A Comparison of Muscular Strength, Power, and Endurance Between CrossFit and Traditional Weight Training Classes

Methods

Summary

This study aims to examine the differences in strength, muscular endurance, and power between two different types of college fitness classes, a CrossFit-based high intensity functional training class and a traditional weight training class. Participants will be recruited from students currently enrolled in these classes. Students in both classes record workouts completed in class. Study participants will be asked to additionally record any physical activity/exercise completed outside of class hours. The researchers will conduct baseline and follow-up assessments which will include: height (stadiometer), weight (Tanita scale), body composition (Tanita scale), vertical jump (Vertec), hand grip strength (handgrip dynamometer), push-up test, squat test, and a short psychosocial questionnaire regarding exercise habits and motivational factors. All assessments will be completed during the first and last two class periods; no participation will be required outside of scheduled class time. Travel workout options will be available to those in the CrossFit class. Students are required to attend classes as described in their respective class syllabi. Students will record their workouts during class hours as is normally required by each respective class. Study participants will be asked to additionally record any physical activity/exercise completed outside of class hours.  If funded, we will provide incentives ($10 Visa gift card or $10 jump rope) to participants. Participants will also be asked to log any injuries sustained during the 8-week period in an online Qualtrics survey. 

Challenges

Working with human subjects can be interesting. Potential challenges to this project include initial recruitment, participant drop-out, and participant non-compliance. 

We are currently planning to examine two sections of 8-week courses in fall 2017; if we do not have enough participants in Cohorts 1 and 2, we can extend the study into the spring 2018 semester to recruit more participants. 

Pre Analysis Plan

1.  Examine the distribution of the variables of interest, and transform or categorize if not normally distributed.  

2.  Examine patterns of missing data.  If necessary and statistically justified, impute missing data.  

3.  Run descriptive statistics to quantitatively describe the differences in muscular strength, power, and endurance from baseline to follow-up between groups. 

4. Run regression analyses to  determine the differences in strength, power, and muscular endurance between groups.