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Advances in Physiology of Training—2nd Edition
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Advances in Physiology of Training—2nd Edition

A special issue of Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (ISSN 2411-5142). This special issue belongs to the section "Kinesiology and Biomechanics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2025 | Viewed by 1696

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Christopher Ballmann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Health Professions, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229, USA
Interests: exercise physiology; ergogenic aids; nutraceuticals; oxidative stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the JFMK, I am organizing a Special Issue on the physiological and psychophysiological advancements in exercise training. The JFMK is a peer-reviewed, international, multidisciplinary, and open access journal dedicated to all aspects of and advancements in anatomy, histology, orthopedics and sports medicine, physical therapy, sports therapy, rehabilitation, and rheumatology. Exercise and sports performance are mediated by a myriad of factors. Arguably, the physiological foundations of training are essential for understanding how to sustain performance and enhance adaptations over time. While knowledge of training practices and physiology has grown in recent years, the physiological factors that lead to optimal performance and adaptation enhancement remain unclear. This Special Issue is seeking new studies to understand the cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, neurological, skeletal muscle, or metabolic factors that may underpin improvements in exercise training. The practical applications of these studies should be highlighted for the benefit of coaches, athletes, and performance analysts.

Dr. Christopher Ballmann
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • exercise physiology
  • ergogenic aids
  • exercise training
  • resistance training
  • endurance performance

