Flexible stick exercise could increase flexibility, muscle strength, endurance, and in healthy subjects

Abstract

The study on the effects of resistance exercise by using elastic band found that it could increase muscle strength and physical performance, but the study of the effects of flexible stick with aerobic exercise are also less. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of flexible stick on muscle strength, muscle endurance, and flexibility in healthy subjects. Twenty-five subjects (20.5 ± 1.1 years; BMI: 21.4 ± 4.1 kg/m2) were included in this study and they performed a moderate aerobic dance with resistance training exercise by using flexible stick for 40 minutes per time which included a 5-minute of warm up, a 30-minute of exercise, and a 5-minute of cool down, 3 times per weeks, for 4 weeks. Weight, back muscle strength, abdominal muscle endurance, and flexibility were measured before and after doing the exercise. This study found that there was significant increase in back muscle strength (p=0.33), abdominal muscle endurance (p=0.001), and flexibility (p=0.0001) after exercise. However, 4 weeks of exercise did not affect on body weight. We concluded that 4 weeks of aerobic exercise with flexible stick could increase back muscle strength, abdominal muscle endurance, and flexibility in healthy subjects.