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Abstract
The present experiment evaluated the effects of a 27-day sit up exercise training program on adipose cell size and adiposity. Fat biopsies were taken from the abdomen, subscapular, and gluteal sites by needle aspiration in 13 experimental and 6 control male subjects before and after a five days/week progressive training regimen. Day 1 consisted of 10 bouts of 10-sec exercise, 7 sit ups/bout, with 10-sec rest intervals; on day 27, 14 bouts of 30-sec exercise were performed, 24 sit ups/bout with 10-sec rest intervals. The total number of sit ups done was 5004. Fat cells were isolated using collagenase and photographed to determine cell diameter. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant decreases in cell diameter at the three biopsy sites (p<.01), but no significant differences in the rate of change (pre to post) in cell diameter between sites for the experimental and control groups (p>.05). Body weight, total body fat (underwater weighing), and fatfolds and girths remained unaltered. The results demonstrate that (1) the conventional sit up exercise does not preferentially reduce adipose cell size or subcutaneous fat thickness in the abdominal region to a greater extent compared to other adipose sites, and (2) significant changes in fat cell size may occur in the absence of changes in fatfolds, girths or total body composition.