Affiliations: [a] Department of Exercise Science, University of Puget
Sound, Tacoma WA, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Barbara L. Warren, 1500 N. Warner
#1047, Department of Exercise Science, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA
98416, USA. Tel.: +1 253 879 3710; Fax: +1 253 879 3254; E-mail:
blwarren@pugetsound.edu
Abstract: The vast majority of previous research with isokinetic machines has
used only ascending or random velocity sets during testing. The purpose of this
study was to investigate the effect velocity order (ascending vs. descending
order) had on peak torque of knee extension during isokinetic testing and to
examine the differences in peak torque in collegiate and recreational athletes.
Thirty healthy, college aged males (15 collegiate athletes (CA): mean Age
20.27 yrs, Ht 178.99 cm, Mass 85.00 kgs and 15 recreational athletes (RA): Age
21.2 yrs, Ht 183.39 cm, Mass 89.06 kgs) performed two familiarization trials
and four randomly assigned experimental trials. Subjects performed four knee
extension repetitions at five velocities in either ascending (60, 120, 180,
240, and 300°/sec) or descending (300, 240, 180, 120,
60°/sec) order. There was no significant
(p< 0.05) difference between the order of velocities and
peak torque or between CA and RA groups. Although not statistically
significant, RA produced greater peak torque than CA. This may be a result of
numerous RAs in this study being former collegiate athletes. In conclusion, the
order of velocities may not be pertinent when establishing a protocol for
testing peak torque of the knee extensors in healthy college-aged males.
