Christian Lasse F2018
RoboTrainer - Strength enhancement by variation of resistance
Todays conventional resistance training is primarily based upon the use of gravity. One of the limits of gravity based training is the constant resistance doing a repetition.
Take the exercise biceps curl as an example:
The weight of the dumbbell a user chooses for a set/repetition will be constant throughout the motion of the exercise. It is not possible to change the weight of the dumbbell halfway through a repetition without stopping the exercise and choosing a new dumbbell with a different weight.
The fact that the weight is constant might limit the effectiveness of the training.
In the two outer points of the exercise, where you shift between what is called the concentric and the eccentric phase, the power the biceps can generate is lower than the power it can generate in between the outer points. This is due to the physiology of the muscles and it is described by the length-tension relationship (graph of the length-tension relationship).
This means that the conventional training is limited by the weakest positions of the length-tension relationship as you, normally, cannot change the resistance to be higher during certain phases of a repetition. With the technology provided by the RoboTrainer it is possible to change the resistance relative to current state of a repetition and thereby give a more intense stimulation of the muscle. Furthermore the RoboTrainer makes it possible to change the resistance between the concentric and eccentric phases of a repetition, which studies shows might give a more effectfull training when aiming for strenght enhancement.
The main goals of this project is to create a program for the RoboTrainer which varies the resistance doing an exercise and thereby makes the training more intense and more effectfull.
