APUS ePress: Sports and Health Sciences

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: May 2018
Capstone Instructor: Professor Daniel G. Graetzer Abstract: CrossFit is a high-intensity functional fitness program that can help improve physical fitness levels and overall function in members of the United States Air Force. Military members have an inherent responsibility to maintain physical fitness to perform their duties at any location across the world. A review of annual physical fitness test performance and medical profiles show a negative trend that raises concerns about mission effectiveness and readiness among airmen. Formalizing CrossFit training as part of the Air Force fitness training program will help educate airmen about strength, endurance, flexibility, and mobility. In addition to education, CrossFit programming will improve performance on the United States Air Force fitness test, body composition, and unit cohesion among airmen. Multiple case studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of CrossFit programming on performance and have shown a relatively normal prevalence of injury when compared to other strength sports. CrossFit should be formally incorporated into the Air Force in accordance with the ideas contained herein or similar. Individuals who score less than Excellent on their fitness test should be required to participate in four formally led CrossFit workouts per week. Individuals who have the poorest fitness levels will likely experience the most significant improvements.

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: April 2019
Capstone Instructor: Professor Daniel G. Graetzer Abstract: Body composition and performance has long been components analyzed in tactical athletes within organizations assessing rates of obesity and their ability to perform duties. Many times, individuals within these organizations fall short of the standards set forth. Multiple methods of decreasing body composition and increasing performance present when tactical athletes fall out of regulations. Tactical athletes train at high intensities and most of the time for long durations. Thus, fad diets such as caloric deficits and Intermittent Fasting (IF) were investigated to decide if training in a fasted state improved performance or assisted in decreasing body composition. The research method I used was a search of literature relating to IF, calorie deficits and military caloric expenditure. The search yielded multiple sources related to body composition and performance, although selected articles closely related to tactical athletes and training methods commonly used. The findings of the study presented that fasted training at low intensities does improve body composition, while high intensities don’t improve either body composition or performance. Conclusions showed tactical athletes can perform fasted training, although high and low intensities must be varied to accommodate the energy intake for best results, resulting in the need for adequate training on this topic.

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: November 2020
Capstone Instructor: Professor Daniel G. Graetzer
Abstract: Recent re-emergence and popularization of low carbohydrate/high-fat diets, like the ketogenic diet (keto diet), has come back into popular culture. Recent studies show that the ketogenic diet products and services market will reach a value of almost $15 billion by the year 2027 (Grand Research View, Inc, 2020). With mass marketing and the flood of ketogenic convenience products, it is no wonder that the popularization of this diet has spiked in recent years. The popularization and massive increases in advertising of this diet has led to many athletes adapting these dietary and fueling strategies to harness the proposed power of fat-driven nutrition to improve athletic performance. Anecdotal evidence and hypothesis argue a strong case for the implementation of the ketogenic diet in an athletic lifestyle. Unfortunately, these claims have yet to be substantiated in clinical research and currently are not supported by any authoritative body. Deciphering and interpreting the clinical trials, scientific data and authoritative body recommendations is a daunting task for most endurance athletes. This paper will discuss the science of energy metabolism, the ketogenic diet theory for athletes, review the recent human trials and conclude with evidence-based recommendations regarding fueling and nutrition for the endurance athlete. For the purposes of this review, an endurance athlete will be defined as an athlete that participates in continuous sporting activity, such as running or cycling, for longer than one hour but less than 24 hours. The recommendations following the detailed analysis of this diet trend are intended for adults (i.e. the age of 18 and over).

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: December 2020
Capstone Instructor: Daniel G. Graetzer
Abstract: A powerlifting training intervention can be a powerful tool to improve the underserved female diplomatic corps' physical and mental health. Female diplomats are a distinct group of individuals who face many unique challenges in their country's service. They exclusively work and live abroad serving tours that last two to three years, forcing constant acculturation and uncertainty. Female diplomats are also challenged by a historically biased workplace and the need to maintain hypervigilance and situational awareness outside of the embassy’s protective walls. Constant acute stress experiences punctuate the female diplomat’s life, leading to chronic stress and adverse physical and mental health outcomes. The Department of State acknowledges the need for a wellness program, but broad, meaningful implementation remains elusive. The proposed powerlifting-based resistance training intervention provides physical, mental, and emotional support through the Department of State’s existing framework. The multifaceted, personalized program provides expert support through a virtual coach, onsite health unit, and embassy powerlifting club. Through this empowering protocol, the female diplomat will increase her physical capacity and mental toughness, positively impacting diplomacy worldwide.
Keywords: female empowerment, powerlifting, sport psychology, psychological skills training, stress management, diplomat

