Abstract
<p>Design and Procedures. This study was designed to compare the effects of an aerobic running program with an anaerobic weight training program. Thirty-one male subjects, chosen from a residential substance abuse rehabilitation program, were randomly assigned to three groups, (1) a distance running group; (2) a weight training group; and (3) a waiting list, control group. Subjects exercised three times a week for approximately one hour per session over the course of an eight-week training period. A randomized, posttest only, control group design was utilized.Dependent measures included the cognitive and somatic scales of the Cognitive-Somatic Anxiety Questionnaire (CSAQ) and three electromyograph (EMG) measures. EMG measures were obtained under three separate conditions, (1) during five minutes of relaxation; (2) during six minutes of viewing a "stress-producing" film; and (3) during five minutes of relaxation following viewing of the film. One-way analyses of variance were used to test null hypotheses.Results. There were no significant differences among the three groups on the basis of self reported cognitive or somatic anxiety as measured by the CSAQ. On the other hand, significant differences among the three groups were found when EMG measures were taken. During the period of relaxation, both the running and the control group were less anxious than the weight training group (p < .05). Also, during the period of relaxation following the film, the running group was less anxious than the weight training group (p < .05).Conclusions. The following conclusions, based on the results of this study, seem justified: (1) Lower physiological anxiety levels, as measured by EMG during a period of relaxation, are associated with aerobic running rather than with anaerobic weight training. (2) Lower physiological anxiety levels, as measured by EMG following induced stress, are associated with aerobic running rather than with anaerobic weight training.</p>