Comparisons of peripheral physiological responses of push-up variations exercises using near-infrared spectroscopy

Technological advances in sports allow coaches and researchers to better identify the stimulus-response dose, maximising performance and decreasing the risk of injury (Li et al., 2016). Real-time continuous monitoring of peripheral physiological responses using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a promising area, as it reflects the local effort of a specific muscle during and after exercise (Barstow et al., 2019). This study aimed to analyse the effects of six push-up variations on muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) derived-parameters. Fifteen physically active participants (age = 25.2 ± 3.5 years old; height = 1.76. ± 0.05 m; weight = 75.9 ± 9.1 kg; triceps brachii (TB) skinfold thickness = 10.8 ± 3.4 mm; deltoideus medius (DM) skinfold thickness = 10.6 ± 2.6 mm) completed the experimental study design which comprised two sessions: in the first session the participants performed a familiarisation with the protocol procedures, and in the second session they performed the six push-up variations in random order. The six push-up variations included 1) diamond, 2) declined, 3) inclined, 4) knuckles with one foot, 5) spartans, and 6) unstable terra-core platform. All exercises were performed for 1 minute, with a 5-minute recovery time in between. Two NIRS devices (MOXY, Fortiori Design LLC, Minnesota, USA) were placed on the TB and DM muscles to measure SmO2 during the session. Average value of SmO2 (SmO2 avg), amplitude of deoxygenation (SmO2 deoxy) and recovery time to baseline value (SmO2 reoxy) were determined. Comparisons between the six variations of the push-up exercise were performed using one-way repeated measures ANOVA, followed by the Bonferroni post hoc pairwise comparisons. The significance level was p