIH)

9000 Rockville Pike

Bethesda MD 20892

United States

The National Institute of Health promotes the highest level of scientific integrity and social

responsibility in the conduct of science. NIH has fostered many fundamental creative

discoveries, innovative research, and applications used as a basis for ultimately protecting and

improving health. They develop, maintain, and renew scientific human and physical resources

that will ensure the Nation's capability to prevent disease. They pursue the interest in knowledge

in medical and associated sciences in order to enhance the Nation's economic well-being and

ensure a continued high return on the public investment in research.

The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)

1885 Bob Johnson Drive,

Colorado Springs CO 80906

(800)815-6826

United States

The National Strength and Conditioning Association is an international nonprofit educational

association founded in 1978. Drawing upon its vast network of members, the NSCA develops

and presents the most advanced information regarding strength training and conditioning

practices, injury prevention, and research findings. Unlike any other organization, the NSCA

brings together a diverse group of professionals from the sport science, athletic, allied health, and

fitness industries. These individuals are all in pursuit of achieving a common goal—the

utilization of proper strength training and conditioning to improve athletic performance and

fitness. They take pride with finding practical applications for new research findings in the

strength and conditioning field, the association fosters the development of strength training and

conditioning.

Summary and Evaluation

Resistance band training is an inexpensive and innovative avenue to educate young

females to the benefits of strengthening their muscles, and strengthening muscles has long been

shown to not only physically change a person but to also nurture a strong mind. This study has

potential to have a positive impact on both the physical and psychosocial attributes for the test

subjects. The multiple physical benefits include an increase in muscular strength, a decrease in

body fat leading to a leaner body mass, an increase in bone density, and an overall better

cardiovascular fitness. Perhaps, more importantly, this study will show a better psychosocial

attitude for each participant about herself and her long term health. This program will boost self-

esteem, improve body image, give knowledge to sustain future fitness, and provide

empowerment skills to better handle adversity.

A specific strategy will be used in order to evaluate the results over a short one year term.

In order to meet the goal of participation in muscular strength training, each subject from the

Experimental group will endure sixteen weeks of RBT training (three times per week). At the

end of this sixteen week period all females from both the Experimental and Control groups will

be given the YMCA bench press test, under the same conditions as described in the pre-test. Data

gathered from this sixteen week post-test will be compared to the bench press pre-test to look for

change in muscle strength. It is at this point that the second objective, identifying a qualitative

change in attitude about strength training, will be assessed. Each participant from both groups

will also retake the original fitness survey and any changes in their responses (from the initial

questionnaire) will be noted. By the end of the school year (thirty-six weeks later) the bench

press test and the questionnaire will be repeated again after the students have been independently

using the resistance bands. Any increase in strength and more positive responses on the survey

will indicate a possible trend where the students are becoming self-motivated to maintain a

positive lifestyle and, consequently, healthier body.

This study has the promise of evolving into a long term research project targeting females

across a school district and could easily be extended to the state level. After the first year, the

program can be incorporated into every physical education class at the same school with the

same pre-test and biannual evaluations and fitness survey comparisons. Data would still be

analyzed to check for significant numbers of females that increase muscle strength by 10% and

maintain a desire to continue with the RBT on their own. The simplicity of the design and its low

cost of implementation allows for the quick training of personnel and extension of this muscle

strengthening program to two other schools at the district level by the end of year three.

Extensions of this project could be made at the state level by comparing the data of female

participants from 3 or more schools from several districts within that state.

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