The Effects of Acute Aerobic Exercise versus Resistance Exercise on Mood State

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of acute aerobic exercise versus resistance exercise on mood state. Male and female participants (N = 20; mean age = 22.25 ± 3.37) completed a resistance exercise bout consisting of three sets of 12 repetitions for five exercises and an aerobic exercise bout consisting of walking on the treadmill. The exercise bouts were matched for intensity and duration. Participants completed the Profile of Mood States-Short Form (POMSSF) before and after both exercise bouts, and scores were compared using repeated measures ANOVAs. A significant difference in mean mood state scores from the beginning to the end of exercise was found in the tension, anger, fatigue, depression, and confusion subscales of the POMS-SF. Effect sizes were greater with resistance exercise in the tension, depression, vigor, and confusion subscales of the POMS-SF. A significant difference in mean mood state scores between aerobic and resistance exercise was found in the vigor and confusion subscales of the POMS-SF. In conclusion, exercise appears to be effective in improving mood and either resistance or aerobic exercise can be performed for the benefit of mood enhancement.

Headnote

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of acute aerobic exercise versus resistance exercise on mood state. Male and female participants (N = 20; mean age = 22.25 ± 3.37) completed a resistance exercise bout consisting of three sets of 12 repetitions for five exercises and an aerobic exercise bout consisting of walking on the treadmill. The exercise bouts were matched for intensity and duration. Participants completed the Profile of Mood States-Short Form (POMSSF) before and after both exercise bouts, and scores were compared using repeated measures ANOVAs. A significant difference in mean mood state scores from the beginning to the end of exercise was found in the tension, anger, fatigue, depression, and confusion subscales of the POMS-SF. Effect sizes were greater with resistance exercise in the tension, depression, vigor, and confusion subscales of the POMS-SF. A significant difference in mean mood state scores between aerobic and resistance exercise was found in the vigor and confusion subscales of the POMS-SF. In conclusion, exercise appears to be effective in improving mood and either resistance or aerobic exercise can be performed for the benefit of mood enhancement.

Keywords: Exercise, depression, POMS, mood

Introduction

There is a wealth of evidence to suggest that exercise and physical activity improve mood state (e.g., Bartholomew, Morrison, & Ciccolo, 2005; Guszkowska & Sionek, 2009; McDonald & Hodgdon, 1991; Osei-Tutu & Campagna, 2005), yet there is no consensus on the exact mechanism by which exercise improves mood. Physical activity may serve as a period of relief from daily stressors (Estivill, 1995) and may increase the amount of specific neurotransmitters that affect mood, self-concept, and nervous system responses (Kirkcaldy & Shepherd, 1990). There is also limited understanding of the exact frequency, intensity, duration, and mode of exercise that may lead to improved mood state. In reference to mode of exercise, most studies have examined the effect of aerobic exercise on mood state and have found improved mood state following exercise (e.g., Bartholomew et al., 2005; Hansen, Stevens, & Coast, 2001; Osei-Tutu & Campagna, 2005).

A limited number of studies have examined the effect of resistance exercise and found improvements in mood state (Bartholomew, 1999; Engels, Drouin, Zhu, & Kazmierski, 1998; Maraika et al., 2005; Rocheleau, Webster, Bryan, & Frazier, 2004). Bartholomew (1999) found mood dropped below baseline immediately after resistance exercise; however, 30 minute post- exercise mood improved similarly to improvements found after aerobic exercise. Engels et al. (1998) and Maraika et al. (2005) found improvements in mood after a combination of resistance training and aerobic exercise similar to those found after aerobic exercise. In contrast, Rudolph and Jin Gu (1996) suggested that activities with a low aerobic component may not require enough energy to result in improved mood. Rocheleau et al. (2004) reported improved mood after resistance exercise; workout duration and level of exertion significantly moderated this relationship (i.e., an increase in either corresponded to greater improved mood). However, Netz and Lidor (2003) suggested high intensity exercise did not result in improved mood and instead low-intensity rhythmical exercise that is mindful based may improve mood the most.

