The Applied Physiology Research Group focuses on the physiological and biochemical responses to exercise. The aim of this group is to improve human performance through the utilization of training, equipment, and nutritional intervention. This group also aims to increase understanding of the body’s response to concurrent physical and mental stressors and identify methods to enhance metabolic and stress responses to physical activity.
Primary Associated Faculty
Associated Doctoral Students
- Leo Chen
- Dakota Dronet
- Kenzie Hargrove
- Ian Macali
- Lauren Smith
- Treja Wright
Associated Master's Students
- Allison Brown
- Sam Searles
- Maxwell Torrey
Research Emphasis
- Human Performance Enhancement
- Sport Performance Enhancement
- Hydration/Sports Nutrition
- Muscle Strength, Power and Size
- Neuromuscular Function
- Pediatric Exercise Science
- Exercise Metabolism
Select Recent Publications
Bello ML, Gillen ZM, and Smith JW (2024). Changes in muscular strength following nine weeks of high- vs low-load resistance training. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 64(5):439-445. DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.24.15569-7.
Talwar S, Lamberth J, and Smith JW (2024). The effect of stroboscopic vision training on blind-folded straight-line walking. International Journal of Exercise Science, 17(1), 438-444.
Spring KE, Chen CC, Powell MB, Smith JW, Stratton KK, Wadsworth DD, and Holmes ME (2023). Impact of seated movement incorporation on middle school classroom physical activity levels and academic engagement. Research Quarterly of Sport and Exercise, 94(4), 1011-1019. DOI: 10.1080/02701367.2022.2100308.
Bello ML, Anglin DA, Gillen ZM, and Smith JW (2022). Comparison of wearable technology at quantifying power and muscle load of endurance runners against varying wind resistance. International Journal of Kinesiology & Sports Science, 10(2), 11. DOI: 10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.10n.2p.11.
Gillen ZM, Shoemaker ME, McKay BD, Bohannon NA, Gibson SM, Cramer JT. (2022) Influences of the stretch-shortening cycle and arm swing on vertical jump performance in children and adolescents. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 36(5): 1245-1256. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003647
Price FG, Smith JW, and Brown SP. (2022) Educating with Captain America: Metabolic and nutritional considerations. Advances in Physiology Education. (Advance Online Publication). https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00103.2021
Gillen ZM, McHugh MP, Shoemaker ME, Cramer JT. (2021) Comparisons of countermovement jump force profiles in youth athletes. Translational Sports Medicine, 4(5): 646-656. DOI: 10.1002/tsm2.257
Gillen ZM, Housh TJ, Schmidt RJ, Herda TJ, De Ayala RJ, Shoemaker ME, Cramer JT. (2021) Comparisons of muscle strength, size, and activation in pre- and post-pubescent males and females. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 121(9): 2487-2497. DOI: 10.1007/s00421-021-04717-1
Gillen ZM, Mustad VA, Shoemaker ME, McKay BD, Leutzinger TJ, Lopez-Pedrosa JM, Rueda R, Cramer JT. (2021) Impact of slow versus rapid digesting carbohydrates on substrate oxidation in pre-pubertal children: A randomized crossover trial. Clinical Nutrition,40(6): 3718-3728. DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2021.05.004
Krings BM, Shepherd BD, Swain JC, Turner AJ, Chander H, Waldman HS, McAllister MJ, Knight AC, and Smith JW. (2021) Impact of fat grip attachments on muscular strength and neuromuscular activation during resistance exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 35(Suppl 1):S152-S157. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002954.
Krings BM, Waldman HS, Shepherd BD, McAllister MJ, Fountain BJ, Lamberth J, and Smith JW. (2021) The metabolic and performance effects of carbohydrate timing in resistance trained males undergoing a carbohydrate restricted diet. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 46(6):626-636. DOI: 10.1139/apnm-2020-0830.
Smith JW, M. Bello, and Price FG. (2021) A case-series observation of sweat rate variability in endurance trained athletes. Nutrients. 13(6):1807. DOI: 10.3390/nu13061807.
Gillen ZM, Shoemaker ME, Bohannon NA, Gibson SM, Cramer JT. (2020) Comparing the torque- and power-velocity relationships between children and adolescents during isokinetic leg extension muscle actions. Human Movement Sciene, 74. DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2020.102678
Gillen ZM, Shoemaker ME, McKay BD, Bohannon NA, Gibson SM, Cramer JT. (2020) Leg extension strength, explosive strength, muscle activation, and growth as predictors of vertical jump height and peak power in youth athletes. Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise, 2(4): 336-348. DOI: 10.1007/s42978-020-00067-0
Krings BM, McAllister MJ, Shepherd BD, Waldman HS, and Smith JW. (2020) Effects of carbohydrate mouth rinsing on upper body resistance exercise performance. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 30(1). 42-47. DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2019–0073.
Price FG, Turner AJ, Smith JW, Krings BM, Waldman HS, Chander H, Knight AC, and McAllister MJ. (2020) The effects of high-intensity interval training on performance of Division I college 800/1500 m runners. International Journal of Kinesiology & Sports Science. 8(3). 28-35. DOI: 10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.8n.3p.28.