Training with the International Space Station interim resistive exercise device.
A unique, interim elastomer-based resistive exercise device (iRED) is being used on the International Space Station.


OBJECTIVE
This study characterized iRED training responses in a 1-g environment by: 1) determining whether 16 wk of high-intensity training with iRED produces increases in muscle strength and volume and bone mineral density (BMD), 2) comparing training responses with iRED to free weights, and 3) comparing iRED training responses at two training volumes.


METHODS
Twenty-eight untrained men were assigned to four groups of seven subjects each: a no exercise control group (CON), an iRED group who trained with three sets/exercise (iRED3), a free-weight group (FW) who trained with three sets/exercise, and an iRED group who trained with six sets/exercise (iRED6). Training exercises included squat (SQ), heel raise (HR), and dead lift (DL) exercises, 3 d.wk(-1) for 16 wk.


RESULTS
For CON, no changes occurred pre- to posttraining. For iRED3, increases (P< or =0.05) in one-repetition maximum (1-RM) strength (SQ 21 +/- 4%, HR 17 +/- 4%, DL 29 +/- 5%), leg lean mass (3.1 +/- 0.5%) by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and thigh (4.5 +/- 0.9%) and calf (5.9 +/- 0.7%) muscle volume (by magnetic resonance imaging) occurred after training with no changes in BMD (DXA). For FW, increases in 1-RM strength (SQ 22 +/- 5%, HR 24 +/- 3%, DL 41 +/- 7%), whole body (3.0 +/- 1.1%) and leg lean mass (5.4 +/- 1.2%), thigh (9.2 +/- 1.3%) and calf (4.2 +/- 1.0%) muscle volumes, and lumbar BMD (4.2 +/- 0.7%) occurred after training. For iRED6, all responses were similar to iRED3.


CONCLUSIONS
High-intensity training with the iRED produced muscle responses similar to FW but was not effective in stimulating bone. Bed rest and spaceflight studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the iRED to prevent microgravity deconditioning.
NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA. sschneid@unm.edu
Suzanne M
SM
Schneider
William E
WE
Amonette
Kristi
K
Blazine
Jason
J
Bentley
Stuart M C
SM
Lee
James A
JA
Loehr
Alan D
AD
Moore
Michael
M
Rapley
Edwin R
ER
Mulder
Scott M
SM
Smith
D000328:Adult; D020724:Elastomers; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D018472:Hypogravity; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D013026:Space Flight; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology*
D020724:Elastomers