Equinox Personal Coaching Versus Self-Directed Exercise

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The purpose of this study is to compare the Equinox Personal Coaching exercise training method to self-directed exercise training in helping subjects become more fit. Men between 30 and 44 years of age who exercise on a regular basis and are interested in receiving Equinox personal training will be invited to participate. The investigators will enroll 36 subjects at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the only site. The hypothesis of this study is that subjects randomized to the Personal Coaching Method will result in significantly greater lean mass accrual than those randomized to self-directed training over the 12 weeks of the study. Subjects will have 2 Baseline visits over 1 week, then be randomized to receive either Coached training or self-training, which they will do for 12 weeks, then complete two End of Study visits over the final week. Visits 1 and 3 include questionnaires, skinfold fat/lean body mass measurements, and strength and aerobic performance tests, and will take place at Equinox. Visits 2 and 4 include a DEXA scan and ECG, which will take place at UCLA.

Official Title
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Effectiveness of Equinox Fitness Club's Personal Coaching Method Versus Self-Directed Exercise Training on Increasing Lean Body Mass in Men Aged 30-44 Years of Age

Conditions
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Physical Fitness

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Equinox Personal Coaching


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Men aged 30-44 years Body mass index less than 30 kg/m2. Currently exercising with or without coaching more than 4 days but less than 8 days per month for the past three months (Equinox Motivated or Super Motivated categories); Willing to commit to 12 weeks of thrice weekly training at the Century City Equinox club with or without an Equinox coach. Exclusion Criteria: Over age 44 Musculoskeletal conditions limiting participation Unstable cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, or other disorders that would preclude high intensity exercise training. Abnormal ECG at Screening that indicates the subject is not healthy enough for maximal exercise in the opinion of the principal investigator Family history of sudden death associated with exercise, based on self-report

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 30 Years
Maximum Age: 44 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Male

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Equinox Personal Coaching<br>Participants assigned the Coached group will receive up to 36 sessions about three times a week, consisting of both strength and aerobic exercises, through a program designed by Equinox Fitness Centers. | Behavioral: Equinox Personal Coaching<br>* Specially designed strength and aerobic exercise training program that consists of 36 sessions over 12 weeks.<br>|
| No Intervention: Self-directed exercise training<br>Participants in the Self-directed group will receive general exercise training advice as any member of the fitness club would, and will record the details of their exercise in log sheets. They will be asked to continue their usual exercise routine. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in lean body mass | Change in lean body mass (LBM) as measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) | Baseline and 4 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change in muscle strength | Changes in muscle strength in the upper and lower extremities as assessed with standard one-repetition maximum tests for the chest press and leg press exercises, respectively | Baseline and 4 months | 
| Change in aerobic performance | Aerobic performance as assessed using a symptom-limited, treadmill ramp protocol. | Baseline and 4 months | 
| Changes in ventilation and respiratory gas exchange | Measures of ventilation and respiratory gas exchange including changes in maximum oxygen uptake, the metabolic (lactate) threshold, and other parameters of aerobic, cardiovascular, and ventilatory fitness. | Baseline and 4 months | 
| Change in quality of life | A quality of life scale will also used to determine participant's satisfaction with their training and its result. | Baseline and 4 months | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Fitness training, Personal training