The Physiological and Health Response Elicited in 10,701 Females and Males Following a Nine Week Fast Fitness Circuit Training Program.

This study sought to determine the changes elicited following 9 weeks of fast fitness circuit training 4 days a week. Data were gathered for a 3-year time period on 5,993 female and 4,708 male volunteer subjects with a mean age of 27.6. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The independent variable consisted of 24 exercise stations equally distributed between strength and aerobic modalities in an alternating fashion. FFCT workout time was 27 minutes, 45 seconds. The mean change across participants in each of the dependent variables measured was: increase in muscular endurance (10 percent), strength (8.6 percent), flexibility (7 percent), and body weight (0.5 percent); decrease in body fat composition (4.3 percent), diastolic blood pressure (4 percent), systolic blood pressure (1.3 percent), resting heart rate (4 percent), and resting pulse rate (3.6 percent). It is recognized that these data may not have a causal effect; however, it was concluded that 9 weeks of FFCT may have accounted for the changes elicited in the subjects. The recommendation for future studies is to use a stronger research design and statistical procedures that allow for more definitive statements regarding the efficacy of FFCT. (Author/JD)