The Effectiveness of the TRX Use on Spine Load and Muscle Activity

RESEARCH QUESTION AND HYPOTHESIS Question The changes of an individual’s center of mass, locomotion, pulling, rotation, and pushing are the most common types of human movement. Today, when a significant majority of population spend a lot of time sitting at a computer during their working hours or at home, the problem of insufficient physical activity becomes more and more severe issue. Specially, excessive sitting has a negative impact on muscle activity and spine load. In this regard, the use of comfortable and easily organized functional training with own weight, such as TRX, may be beneficial for many. The aim of this research study is to examine the mechanisms of various pushing exercises on the spine load using regular training (stable contact surfaces) and using TRX training straps. Specially, three research questions will be explored: 1) Is there a difference on serratus activation intensity between using stable surface exercises and using TRX straps? 2) Is there a difference in spine load and muscle activity between stable and labile pushing exercises? 3) Is there an effect of coaching on lowering tissues stress (as a result of correct spine postures)? Hypothesis In the light of research questions listed above, the following three hypotheses were stated: 1) TRX exercises are more effective in muscle activation than the regular exercises on a stable surface 2) Pushing exercises on TRX strap are more effective in relation to spine load than the stable pushing exercises. 3) There is a positive effect of coaching on lowering tissue stress. The intendent variables are: type of exercise (on a stable surface or labile straps), coaching (yes/no). The dependent variables are: muscle activation intensity, spine load intensity, which were measured through electromyography. METHODS Hypotheses It is hypothesized that the effectiveness of TRX pushing exercises in comparison to pushing exercises on a stable surface is significantly higher, in relation to muscles activity and spine load. Participants Thirty male participants aged from 18 to 25, with a height from 175 to 190 cm, weight from 70 to 90 kg were recruited on a voluntarily basis from the university population, creating a convenience sampling for the present research. The participants were healthy, without previous history of backache, and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. Materials For each participant, a set of EMG electrodes have been set up, so to monitor the intensity of their muscle activity. Procedure All participants were asked to complete the following set of pushing exercises: 1) Bench press – to press a half of their body weight ten times, lying on a bench. 2) TRX push-up – holding straps vertically, complete a push-up exercise in the same way as regular push-up, ten times. 3) Standard push-up – regular push-up exercise completed on the floor, ten times. 4) TRX pushes – holding TRX in either hand, perform a push-up at three different angles (three different strap lengths), 5 times each. 5) Shoulder protraction on a stable surface – the exercise starts from a typical position for push-ups. The individuals protracted shoulders with the same frequency as regular push-ups, 10 times. 6) Shoulder protraction with TRX straps, 10 times. All exercises were performed two times with a wash-up period of 2 weeks. At baseline, the participants worked without coach, in two weeks, they were coached while completing exercises. The EMG data was collected to estimate the effectiveness of muscle load and spinal load in each exercise and coaching condition. Data Collection Hypothesis It is hypothesized that TRX pushing exercise is more effective as compared to the stable surface pushing in enhancing better muscle activity and spine load. Reflection