Measuring Muscle Function: Muscle Size and Strength Training

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The target population includes young (18-30 years) and older adults (55 years and older). Young adults, individuals between 18 to 30 years of age, require endurance and muscle size training. Endurance is recommended because it is at this age, it is important for an individual to build up muscle mass and bone density, as they are crucial for staying active later in the old on and preventing osteoporosis (Chang, et al., 2015). On the other hand, strength training is essential for every individual; however, after 55 years, it becomes more crucial. It stops being about flat abs and biceps and more of maintaining a strong and healthy body, which is less susceptible to injuries. This is because older adults tend to have reduced muscle strength due to the loss of muscle mass (Chang et al., 2015). Therefore, muscle strength training is important as it helps build up muscle mass and bone density and lowers the risk of chronic diseases such as back pain.

Muscle function attribute	Target muscle/muscle group	Assessment	Enhancement activity
Muscle size	Rectus abdominis	Plank test – stopwatch Procedure – The test aims to hold an elevated position for as long as possible. Begin with the upper body supported off the ground by the elbows and forearms and the legs straight with the weight taken by the feet. Level the hip to straighten the body from head to toe. As soon as the participant is at the correct position, start the stopwatch. The test is completed when the subject is unable to hold straight. Score – Total time is taken to hold straight.	Forearm plank – Lie on the floor with the forearms positioned flatly on the floor. Make sure that the elbows are directly aligned under the shoulders. Engage the core by raising the body off the floor while keeping the forearms on the floor and the body straight from the head to the toes. Try to hold the abdomen by not letting the hips rise or drop. Hold for 30 seconds.
Strength	Deep core muscles – Lumbar multifidus, transversus abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and internal oblique muscle.	1RM lat pull-down – Lat pull-down equipment. Procedure – The participant should warm up, for instance, by lifting increasingly higher weights. After a minute of rest, a weight that can be easily lifted by the subject is selected and installed. The participant sits on the bench and maintains the upper body in an upright position, while slightly leaning back from the hips and grasping the bar by employing a wide overhand grip. With the arms fully extended, they are required to smoothly pull down the bar in front of the face to a level below the chin. The bar is then slowly released back to its initial position by straightening the arms. After every successful attempt, more weight is added. A 1-minute rest is required between lift attempts. The process is repeated until the bar cannot go further below the chin level. Scoring – Maximum lift	Dumbbell chest fly – Lie on your back on a flat incline bench and firmly place the feet on the ground. Gently pick up a pair of 3-10 pound dumbbells. Raise the dumbbells together straight above the chest; however, the elbows must be slightly inclined, and the palm and dumbbells facing each other. Slowly lower the arms to the side with a slight inclination to the elbow, until it is positioned about the chest level. Squeeze the chest, then gently press the dumbbells up in a similar arch motion. Perform 10-15 repetitions, rest, and do 3 sets in total.

Reference

Chang, W. D., Lin, H. Y., & Lai, P. T. (2015). Core strength training for patients with chronic low back pain. Journal of physical therapy science, 27(3), 619-622. Web.