Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Exercise and Muscle Performance

Exercise and Muscle Performance

Exercise induces a range of adaptations in muscle tissue, depending on the type and duration of activity. Such physical training can be broadly categorized into two types: endurance exercises and resistance exercises.
Endurance exercises
Endurance exercises involve running, swimming, or cycling, which require repetitive movements with low force output. When a person engages in endurance exercise, a few noticeable changes occur in their skeletal muscles. For instance, the number of capillaries...

Exercise and Cardiac Output

Exercise and Cardiac Output

Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health, with aerobic exercises being particularly effective. According to the American Heart Association, 150 minutes of moderate to intense aerobic exercise per week is recommended for a healthy heart. Aerobic activities may include brisk walking, running, bicycling, cross-country skiing, and swimming, ideally performed three to five times per week.
Sustained exercise increases the muscles' oxygen demand, which can be...

Exercise and Cardiovascular Response

Exercise and Cardiovascular Response

Exercise significantly impacts cardiovascular response, which is crucial for understanding patient health and designing effective treatment plans.
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...

Isotonic and Isometric Muscle Contractions

Isotonic and Isometric Muscle Contractions

Two primary types of muscle contractions are isotonic and isometric, each serving unique functions and involving distinct mechanisms. Both isotonic and isometric contractions are integral to the body's complex system of movement and stability. Isotonic exercises contribute significantly to functional strength and movement, while isometric contractions are crucial for maintaining posture and joint stability.
Isotonic contractions
Isotonic contractions occur when a muscle changes length while...

Pathophysiology of Cardiac Performance

Pathophysiology of Cardiac Performance

Typical heart performance is influenced by heart rate, rhythm, myocardial contraction, and metabolism or blood flow. The cardiac muscle exhibits distinct electrophysiological features, including pacemaker activity and calcium channel control, which play a vital role in the heart's response to various drugs. The autonomic nervous system, comprising the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, regulates heart rate. Sympathetic activation increases heart rate, while parasympathetic activation...

Motor Unit Stimulation

Motor Unit Stimulation

When the neuron of a motor unit fires an action potential, it triggers a series of events, leading to a twitch contraction in the muscle fibers. The process of excitation-contraction coupling is crucial in relaying the action potential to the muscle fibers.
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The relationship between sleep, fatigue and performance during sub-Arctic operations: data from a winter military field exercise in Finland.

BMJ military health·2026

Same author

From Test to Task: Relevance of Basic Physical Fitness Metrics in the Context of Military-Specific Performance.

Journal of strength and conditioning research·2026

Same author

Changes in the functions of the autonomic nervous, hormonal and metabolic systems as a result of military field training.

BMJ military health·2026

Same author

Test-Retest Reliability of Physiological Resilience During and After Prolonged Moderate-Intensity Running in Well-Trained Runners.

European journal of sport science·2026

Same author

Endurance training-induced changes in heart rate and blood lactate concentration in puppies.

Frontiers in veterinary science·2026

Same author

Associations between androgen levels and endurance training-induced changes in body composition and physical performance in premenopausal females.

Physiological reports·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People

Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People

Published on: July 5, 2017

Physical training considerations for optimizing performance in essential military tasks.

Jani P Vaara¹, Herbert Groeller², Jace Drain³

¹National Defence University, Department of Leadership and Military Pedagogy, Helsinki, Finland.

European Journal of Sport Science

|May 19, 2021

Summary

Military physical tasks like load carriage and casualty evacuation require muscular fitness. Combined strength, aerobic, and task-specific training effectively enhances performance in these demanding occupational duties.

Keywords:

Environmental physiology endurance exercise fitness strength

More Related Videos

Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models

Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models

Published on: December 17, 2021

Author Spotlight: Development of an Automated Camera-Based System for Real-Time Blast Overpressure Monitoring and TBI Risk Assessment in Military Training

Author Spotlight: Development of an Automated Camera-Based System for Real-Time Blast Overpressure Monitoring and TBI Risk Assessment in Military Training

Published on: December 6, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People

Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People

Published on: July 5, 2017

Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models

Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models

Published on: December 17, 2021

Author Spotlight: Development of an Automated Camera-Based System for Real-Time Blast Overpressure Monitoring and TBI Risk Assessment in Military Training

Author Spotlight: Development of an Automated Camera-Based System for Real-Time Blast Overpressure Monitoring and TBI Risk Assessment in Military Training

Published on: December 6, 2024

Area of Science:

Military science
Exercise physiology
Occupational health

Background:

Essential military tasks, including load carriage, manual material handling, and casualty evacuation, are physically demanding.
Understanding the physical attributes critical for these tasks is vital for optimizing soldier performance and safety.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the key physical attributes associated with military occupational tasks.
To evaluate the effectiveness of physical training interventions for improving performance in these tasks.

Main Methods:

Narrative review of existing literature.
Characterization of physical attributes (e.g., maximal strength, aerobic capacity, muscular endurance) linked to task performance.
Analysis of military physical training intervention studies.

Main Results:

Load carriage performance is linked to aerobic and neuromuscular fitness, maximal strength, and maximal oxygen uptake.
Manual material handling performance correlates with maximal strength, power, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and aerobic fitness.
Casualty evacuation performance is associated with maximal strength, muscular endurance, maximal oxygen uptake, and anaerobic capacity.
Muscular fitness plays a crucial role in the performance of these military tasks.

Conclusions:

Load carriage performance improves with combined strength, aerobic, and specific load carriage training.
Strength or combined strength and aerobic training enhances maximal lifting capacity and repetitive lifting/carrying tasks.
Evidence for casualty evacuation training is limited but suggests benefits from strength or combined training.
Combined training with lower volume and higher intensity may be effective for improving military occupational performance.