Recent Thesis Topics

Below is a listing of selected thesis topics of past CEP students. One of the goals of the program is to conduct theses topics that are suitable for publication, as well as presentation at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) annual meetings. Our experience is that students who have conducted, presented, and published research are more competitive on the job market compared to students who do thesis projects that do not ‘stand alone’.

University grants are available to help support the costs of conducting many research projects as well as to support travel to professional meetings to present the findings.

  1. Effect of periodized vs monotony training on exercise performance
  2. Tolerability of heavy training load with low training monotony
  3. VO2max during successive maximal efforts
  4. Intensity of ‘Curves for Women’ workout
  5. The effects of electrical muscle stimulation on thigh and gluteal strength, endurance, and muscle tone
  6. Predicting maximal heart rate through submaximal exercise tests
    Winner of 2005 National AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  7. Comparison of Bruce and modified Bruce treadmill protocols
    Finalist in 2005 National AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  8. Physiological effects of 8 weeks of yoga training
    Finalist in 2005 National AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  9. Comparison of capillary and venous insulin responses
  10. Experimental test of the concept of VO2max
  11. Inadequacy of %HRmax to define intensity at ventilatory threshold
  12. Physiological responses to Pilates and yoga training
  13. Effects of music, percussion, and metronome rhythms on exercise intensity
  14. Effect of static stretching, dynamic stretching, and warm-up on active hip range of motion and vertical jump
  15. Difficulty in matching training induced performance changes to changes in fitness and fatigue
  16. The effects of a weighted jump rope on energy expenditure and exercise intensity
  17. Effect of extrinsic motivation on cycle time trial performance
  18. The effect of handrail support on oxygen uptake during steady state treadmill exercise
    Winner of 2006 National AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  19. Comparison of session RPE and HR zone based methods of monitoring exercise training
  20. The placebo effect on exercise performance
  21. Sensing metabolic derangement: Effect of hypoxia on exercise performance
  22. Metabolic and perceptual responses to indoor cycling
  23. Metabolic and blood lactate responses to tethered and free swimming
  24. Effect of placebo on exercise capacity in cardiac patients
  25. Accuracy of ACSM energy cost equations in older adults
  26. Effect of musical tempo on physiological responses to chair aerobics
  27. Time scalar responses during cycle time trials
  28. Effect of exercise training on the linkage between the Talk Test and ventilatory threshold
  29. Effect of gender on correspondence between coach intended and athlete executed training loads
  30. Comparison of heart rate and power based training zones
  31. Effect of pre-meal exercise on glucose/insulin responses to feeding
  32. Effect of post prandial exercise on glucose/insulin responses to feeding
  33. Effect of exercise intensity and duration on post exercise hypotension
  34. Effect of blood donation of linkage between the Talk Test and ventilatory threshold
  35. Comparison of the 6 minute walk test with the 6 minute NuStep test
  36. Validity and reproducibility of the session RPE method of exercise prescription