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: August 2020
Capstone Instructor: Dr. Daniel G. Graetzer
Abstract: The U.S. military is one of the most lethal armies the world has ever seen. However, this Army is plagued by injuries. In 2006, 1.6 million hospital visits from Soldiers were due to musculoskeletal injuries. That number would jump to over 2 million visits in 2012 and continues with that number annually to the present day. At least 50% of the U.S. Army annually suffers from an injury due to physical training or sports activity. These injuries take away from unit readiness (combat strength and training days), continue to cost the government significant amounts of money, and increases disability rates in service members.
Objective: To determine if a new military occupation specialty (MOS) is needed to change the approach to developing the “tactical athlete” and unit readiness.
Methods: This creative project/thesis pulled data from the U.S. Army medical department, the department of defense, Basic Combat Training Units, FM 7-22 physical readiness training, FM 21-20 physical fitness training U.S. Army Institute of Public Health.
Results: The military recognizes musculoskeletal injuries as the leading cause of health-related issues. Approximately 70% of musculoskeletal injuries develop from overuse. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of injury are tobacco use, age, gender, fitness level, improper progression, and injuries. The Army has tried to combat this issue by creating a new physical fitness test, implementing the master fitness trainer to units, creating advanced wellness centers, and high-intensity programs (ranger athlete warrior, CrossFit, and advanced tactical athlete conditioning program) with little effect.
Conclusion: The literature provided suggests the Army needs to create a new MOS that would allow oversight to physical training (assessments, plans, and progression) by a fitness professional and determine the needs of physical training based on the unit's mission essential tasks

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: March 2020
Capstone Instructor: Professor Ali Boolani Abstract: The purpose of the following creative project is to create both a physical fitness program and nutrition plan designed to improve various health aspects with the goal of increasing functioning ability, independence and quality of life of the elderly living in assisted living facilities. Theoretical principles and research from previous studies will be used in the creation of these programs. Past research has demonstrated that balance, muscular strength and cardiorespiratory endurance play a crucial role in maintaining appropriate fitness levels needed to perform activities of daily living and thus remain independent. The Brookdale Senior Living facility was used to reference types of care provided to residents in an assisted living facility, as well as examples of exercise programs and sample menus provided. All were taken into consideration to create a week-long exercise program with a focus on balance, strength and endurance, as well as a meal plan that could be implemented to improve fitness, nutrient consumption and overall functioning and quality of life of residents during these later years.

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: January 2020
Capstone Instructor: Professor Daniel G. GraetzerAbstract: Program Design Based on Genetically-Determined Fiber Typing In Order to Achieve Optimal Athletic Performance by Daniel J. Borowick, American Public University System, January 26, 2020 Charles Town, West Virginia, Professor Daniel Graetzer, Capstone Project Professor.
In order to achieve optimal athletic performance in sports and/or in pursuit of physical fitness, designing a program based upon genetically-determined fiber typing is paramount. An individual cannot alter their genetic code and therefore, depending on what genetics a person is gifted with, will determine to a large extent how well they can perform in certain athletic performances, sports or physical fitness. The human body is made of skeletal muscle and that skeletal muscle is comprised of muscle fibers. There are two types of muscle fibers in the body and they are grouped into two separate characteristics of being either slow twitch or fast twitch muscle fibers. The slow twitch (ST) muscle fibers are classified as Type I fibers. The fast twitch (FT) muscle fibers are called Type II. Type I only contains one type of fiber, whereas Type II has two subtypes and they can be further divided into Type II A and Type II B. (Powers & Howley 2015, pg. 173). It is these muscle fiber types that are called upon for activation for not only normal functioning of the human body on a daily basis but also for the athletic performance of the individual. Therefore, depending on what type of muscle fiber is found mainly in the individual based upon their genetics, will to a large degree determine what they will be predisposed to perform better in athletically as the amount of force used in an event, is determined upon by the muscle fiber that is recruited.
It is through the precise implementation of a proper program design of resistance training, endurance training, concurrent training, plyometrics, balance and flexibility training that the athlete can improve their athletic performance for optimal function. This program design will be based on the implementation of short and long-term goals. These goals will be based upon the S-M-A-R-T Goal System which are defined further as the goals being specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time based (Seguin, Epping, Buchner, Bloch & Nelson, 2002). In this instance, the long-term goal would be to improve balance and the short-term goal would be starting the strength training program. These goals are measurable and quantified as same if the program has actually begun. Prior to starting a strength and training regimen, a physician needs to see the individual and if determined the individual can begin, then the goal will be attainable. Relevancy refers to how the goals will assist the individual achieve a long healthy life and help the athlete achieve optimal athletic performance. Lastly, the goals are time based if the program commences immediately. When these goals are established in attaining the vision, a successful outcome is more within reach as a clearly defined framework is delineated in achieving the measurable and quantified goals (Ogbeiwi 2017). This can be based upon the proper prescription and manipulation of the exact volume, load, frequency and intensity that is necessary to recruit the targeted muscle fiber types to improve for the desired athletic performance of the individual. Furthermore, the larger the amount of muscle fibers present, allow for better force and torque production of that specific muscle.

