Comparison of changes in lean body mass with a strength- versus muscle endurance-based resistance training program.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of resistance training (RT) with an emphasis on either muscular strength-type RT or muscular endurance-type RT on measures of body composition. METHODS: Twenty-five resistance-trained men (age 28.4 ± 6.4 years; body mass 75.9 ± 8.4 kg; height 176.9 ± 7.5 cm) were randomly assigned to either a strength-type RT group that performed three sets of 6-8 repetition maximum (RM) with 3-min rest (n = 10), an endurance-type RT group that performed three sets of 20-25 RM with a 60-s rest interval (n = 10), or a control group (n = 5, CG). All groups completed each set until muscular failure and were supervised to follow a hyperenergetic diet (39 kcal·kg-1·day-1). Body composition changes were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: After 8 weeks, we found significant increases in total body mass (0.9 [0.3-1.5] kg; p < 0.05; ES = < 0.2) and lean body mass (LBM) (1.3 [0.5-2.2] kg; p < 0.05; ES = 0.31) only in the strength-type RT group; however, no significant interactions were noted between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although only strength-type RT showed statistically significant increases in LBM from baseline, no between-group differences were noted for any body composition outcome. These findings suggest that LBM gains in resistance trained are not significantly influenced by the type of training stimulus over an 8-week training period.

SINERGIA laparoscopic virtual reality simulator: didactic design and technical development.

VR laparoscopic simulators have demonstrated its validity in recent studies, and research should be directed towards a high training effectiveness and efficacy. In this direction, an insight into simulators' didactic design and technical development is provided, by describing the methodology followed in the building of the SINERGIA simulator. It departs from a clear analysis of training needs driven by a surgical training curriculum. Existing solutions and validation studies are an important reference for the definition of specifications, which are described with a suitable use of simulation technologies. Five new didactic exercises are proposed to train some of the basic laparoscopic skills. Simulator construction has required existing algorithms and the development of a particle-based biomechanical model, called PARSYS, and a collision handling solution based in a multi-point strategy. The resulting VR laparoscopic simulator includes new exercises and enhanced simulation technologies, and is finding a very good acceptance among surgeons.