# Effects of Stretching and Resistance Training on Psychophysical Awareness: A Pilot Study
## 2 Materials and Methods
### Survey  
To evaluate potential differences in perception between the EXP and CON groups regarding the impact of resistance training on flexibility and psychophysical awareness, a survey was designed and administered at three time points: before training (pre-training). midway through the program (mid-training), and after program completion (post-training). The survey consisted of multiple-choice questions structured on a 1-to-5 Likert scale and was distributed using Google Forms. To ensure validity, internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha with 95% confidence intervals (CI). A Cronbach's alpha of 1 indicates perfect reliability, while a value of 0.7 or higher is considered acceptable [52]. The internal consistency of the survey was excellent (Cronbach's \(\alpha\) coefficient [95% CI]: 0.92 [0.89-0.94]; \(p<0.001\)). Data collection occurred at three time points: before training (pre-training), midway through the program (mid-training), and after program completion (post-training). Since the survey included different questions at each stage, which were tailored to capture the evolving perceptions of participants over time, direct longitudinal analysis of identical items was not possible. Instead, an item-wise thematic approach was used, grouping questions into three consistent themes across stages: perceived flexibility improvement, training engagement and perception of effectiveness, and psychophysical awareness. The questions at each stage were aligned with these themes. For pre-training, questions focused on participants' beliefs about flexibility enhancement and readiness to engage in the program. At mid-training, participants were asked about their perceived progress in flexibility and their ability to perform the exercises, along with their perception of the training's balance of challenge and usefulness. Finally, post-training questions assessed the perceived improvement in flexibility, increased awareness of exercise execution, and overall satisfaction with the program's results. While the questions varied between stages, comparisons were made based on these consistent thematic dimensions. By categorizing responses into these themes, changes in participants' perceptions over time could be tracked despite differences in specific questions. Descriptive statistics were used to  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline
**Exercise** & **Repetitions** & **Rest** & **Initial Intensity** & **Progression (Weeks 1–12)** \\ \hline Stiff-Leg Deadlift & 3 \(\times\) 8 & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 60\% 1 RM & +2.5\% 1 RM every 2 weeks \\ Squat & 3 \(\times\) 8 & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 60\% 1 RM & +2.5\% 1 RM every 2 weeks \\ Landmine Press & 3 \(\times\) 8 & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 60\% 1 RM & +2.5\% 1 RM every 2 weeks \\ Bench Press & 3 \(\times\) 8 & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 60\% 1 RM & +2.5\% 1 RM every 2 weeks \\ Military Press & 3 \(\times\) 8 & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 60\% 1 RM & +2.5\% 1 RM every 2 weeks \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 1: Experimental group training protocol.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline
**Exercise** & **Repetitions** & **Rest** & **Initial Intensity** & **Progression (Weeks 1–12)** \\ \hline Cat-Cow & 3 \(\times\) 30\({}^{\prime\prime}\) & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 30 s & +5 s every 2 weeks \\ Wall Angel & 3 \(\times\) 30\({}^{\prime\prime}\) & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 30 s & +5 s every 2 weeks \\ Spinal Extensions & 3 \(\times\) 30\({}^{\prime\prime}\) & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 30 s & +5 s every 2 weeks \\ Quadriceps Stretch & 3 \(\times\) 30\({}^{\prime\prime}\) & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 30 s & +5 s every 2 weeks \\ Glute Bridge & 3 \(\times\) 30\({}^{\prime\prime}\) & 1\({}^{\prime}\) & 30 s & +5 s every 2 weeks \\ \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 2: Control group training protocol.  
represent the distribution of responses within each theme, and trends across stages were analyzed to understand the changes in perceptions resulting from the training program. The full survey is presented in Table 3.