Effects of 16-Week Circuit Training in Healthy Women
Condition: Healthy Women
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of 16-week CT on spine structure, trunk
      muscle endurance, and balance in healthy women.
    

Detailed description: 
      Circuit training (CT) was developed by Morgan and Anderson in 1953, and is a type of training
      that includes various exercise stations arranged in a certain order. During CT, each
      participant performs 8 to 20 repetitions of exercise at each station, usually in less than a
      minute. Also, each participant moves from one training station to another with short rest
      periods or without breaks, and ends a training session by completing all stations. This
      training includes exercises performed with only body weight without the use of any equipment
      or with ancillary equipment such as elastic bands, free weights, and exercise devices, or a
      combination of both types of exercise.

      It is seen that CT, which is a method frequently preferred by individuals of all ages all
      over the world to improve or maintain both physical performance, and health-related fitness,
      is gaining popularity due to its practicality and efficiency in recent years. Especially, it
      has become an important exercise option for individuals who have the problem of 'not having
      enough time for exercise' in daily life. The fact that the intensity can be adjusted
      according to the individual participant, that it includes both aerobic exercises and
      strengthening and endurance exercises for the trunk, upper and lower extremity muscles, and
      that it aims to improve both the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems of the
      participants is an important factor that increases the preferability of this training in all
      populations. Also, it is reported that the inclusion of various types of exercise in this
      exercise training greatly reduces the rate of participants dropping out of this type of
      training or ending it completely compared to other types of training. Lastly, the main
      feature of this exercise training, which allows individual interaction both among the
      participants and between the participants and the sports or health professionals who provides
      this training, is that it includes a combination of different types of exercises in order to
      improve both the musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular systems.

      In the literature, it was seen that studies investigating the effects of CT on trunk muscle
      endurance included different populations. However, there were few studies investigating the
      effects of CT on endurance of trunk muscles in healthy women. Also, it was seen that there
      was not enough evidence in the current literature about the effects of CT on the spine
      structure in healthy women. Especially, a possible increase in endurance of trunk muscles
      after training may also positively affect spine structure via the kinetic chain. Lastly, it
      was concluded that studies investigating the effects of CT on balance mostly included
      patients with neurological disorders or the youth population. A possible positive effects on
      the spine structure via the kinetic chain may improve balance by increasing neuromuscular
      control in healthy women. This issue needs detailed investigation.

      Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 16-week CT on spine
      structure, trunk muscle endurance, and balance in healthy women. Also, the investigators
      hypothesized that the 16-week CT would be positive effects on spine structure, trunk muscle
      endurance, and balance in healthy women.
    

Intervention name(s): Circuit Training
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Warm-up and cool-down protocols will be applied before and after each CT, and each exercise will be performed as 15 repetitions and an average of 40 seconds of rest will be given between exercises. Also, the intensity of CT will be determined according to the Borg scale (between 11 and 14). CT will include 'mini squat', 'step up', 'sit ups', 'reverse sit ups', 'leg press', 'leg curl', 'leg extension', 'crunches', 'lunge', 'prone bridge', and 'side bridge' exercises.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Intervention model description: Prospective clinic study with a single group
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Health Services Research
Keywords: Health status; Exercise; Spine; Physical fitness; Women