High intensity exercises reduce CVD risk factors better than aerobic activities in adolescent youth (study)

This article examines the effects of brief, intense exercise in comparison with traditional endurance exercise on both novel and traditional markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in youth.

The effects of time and intensity of exercise on novel and established markers of CVD in adolescent youth - Buchan - 2011 - American Journal of Human Biology

Buchan, D., Ollis, S., Young, J., Thomas, N., Cooper, S., Tong, T., Nie, J., Malina, R., & Baker, J. (2011). The effects of time and intensity of exercise on novel and established markers of CVD in adolescent youth American Journal of Human Biology DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.21166

We've know for a while the importance of high-intensity exercises and how it can be used to develop fitness levels. Even though the periods (durations) may be shorter than typical aerobic activities, the benefits are usually longer lasting and the improvements to cardiovascular health are more significant.

Exergaming Points to Ponder (P2P)
Which exergames have the potential to illicit short but intense bouts of exercise?  These are some that come to mind, what have I missed?

1. EyeToy Kinetic (PS2)
2. Microsoft Kinect [UPDATED 4/15/2011 - Adventures - Rallyball, Reflex Ridge and Space Pop]
3. Wii Sports Boxing
4. Trazer 2
5. Lightspace Wall or Floor
6. XaviX J-Mat (10 second step test)
7. Makoto

Objectives:
This article examines the effects of brief, intense exercise in comparison with traditional endurance exercise on both novel and traditional markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in youth.

Methods:
Forty seven boys and ten girls (16.4 ± 0.7 years of age) were divided into a moderate (MOD), high intensity (HIT), or a control group. The MOD group (12 boys, 4 girls) and HIT group (15 boys, 2 girls) performed three weekly exercise sessions over 7 weeks. Each session consisted of either four to six repeats of maximal sprint running within a 20 m area with 20–30 s recovery (HIT) or 20 min continuous running within a 20 m area at ∼70% maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max).

Results:
Total exercise time commitment over the intervention was 420 min (MOD) and 63 min (HIT). Training volume was 85% lower for the HIT group. Total estimated energy expenditure was ∼907.2 kcal (HIT) and ∼4410 kcal (MOD). Significant improvements (P ≤ 0.05) were found in systolic blood pressure, aerobic fitness, and body mass index (BMI) postintervention (HIT). In the MOD group, significant (P ≤ 0.05) improvements were noted in aerobic fitness, percentage body fat (%BF), BMI, fibrinogen (Fg), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and insulin concentrations.

Conclusions:
These findings demonstrate that brief, intense exercise is a time efficient means for improving CVD risk factors in adolescents

Related articles

• Better a sprint than a marathon: Brief intense exercise better than endurance training for CVD (physorg.com)
• Short, intense exercise can also improve heart health: study (canada.com)
• A quick sprint beats a long run when it comes to your health (dailymail.co.uk)

Virtual Reality in Stroke Rehab: Meta-Analysis (study)

The current study is one specific to upper-body (arm) rehabilitation post-stroke and therefore was limited to only 12 studies totaling 195 patients, of which only 5 were randomized-controlled studies (RCT). So to generalize these findings to all stroke patients would not be recommended, however, the findings do indicate that almost all studies demonstrated improved motor function by using VR. As we've advocated for a long time, virtual reality/exergames/active gaming technology can be used to improve expected outcomes especially if it is incorporated with other forms of modalities and regiments. 

XaviX EyeHand

Virtual Reality in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Meta-Analysis and Implications for Clinicians -- Saposnik et al., 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.605451 -- Stroke


doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.605451


Using games and virtual reality to assist patients recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other neurological disorders and conditions is not a new field. In fact for many years, pioneers like Skip Rizzo (USC) have been cranking away at merging and modifying technologies and therapeutic modalities to best service their patients.  At last year's NIH sponsored workshop on using Virtual Reality to impact obesity and diabetes, Skip, Belinda Lange and Sheryl Flynn presented their work, research and demonstrations of new software related to balance rehabilitation.


Saposnik, G., & Levin, M. (2011). Virtual Reality in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Meta-Analysis and Implications for Clinicians Stroke DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.110.605451

Blobo to fight blubber? Finland's Squeezable Exergame controller

The Finnish company Ball-it has a buttonless controller and for its own game console that is played on a PC or Mac.  It's been on sale since 2010 but I haven't seen any ads for it in the US or on store shelves.  I wonder what their marketing strategy is for the US?   Currently at their website you can buy the console and Blobo squeezable controller that connects (PC, Mac) via Bluetooth for 60 EUR. A six-degree of freedom controller plus a pressure sensor amounts to what some people are calling a seven-degrees of sensing device that reacts to your movements while holding the device, while the device is tossed in the air, or when it is squeezed.  