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 444 KiB  
Article
Effects of Censoring Explicit Language in Music on Resistance Exercise Performance
by Christopher G. Ballmann, Sophia L. Porrill, Rebecca R. Rogers, Zachary H. Ervin, Brittany R. Neal, Haley M. Nguyen, Phoebe N. Spears, Jonathan E. Strickland, Jesus Zavala and Nicholas B. Washmuth
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2025, 10(2), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10020224 - 10 Jun 2025
Abstract
Background: Listening to music has been widely reported to improve resistance exercise performance. However, few studies have considered lyrical content. The act of using explicit language has been shown to alter performance and psychophysiological responses to exercise. Although explicit language is widely used [...] Read more.
Background: Listening to music has been widely reported to improve resistance exercise performance. However, few studies have considered lyrical content. The act of using explicit language has been shown to alter performance and psychophysiological responses to exercise. Although explicit language is widely used in mainstream music, it is unknown if altering explicit lyric content in music influences performance and psychophysiological responses to resistance exercise. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of censoring explicit lyrical music on bench press performance and psychophysiological responses to exercise. Methods: In a counterbalanced crossover manner, resistance-trained males (n = 11) were subjected to two conditions, namely (1) explicit music (EM) or (2) censored music (CM). Following a warm-up, music played continuously as participants completed 2 sets × 2 repetitions as explosively as possible, while a linear position transducer monitored the mean velocity of the barbell. Participants then completed 3 sets × repetitions to failure (RTFs) at 60% of a 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) separated by 2 min of rest. Motivation to exercise, psychological arousal, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured post-exercise. Total RTFs, mean velocity, motivation, psychological arousal, and RPE were compared between music conditions. Results: Findings show that total RTFs (p = 0.012) was significantly lower with CM versus EM, while mean velocity (p = 0.844) was not different between conditions. Psychological arousal (p = 0.005) and motivation (p = 0.002) were lower with CM versus EM. CM also resulted in a higher RPE (p = 0.011) compared to EM. Conclusions: Findings suggest that CM results in worse repetition volume compared to EM during resistance exercise but does not influence explosive ability. Changes in performance may be due to underlying decreases in motivation and psychological arousal. CM may also cause less dissociation, as evidenced by a higher RPE. Future research investigating the effects of lyrical content on exercise performance is warranted to further support current findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Physiology of Training—2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 740 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Traditional Warm-Up and Post-Activation Potentiation on Muscle Endurance During the Back Squat: Response of Blood Lactate, Perceived Effort, and Time Under Tension
by Taianda M. Amorim, Alexandre V. Gurgel, Viviane Faleiro, Thiago T. Guimarães, Estêvão R. Monteiro, Felipe G. Teixeira, Bruno Jotta, Tiago C. Figueiredo, Raquel C. Castiglione and Silvio R. Marques-Neto
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2025, 10(2), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10020188 - 24 May 2025
Viewed by 489
Abstract
Background: Warm-up strategies are essential for optimizing strength-training performance. Traditional warm-ups improve neuromuscular readiness, whereas post-activation potentiation (PAP) has been proposed to acutely enhance muscular output. This randomized crossover study compared the acute effects of traditional and PAP-based warm-ups on local muscular endurance [...] Read more.
Background: Warm-up strategies are essential for optimizing strength-training performance. Traditional warm-ups improve neuromuscular readiness, whereas post-activation potentiation (PAP) has been proposed to acutely enhance muscular output. This randomized crossover study compared the acute effects of traditional and PAP-based warm-ups on local muscular endurance (LME) during free weight back squats in resistance-trained men. Methods: Twelve trained males (age: 41.3 ± 5.7 years; one repetition maximum squat: 129.3 ± 14.3 kg) completed three randomized squat sessions: mobility with LME (M + LME), traditional warm-up with LME (T + LME), and PAP with LME (PAP + LME). The sessions were spaced 48 h apart. Outcomes included the number of repetitions, blood lactate concentration, time under tension (TUT), perceived exertion through OMNI Resistance Exercise Scale (OMNI-RES), and pain perception through visual analogue scale (VAS). One-way ANOVA and partial eta-squared (η2p) were used for statistical analyses. Results: PAP + LME significantly increased the number of repetitions (15.63 ± 3.66) compared to both M + LME (12.38 ± 3.89) and T + LME (13.63 ± 3.82; p < 0.0001). Blood lactate levels were significantly higher in PAP + LME (8.98 ± 3.87 mmol/L) compared to M + LME (5.08 ± 0.97 mmol/L; p = 0.01). TUT was significantly shorter in both the PAP + LME and T + LME groups than in the M + LME group (p < 0.05). VAS scores were higher after PAP + LME (8.50 ± 0.45) than after M + LME (6.50 ± 1.20; p = 0.02), while OMNI-RES scores did not differ significantly between the protocols. Conclusions: Both traditional and PAP-based warm-ups improved squat LME compared with mobility alone. PAP elicited greater repetition performance and metabolic stress but also increased discomfort. Warm-up selection should align with training goals, balancing performance benefits and perceived fatigue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Physiology of Training—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 1124 KiB  
Article
Contributions of Medications, Physical and Hydrotherapy Programs in Reducing Endothelial Dysfunction in Hypertensive Patients
by Roxana Cristina Rad Bodan, Adina Octavia Dușe, Eniko Gabriela Papp, Răzvan Marian Melinte and Minodora Andor
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2025, 10(2), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10020150 - 28 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Background: Hypertension is in first place in Europe among cardiovascular diseases. Worldwide, only 1 in 5 adults pursue proper treatment that controls their high blood pressure. Endothelial dysfunction is a marker that indicates the progression of hypertension. The study aims to evaluate [...] Read more.
Background: Hypertension is in first place in Europe among cardiovascular diseases. Worldwide, only 1 in 5 adults pursue proper treatment that controls their high blood pressure. Endothelial dysfunction is a marker that indicates the progression of hypertension. The study aims to evaluate the efficacy of antihypertensives and physical and hydrotherapy cardiovascular rehabilitation programs to control hypertension and improve endothelial dysfunction. Methods: A total of 100 patients with hypertension degree 1 (46 years ± 0.32) were divided into four homogenic groups. All subjects of the A, B, C and D groups benefited from recommendations for a healthy lifestyle; groups B, C and D also received antihypertensive medication; additionally, group C had a physical cardiovascular program and group D a cardiovascular hydrotherapy program. Several clinical endothelial damage markers and blood and urine parameters were registered, along with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, before and after 8 weeks of rehabilitation. Results: Group A registered a statistically significant decrease for 1 parameter LDL (p = 0.002). Group B showed statistically significant values for 14 parameters (p ≤ 0.05). The C and D groups registered significantly improved statistic values for 17 parameters each (p ≤ 0.0001). Conclusions: Groups B, C and D that were given antihypertensive medication during rehabilitation registered improved endothelial dysfunctional markers and controlled blood pressure values, compared with group A which was given only recommendations for a healthy lifestyle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Physiology of Training—2nd Edition)
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10 pages, 715 KiB  
Article
Acute Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Warm-Up on Performance and Cardiorespiratory Parameters of Scuba Divers—A Preliminary Study
by Ricardo Alberola-Blanes, Fernando Alacid, Carmen Daniela Quero-Calero and Daniel López-Plaza
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2025, 10(2), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10020105 - 26 Mar 2025
Viewed by 385
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The inspiratory muscles play a fundamental role in cardiorespiratory performance, especially in water sports. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of an inspiratory muscle warm-up (IMW) protocol on the performance and respiratory parameters of scuba divers [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The inspiratory muscles play a fundamental role in cardiorespiratory performance, especially in water sports. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of an inspiratory muscle warm-up (IMW) protocol on the performance and respiratory parameters of scuba divers prior to performing two diving tests, one static and the other dynamic. Methods: Eight young, active divers (six men and two women; 26.63 ± 4.67 years of age) volunteered for the study. In two sessions, one using an IMW protocol and the other without IMW, participants performed two underwater tests with a gas tank: a static immersion at the bottom of the pool for 5 min and a dynamic test consisting of swimming underwater for 12 min at 1 m/s. Some cardiorespiratory parameters such as gas expenditure, oxygen saturation (SO2), heart rate (HR), spirometry, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured before and after each of the tests. Results: Significant differences were observed in gas expenditure using IMW in both static and dynamic testing (p < 0.05) and in RPE in dynamic testing (p < 0.05). HR values were significantly higher in the pre-dynamic test with IMW and the post-static test with IMW. Finally, with the use of IMW, spirometry values were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in static tests after immersion, whereas in the dynamic test, they were significantly higher before the immersion (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, the use of the IMW prior to a dive would be recommended for better overall physical performance, oxygen expenditure, improved pulmonary function, and lower perceived exertion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Physiology of Training—2nd Edition)
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