About the Human Performance Lab

The Human Performance Laboratory consists of about 1,500 sq ft of space divided into three rooms located in the Department of Health and Human Performance at the College of Charleston. The Human Performance Laboratory is designed and equipped to allow undergraduate students to obtain hands-on experience in all aspects of exercise physiology while supporting faculty and student research.

The HPL maintains several research projects examining many aspects of applied physiology. Current topics of interest that are being investigated include:

• Caloric Expenditure and Hormonal Responses During and Following a TRX Workout
• Effectiveness of the TRX for Improving Balance, Muscular Endurance, Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Running Efficiency
• Effect of Nutritional Supplements on Performance and Biological Markers
• Effect of Various Novel Training Programs for Strength and Muscular Development
• Validation of a new Upper Body Power Test in College Students

Equipment in this lab includes TrackMaster and Quinton treadmills, two Ergomedic 818E Monark cycle ergometers, two pan-loading Ergomedic 874E Monark ergometers, ParvoMedics True One® 2400 metabolic cart for indirect calorimetry, Biodex system III, Cyprus and Omron bioelectrical impedance analyzers, weighing scales, automated blood pressure and heart rate monitors, Polar heart rate monitors, digital thermometer with assorted temperature probes, skin fold calipers, hand grip dynamometers, stethoscopes, and sphygmomanometers as well as a variety of other small equipment items. The HPL is also equipped with a hydrostatic weighing tank for assessing body composition (i.e., body fat analysis via underwater weighing). The HPL also has resources for muscular strength and muscular endurance testing and training as well as cardiorespiratory training located near by.

The HPL also contains wireless internet PCs for data entry, nutritional diet record analysis, database management and statistical analyses. A nutritional work area is also available for food and supplement storage and sample preparation of supplements. In addition, TVs with video/DVD set up is available for long-term sampling scenarios and laboratory stays short of a metabolic ward requirement.