The first suite of games (6) looks similar to Wii Play or Wii Sports and altogether it looks to be about 12 games in total, including: sack-race, hulahoop, long-jump, football, and ski-jump.


I haven't seen any studies done on this device yet but I would imagine it would be in the LPA to MPA zones.


Features:

• triaxial accelerometer (STMicroelectronics LIS3LV02DL)
• magnetometer (Aichi Steel AMI302)
• pressure sensor (STMicroelectronics LPS001DL)

This is the only device besides the KiloWatt and Sqweeze (formerly of IA Labs) that features a pressure-sensitive controller, although on completely different scales.  This one I believe is the first hand-held pressure sensitive controller and I am excited to see its components be refined and further developed into  other controllers, interfaces and gameplay.


Will you Throw it! Swing it! Squeeze it! to better health?

Sequence: Ste(r)pgExerGaming (STEREXG)

Last week's ExerGaming Expo and Workshop at AAHPERD in San Diego was a great success thanks to all the leading experts in the field and to the many SUNY Cortland PE student volunteers who helped setup and run parts of the workshop showcasing their knowledge and skill at implementing gaming technology into a PE program.  

As game controllers (especially the exergaming spectrum) continue to evolve, so too does the integration into different game genres, and in the case of the RPG Sequence (Iridium Studios), a $3 Xbox Live Indie Game. Instead of just one screen of arrow sequences to hit, you have to pick between one of the three, Red for Defense, Green for Casting Spells, and Orange for Manna Field. Players switch back and forth between three separate streams of notes, fending off enemy attacks while maintaining a constant barrage of offensive and defensive spells.

As a new category and interface, stepping to music as a way to play a GAME is really unique as all the other titles just use the dance pad to step to music for its own sake.    In DDR,  Pump it Up, Stepmania, etc.. there really is no story development or plot. As more developers continue to pursue novel ways to use the existing exergaming interfaces (millions of step pads), let's now christen this new genre with a new acronym - Ste(r)pgExerGaming (STEREXG).

Thank you Iridium! Can't wait to try it!  Be back more with reviews and screens!


Other features:

• 10+ hours of gameplay
• 80 minutes of recorded dialogue
• 26 tracks from Ronald Jenkees and Michael Wade Hamilton

[Via Kotaku]

2011 AAHPERD ExerGame Workshop Rocked San Diego!

Here's the album from the 2011 AAHPERD ExerGame Workshop - San Diego, CA! Thanks to everyone for an awesome international showcase and display of unity for exergaming/active gaming. With experts from the US, UK, Scandinavia, and Canada, it was truly the largest and most diverse ExerGame Workhop ever.


Big Shout Outs to SUNY Cortland PE Students Anthony, Amanda, Lauren, Alison, Edwin, and Andrew for assisting set-up and leading games at the workshop and especially to Anthony for leading the entire group in the Carlton and Running Man on Just Dance.


Special thanks especially to Motion Fitness, Positive Gaming, Exergame Station, Gamercize, and XaviX for arranging equipment for the activity sessions. Thanks to Positive Gaming for sponsoring the great TEN t-shirts, Exergame Fitness for prizes (t-shirts and bags), and Gamercize for the GZ School Handbook.


And of course a huge SHOUT OUT to Helena for her incredible organization and communication skills in organizing our group. Let's keep the momentum going and plan for a bigger and better session next year in Boston!


If you haven't responded be sure to meet Thursday for the first TEN face to face meeting at 10:30


.

Kinect 2 StepMania & 2011 AAHPERD Exergame Workshop

Modder MMaximus' newest Kinect hack  has brought two different exergaming technology together - kind of like peanut butter and chocolate.  Both of them good on their own, but entirely something different together,


Be sure to check out the other StepMania hacks by clicking here - including professor David Lippman's Wii Balance Board Stepmania hack. Lippman is a Mathematics professor at Pierce College at Ft Steilacoom in Lakewood, WA.
[Via Joystiq Kinect Hacks: A pad-free StepMania] 


We're only a couple of days away from the biggest Exergame Workshop ever held at the 2011 AAHPERD Convention in San Diego, CA.  We have 15 separate groups on the programs and over 18 people on the panel, this represents the single largest Exergaming Workshop (that we know of)! See you in sunny San Diego!



This experiential multidisciplinary workshop will focus on how exergames (video games that require physical exertion to play) can be used as a means to accumulate more physical activity in today’s sedentary society. Our panel will lead live demonstrations and competitions on the use and benefits of exergames in schools, fitness clubs, and at home. Don’t miss your chance to meet the leaders in exergaming from education, health care, advocacy, fitness, research, manufacturing, and marketing.

Exergame Workshop: Oceans of Opportunities Active Games 4 Better Health
Tuesday, March 29, 2011: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Hilton Bayfront: Sapphire Ballroom CDGH
AAPAR/Council for Lifelong Recreational Sports