Evaluating Exercises and Exercise Devices from the Literature

PURPOSE

The purpose of this lab is to practice evaluating exercises found in popular literature.

PROCEDURE

1. Read a popular book or magazine and find what you believe to be a poor exercise or device that claims to improve your health, fitness, figure, or posture. If possible, attach a copy of the description of the exercise/ device to this lab sheet.
2. Use Chart 22.1A to evaluate the literature's description of an exercise/device. Check "yes" or "no" for each item. Then record your scores in the Results section.
3. Write the name of the book, magazine, or newspaper from which your article was taken as well as the date of the article and the name of the author (Chart 22.1A). Describe the exercise/device you evaluated in the space provided in Chart 22.1A on the back of this lab sheet.

RESULTS

1. Give the literature and exercise/device you are evaluating one point for each "yes" answer on questions 1, 8, 9, and 10.
2. Give it one point for each "yes" answer on questions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
3. Total of score 1 and score 2.

1. Is the article or book written by an expert as defined in this Concept?
2. Does the exercise/device employ the overload principle?
3. Does it employ the progression principle?
4. Does it employ the F.I.T.T. formula?
5. Does it employ the principle of specificity?
6. Is it a safe exercise?
7. Does it employ "active" exercise in which your own muscles contract?
8. Are the benefits claimed for it reasonable?
9. Are the authors trying to help you (rather than selling a product)?
10. Do they refrain from using terms such as "quick," "miraculous," "tone," "remove fat," "new discovery," or other gimmick words?

* If in doubt, you may seek an expert's opinion on some of these questions.

1. A high Score A total (3 or 4) in the Results section indicates that the authors of the exercise or device know what they are talking about.
2. A high Score B total (5 or 6) indicates that it is consistent with good exercise theory.
3. A high Total Score (8 to 10) suggests that it is sound for at least some aspects of fitness.