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: June 2021
Capstone Instructor: Dr. Daniel G. Graetzer
Abstract: This article provides the reader with compelling evidence that intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) and intermittent hypoxic exposure (IHE) has a strong place as a non-pharmacological treatment strategy not only for diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, stroke and injuries such as spinal cord injury (SCI), but also for anti-aging, athletic potential and daily vitality. The reader is guided through a history of hypoxic conditioning and current day research in the field of IHT and IHE. Furthermore, the reader is presented with correlations between improvements in the aforementioned comorbidities and voluntary breath control such as slowing the frequency of the breath, forced exhalations and breath holds as a method of inducing hypoxia. A low lung volume breath-hold on an exhalation has been shown to be an effective method of inducing the frequency, intensity and duration of intermittent hypoxia necessary to achieve the published effective protocols to elicit beneficial results. Additionally, respiratory strength and lung function rapidly decline with age in line with the aging of the immune system, immunosenescence, and the musculoskeletal system, sarcopenia. Both breathing exercises and intermittent hypoxia combined have shown to have the therapeutic potential to improve the effects of aging both without exercise, and in conjunction with exercise, the combination of which have a strong potential for injury prevention, cognitive enhancement, anti-aging, non-pharmacological disease prevention and treatment, athletic improvement, and an improved heart rate variability with associated reductions in anxiety and depression. The parallels between intermittent hypoxia protocols and breathing exercises are striking. Therefore, these parallels inspire the hypothesis that the combination of the protocols are superior to either independently. Additionally, there are many positive outcomes that fine-tuned breathing variables produce that strongly mimic those of intermittent hypoxia protocols. Inspired by the potential strength in interweaving the two modalities, in addition to a continuous pondering of a more convenient, low-cost strategy for implementing daily intermittent hypoxic routines, the author interweaves the benefits of voluntary breath-work and intermittent hypoxia to introduce and examine the possibility of a hypothetical Breath Induced Intermittent Hypoxic Training protocol, BIIHT, as a therapeutic intervention for improving chronic disease, athleticism, body composition, heart-rate variability, and optimized health and longevity.

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: August 2021
Capstone Instructor: Dr. Daniel G. GraetzerAbstract: The U.S. military is one of the most lethal armies the world has ever seen. However, this Army is plagued by injuries. In 2006, 1.6 million hospital visits from Soldiers were due to musculoskeletal injuries. That number would jump to over 2 million visits in 2012 and continues with that number annually to the present day. At least 50% of the U.S. Army annually suffers from an injury due to physical training or sports activity. These injuries take away from unit readiness (combat strength and training days), continue to cost the government significant amounts of money, and increases disability rates in service members.
Objective: To determine if a new military occupation specialty (MOS) is needed to change the approach to developing the “tactical athlete” and unit readiness.
Methods: This creative project/thesis pulled data from the U.S. Army medical department, the department of defense, Basic Combat Training Units, FM 7-22 physical readiness training, FM 21-20 physical fitness training U.S. Army Institute of Public Health.
Results: The military recognizes musculoskeletal injuries as the leading cause of health-related issues. Approximately 70% of musculoskeletal injuries develop from overuse. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of injury are tobacco use, age, gender, fitness level, improper progression, and injuries. The Army has tried to combat this issue by creating a new physical fitness test, implementing the master fitness trainer to units, creating advanced wellness centers, and high-intensity programs (ranger athlete warrior, CrossFit, and advanced tactical athlete conditioning program) with little effect.
Conclusion: The literature provided suggests the Army needs to create a new MOS that would allow oversight to physical training (assessments, plans, and progression) by a fitness professional and determine the needs of physical training based on the unit's mission essential tasks.

