Italy, 2007. Effects of 8-week strength training with two models of chest press machines on muscular activity pattern and strength

The purposes of this study were to assess:
(i) the effects of 8-week training programs with constrained-path and unconstrained-path chest press machines on 1-RM;
(ii) the different activity patterns of selected arm and shoulder girdle muscles during push movement performed on the different machines;
(iii) the transfer of the training effects from one machine to the other.
Twenty healthy women randomized to either the FM or CM strength training protocols were evaluated before and after the strength training program. Muscular activity signals were recorded by surface electromyography (sEMG) from eight muscles while each subject performed the exercise on each machine...read more...

Denmark 2010. Kettlebell training for musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The aim of this trial was to investigate the effectiveness of a worksite intervention using kettlebell training to improve musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health. Methods: This single-blind randomized controlled trial involved 40 adults from occupations with a high prevalence of reported musculoskeletal pain symptoms (mean age 44 years, body mass index 23 kg/m (2), 85% women, with pain intensity of the neck/shoulders 3.5 and of the low back 2.8 on a scale of 0-10). A blinded assessor took measures at baseline and follow-up. Participants were randomly assigned to training - consisting of ballistic full-body kettlebell exercise three times a week for 8 weeks - or to a control group....read more..