Research & Studies

Like Barefoot, Only Better?

Barefoot-style and minimalist shoes are one of the hottest trends to sweep the footwear category since Nike Waffle Trainer running shoes and Crocs. What happens when runners switch to running in barefoot shoes? ACE research found out.

Best Triceps Exercises

Women from all walks of life struggle to avoid the dreaded flabby, jiggly arms—and they often turn to personal trainers and fitness pros for help. Which exercises are the best? ACE research determined which ones are the most effective — and efficient — for targeting the triceps.

An Elliptical Cross-Trainer on Three Wheels?

Wouldn’t it be great if you could take your elliptical trainer outdoors? That’s the concept behind the StreetStrider, which uses the movements of both the legs and the arms to meld the motion of jogging, cycling, and cross-country skiing into one. But does it offer a good workout? New exclusive ACE research examines the fitness benefits of this product.

Power Balance or Power of Persuasion?

Enlisting a team of exercise scientists from the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, the American Council on Exercise set out to test the claims of Power Balance’s popular performance bracelet. The participants included 42 college-aged volunteers – half men, and half women – who were all NCAA Division III athletes. Each subject completed two trials of four tests including trunk flexibility, balance, strength and vertical jump. The results: Power Balance, or Power of Persuasion?

The American Council on Exercise sets the record straight.

Hooping—Effective Workout or Child’s Play?

While most people think of the hula hoop as a children’s toy, the history of hula hooping dates back thousands of years when hoops fashioned from grapevines were actually used for exercise.

So in an effort to cut through all the hoopla and buzz about hooping, the American Council on Exercise enlisted a team to study the activity’s potential cardio and calorie-burning benefits.

Toning Shoes - Will They Really Give You a Better Body?

Toning shoes, each of which uses uniquely shaped rounded soles and extra cushioning to alter the wearer’s normal walking gait, are currently all the rage in footwear, but is all the buzz and marketing hype too good to be true?

Validating the Talk Test as a Measure of Exercise Intensity

In a world where technology is king, some might consider the decidedly low-tech Talk Test more akin to the court jester. But a growing body of research is helping to elevate its status as a valid and easy-to-use tool for helping clients exercise at the appropriate intensity level.

Exploring the Effects of Music on Exercise Intensity

Despite what you may have heard, the connection between music and exercise didn’t start with Jane Fonda’s dance aerobics or the Sony Walkman portable cassette player. Learn more about the effects of music on exercise intensity.

Getting To The Bottom of EMS

The potential draw for consumers is the notion they can tone their muscles without taking the time to exercise. Can you get the buttocks you want with the Slendertone Bottom Toner or are the claims too good to be true?

Krank It

The Krankcycle resembles a conventional Upper Body Ergometer (UBE) in which you sit and essentially “pedal” with your hands. The UBE is standard issue in rehab environments, but healthy exercisers have traditionally paid little attention to the machines in the gym environment.

Kettlebells: Twice the Results in Half the Time?

These cannonball-shaped iron orbs with handles lifted in a swinging motion were developed by Russian strongmen in the early 1700s as a way to build strength, balance, flexibility and endurance quickly.

Wii Fit — Or Just A Wee Bit?

Since its launch in late 2007, the Wii Fit has sold well over 21 million units and, at the time of this research, was the third best-selling video game of all time. These stats are encouraging, given the well-publicized epidemic of childhood obesity in our country and the fact that obesity and its complications cause as many as 300,000 premature deaths each year.

Dance the Calories Away

The PC-based exer-game, Dancetown, encourages older adults and those in retirement communities to follow onscreen dance step cues on a wired dance pad while the computer records their accuracy. But does it really produce the exercise intensity to be beneficial?

Drop and Give Me 20!

The boot-camp trend is still going strong perhaps because it’s not really trendy at all. The workout is simple, goes back to basics, is not tied to a single piece of equipment and uses a motivating team-oriented atmosphere. Discover the fitness benefits of popular boot camp style workouts in this unique ACE study.

The Perfect Push-up

As seen on TV! Created by a former U.S. Navy SEAL, see if the Perfect Push-up by BodyRev lives up to its claims of maximizing the effectiveness of this basic exercise with better results in less time.

The Wii: As Good as the Real Thing?

In the fall of 2006, a new video game system called the Nintendo Wii hit the streets and quickly became an instant hit with a full-fledged craze, selling more than 11 million consoles in the Americas alone. But is the exercise you get through the exer-gaming system as good as the real thing?

Wellness on Wheels

With a recent study showing that mothers of young children are less likely to get even the minimum amount of exercise they need to stay healthy compared to women of a similar age without kids, ACE studies the calorie burn and body benefits of walking with a baby stroller. Just how good is this workout?

Function Follows Fitness

Many fitness professionals have been promoting functional fitness programs as a way for older adults to remain active and independent as they age. But how beneficial is this form of exercise and how quickly can benefits be reaped?

Human Joysticks

Could a videogame be the secret to making our kids more fit and less fat? First introduced in Japan in 1998, see how this dance videogame commonly known as DDR measures up as ACE tests its efficacy in this university-based research study.

Do You 10K a Day?

Given that society spends at least half of our waking hours on the job, ACE turns to the workplace to examine the physical activity of 10 common job occupations. How much of a workday workout are you getting? From teachers and police officers, to nurses and receptionists, see how you measure up.

Mind Over Body

A new ACE sponsored study measured what happens when athletes think they're getting an extra boost in the form of "super-oxygenated" water. Can the mind trick the body into performing better?

Glutes to the Max

Gluteus maximus, rear end, tush, gluteals, butt, rump, “the sit” muscles, bottom, buttocks, boo-tay. Nothing really seems to roll off the tongue. But for better or worse, it’s one of the biggest reasons people exercise. So what are the most effective exercises for the glutes?

Can Pilates Do it All

Pilates is still one of the hottest trends in fitness with its long list of benefits including improved body mechanics, balance, coordination, strength and flexibility. But is it enough to keep you aerobically fit?

Does Yoga Really Do the Body Good?

Exercise enthusiasts are flocking to yoga studios in hopes of reaping the benefits of improved mind-body connection, improved muscle tone and strength, better balance and increased flexibility. But just how beneficial is the 5,000 year old practice of Hatha yoga?

ACE Puts Curves to the Test

Between its inception in 1992 and the time of this research study, more than four million women joined the 30-minute circuit-training gyms, Curves. The fastest growing franchise in U.S. history, women love it, but does their popular circuit workout really work?