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: January 2022
Capstone Instructor: Dr. Daniel G. Graetzer
Abstract: Team preparation in soccer (football) is continuous work. The team performance during a busy season is a big obstacle because the time of the season compresses to the limit. A busy schedule can describe a weekly situation that requires two to three games per week, which leads to maximal effort engagement. Coaches and players could face enormous challenges. A championship/league in such a situation requires tremendous efforts, leadership philosophy, long-term sustainability, meritocracy ideology, constructivism, and physical/tactical periodization plans. Preparing players requires transformational leadership, forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning, interpersonal relation, group relation, coaches' feedback collection, self-preservation, and team support. Also, creativity and organized methods such as periodization plans can put details in a schedule mentality. Players should acquire mental preparation, arousal characteristics, group tasks, team tasks, the principles of play, neuroplasticity enhancement, fight/flight procedures, mental toughness, fatigue-related error, role-specific preparation, cross-role preparation, self-control, and player-centered management to face mental fatigue and physical demands.

Communication is an essential component of building a unified team. The verbal tool, nonverbal tool, interpersonal communication skills, the tactical variables, the rhetoric confidence, vocalizations, neutrality, high status, psychological impulsiveness, one-way application in class or a game, bilateral communication, interpersonal communication, focus communication, direct communication, so they can understand their roles and can deal with the coach regulations and tactical situations. Players understand their role and take responsibility when leadership principles work to make their teams follow up and stand by the team if performance is challenged or disrupted. So, traditional leadership characteristics don't fit leading professional soccer teams these days; vertical leadership is the correct way due to its privileges and positive influence on players and staff. However, leadership should stem from an organized environment, which is Tuckman's stages theory. Many adult and young athletes have benefited from biofeedback, memorization enhancement, perceptual behavior, subconscious behavior, the sensorimotor stage, preoperational stage, concrete operational stage, formal operational stage, the pessimistic principles, intrinsic learning motivation. So mental and physical preparations need the management to anticipate self-efficacy and better results.

In this project, the compacted season high-intensity schedules and lack of time are an obstacle that can challenge coaches. To handle the situation and protect the team from various problems that can occur during pre-season, in-season, and at the same time formulate ideas, coaches should rely on practical elements. The Periodization plans fit the tactical situations and physical adaptabilities. A busy season is a rigorous plan that coaches should create, and this research can walk through and cover many aspects that need attention. Tactical management such as attacking, defending, and transitions are the most vulnerable aspects when coaches have less time to prepare their team in a busy season. So, a tactical periodization plan is not a new concept, but it is a tool that develops and imbues it with science. Many coaches try to adapt one formation or more, and this research compares formations such as 1-3-4-3, 1-5-4-1, 1-4-4-2, 1-4-3-3, and 1-4-2-3-1 and presents some advantages that can help coaches cope with such conditions. This research discusses a side effect of playing in high intense games that happen without any form of physical assessment utilization to prevent sudden cardiac death, heart attack, acute and chronic traumatic physical and psychological disorders, or injuries due to training and intense games. So, an adequate plan can help establish a philosophy and lead a team to satisfying results in a season that contains many games.
injuries.

Program: Sports and Health Sciences: Capstone-Project: Masters in Sports and Health Sciences (MS)
Awarded: January 2022
Capstone Instructor: Dr. Daniel G. Graetzer
Abstract: The aim of the research study involved investigating the association of non-neutral foot types to low extremity injuries. The study methodology applied included a qualitative research approach. The main source of information included literature reviews. The study also included tactical population because lower extremity musculoskeletal injuries are prevalence among this population group. The analytical criteria applied in the study comprised the document analysis process. The study results reveal that studies have associated multiple factors with causing low extremity injuries. There are no specific agreements on the association of non-neutral foot types to low extremity injuries. Some authors found no relationships between non-neutral foot types and lower extremity injuries. While others revealed that high arch and flat foot types led to lower extremity injuries. Due to persisting differences, research has recommended future research studies using sufficient samples, use established methods for classifying, identifying, foot types and injury severity. Although the association of non-neutral foot types to low extremity injuries is not yet established; researchers, physicians, and shoe manufacturers should collaborate to develop strategies to prevent incidences of low extremity injuries.