Sarah Coffing sncoffing@stthomas.edu

Maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of the rectus femoris was measured twice for each subject on a leg extension machine using surface electromyography (SEMG). For the third session, the subjects were asked to first perform 3 minutes on the elliptical trainer. The first 2 minutes were a slow-paced warm-up. For the third minute, the subjects were asked to reach and maintain 6.0mph while Biopac collected data through the EMG for a minute. After completing the elliptical, subjects were given a twenty minute rest period. After the rest period, subjects were asked to walk on the treadmill for 2 minutes at 3.5 mph. They were then asked to run for one minute at 5.5 mph while the Biopac collected data. The middle of the 3rd minute of each session was analyzed. In respect to the MVC, the treadmill showed the greatest percent of rectus femoris activation. In order to determine if the difference was considered significant, a paired t-test was performed. For there to be a significant level at the .05 level, T must be greater than 2.365. The result of the t-test was T=3.154, telling us that there is a significant difference in rectus femoris activation levels between the elliptical and treadmill