Press Room

ACE Announces First-ever Study Findings on Krankcycle Effectiveness

Posted: Mar 25, 2010 in

SAN DIEGO (March 23, 2010) — The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s leading authority on fitness and one of the largest fitness certification, education and training organizations in the world, today revealed key findings of an exclusive study on the emerging fitness trend of Kranking.  Conducted with the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, through its exercise and health program, the ACE study concluded that the Krankcycle, a new hand-powered exercise cycle that is similar to the conventional Upper Body Ergometer (UBE), provides an intense and effective workout that may build upper-body muscular fitness, boost aerobic capacity and burn calories.

“With Krankcycle workouts gaining nationwide popularity within a year of its introduction, we determined it necessary to measure the potential impact of this form of exercise,” says ACE’s Chief Science Officer, Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D.  “We discovered that Kranking can provide an effective cardio and upper-body workout.”

The Krankcycle was created by fitness guru and internationally recognized expert Jonathan Goldberg, also known as “Johnny G,” the innovator of Spinning®.  The machine’s key modifications to the UBE provide a high-intensity workout by enabling exercisers to sit or stand while cranking their arms and engaging in a competitive, group class environment similar to that of Spinning.

For this study, the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse researchers, led by John Porcari, Ph.D., and Blake Boyer, M.S., selected 12 healthy men and women from 20 to 30 years old as test subjects.  Participants completed three to five “habituation trials,” lasting at least 15 minutes each, on the traditional UBE to familiarize the group with hand cycling motions while building upper-body endurance.  These practices, along with maximal exercise tests to measure participant oxygen consumption (VO₂ max), heart rate (HR) and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), were designed to form a baseline fitness measurement.

Following thorough measurements and analysis of key physiological benchmarks, the study revealed that exercisers can burn an average of nine calories per minute, or 269 calories, within a 30-minute Krankcycle workout.  Further, the research showed that subjects maintained a HR greater than 70 percent of HRmax for approximately 90 percent of time, which falls well within recommended guidelines for gaining cardiovascular benefits from a workout.  Therefore, ACE’s study validates that the Krankcycle clearly provides an effective exercise training stimulus.

“Those who regularly participate in Kranking are sure to receive an exhaustive cardiovascular workout and burn a fair number of calories,” Bryant adds.  “And in addition to serving as a cross-training option, this type of workout can benefit individuals with special needs, including those with disabilities, lower limb injuries or obesity issues.”

A complete study summary can be read on ACE’s “Get Fit” Web site, designed to inform, inspire, educate and motivate people to become fit and lead a healthier, more active lifestyle, located at www.acefitness.org/getfit/research.aspx.

About ACE

The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America’s premier certification, education and training organization, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of physical activity and protecting consumers against unsafe and ineffective fitness products and instruction.  ACE sponsors university-based exercise science research and is the world’s largest nonprofit fitness certifying organization.  For more information on ACE and its programs, call (800) 825-3636 or log onto the ACE Web site at www.acefitness.org.

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