Effects of imagery-weight exercise.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of imagery-weight exercise on muscle strength.


METHODS
Preliminary study of a before and after designed experiment was conducted at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, from June to September 2004. Fifteen healthy sedentary volunteers: 5 males, 10 females, mean age 28.7 +/- 3.5 years were enrolled The participants were instructed to perform imagery-weight exercise training with their non-dominant arms. The program consisted of 3 sets of 10 repetitions of elbow flexion, 3 days/week, for 8 weeks. The arm muscles strength were assessed with computerized isotonic machine. One-Repetition Maximum (1-RM) at before and after the training program, was compared


RESULTS
The mean 1-RM of elbow flexors increased by 44.9% (from 6.78 +/- 2.10 kg to 9.83 +/- 2.32 kg, p = 0.000). The mean 1-RM of elbow extensors increased by 32.0% (from 4.03 +/- 1.98 kg to 5.33 +/- 2.32 kg, p = 0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
Imagery-weight exercise is another effective technique of low impact strength training.
Chaiwanichsiri
Dootchai
D
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Tangkaewfa
Sarissa
S
Janchai
Siriporn
S
Aksaranugraha
Sek
S
D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000523:psychology*