Mood states are relatively long-term emotional states that are often (but not exclusively) either positive or negative (Mitchell & Phillips, 2007). In contrast to emotions, which involve cognitive appraisals in response to specific events (Frejda & Scherer, 2009), moods are diffuse and global (i.e., less likely a particular stimulus or event triggers it) ; they also are less intense than emotions (Morris, 1992). Moods are an integral component of our everyday lives and have wideranging impacts upon psychological and emotional well-being (Mitchell & Phillips 2007). A better understanding of the relationship between exercise and mood may lead to a better understanding and treatment of mood disorders such as depression (Steptoe & Cox, 1988). Depression affects one in every 10 adults in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2012) and more than 350 million people worldwide (World Health Organization [WHO], 2012). Costs related to major depression are substantial and encompass both direct health care costs as well as indirect costs such as loss of productivity, absenteeism, and early retirement (WHO, 2012). Depression also can negatively affect and worsen diseases and conditions such as arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity (CDC, 2012).

There is a need for greater understanding as to how exercise affects mood as well as an increased understanding of what mode (aerobic or resistance) of exercise is best. Learning more about how exercise affects mood may lead to an increased understanding of how exercise will affect depression. Exercise may then become a more common type of treatment and alternative to medications. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of an acute bout of resistance exercise and an acute bout aerobic exercise on mood state.

Method

Participants

The population of the current study was exercise science students at a small New England college. The researchers used a convenience sampling technique to recruit 20 (9 male and 11 female; Mean age = 22.25, SD = 3.37 years) volunteer participants. All participants were regular exercisers per current U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines, and reported no medical contraindications for exercise. Researchers excluded potential participants who did not meet these criteria from the study.

Instrumentation

The researchers used the Profile of Mood States-Short Form to assess mood (POMS-SF; Shacham, 1983). Shacham (1983) designed the POMS-SF with six subscales to measure six specific mood states; tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, vigor-activity, fatigue- inertia, and confusion-bewilderment. The tension-anxiety and vigor-activity subscale scores range from 0 to 24. The depression-dejection subscale score has a range from 0 to 32. The angerhostility subscale score has a range from 0 to 28. The vigor-activity subscale has six items, scores range from 0 to 24. Finally, the fatigue-inertia and confusion-bewilderment subscale scores range from 0 to 20. Total mood disturbance (range 0 - 124) is a function of these six scale scores.

Shacham (1983) formed the POMS-SF by eliminating items from the original Profile of Mood States (POMS; McNair, Forr, & Droppleman, 1971) with the least internal consistency and face validity. Curran, Andrykowski, and Studts (1995) found the POMS-SF to be highly correlated (r = .95) with the original POMS, which McNair, Forr, and Droppleman (1971) found to be valid and reliable in measuring mood.

The researchers selected Borg's Category Ratio (CR-10) Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale (Borg, 1998) to measure perceived exertion. The CRIO RPE scale ranges from 0-10, and participants select the number that best corresponds to the perceived intensity of the exercise bout. The scale has verbal anchors at "0" nothing at all, "0.5" very, very light, "1" very light, "2" fairly light, "3" moderate, "4" someivhat hard, "5" hard, "7" very hard, and "10" very, very hard (maximal). The CRIO RPE scale is based upon heart rate and blood lactate in the equation [(HR% + Bl%)/2] (Borg, Hassmen, & Fagerstroem, 1987). Borg, Hassmen, and Fagerstroem (1987) found the RPE scale to correlate with blood lactate and heart rate increases with workload during arm ergometry and bicycle ergometry.

Researchers used a Noramco HS Elite motorized treadmill (Noramco Fitness and Performance, Conroe, Texas) for aerobic exercise testing. Participants performed resistance exercise using free weights and Olympic bars (Cybex International, Medway, Massachusetts). Researchers used Polar E600 HR monitor (Polar USA, Fake Success, New York) to monitor heart rate (HR).

Procedures

Following approval of the study from the Institutional Review Board, the researchers verbally recruited participants from undergraduate and graduate exercise science classes at a small New England college. Individuals who wished to participate in the study signed an informed consent form and completed a medical history form. Researchers allowed individuals who did not have conflicting health or medical problems to participate in the study.

Pretest

Participants performed a 3 repetition max (RM) test which researchers then used to determine the load during the resistance training protocol. Exercises for the 3 RM test were the back squat and bench press. Researchers estimated 1 RM using individuals' 3 RM with the formula [1 RM = (weight lifted x # of reps x 0.033) + weight lifted] (Epley, 2004). The load the participants exercised with during the experimental protocol was 28% of the 1 RM, which is equal to 61% relative intensity. Researchers scheduled the resistance training experimental exercise bout 48 hours following the pretest. Researchers instructed participants to refrain from exercise for 24 hours prior to the experimental exercise bout and to follow their normal diet.

Experimental Testing

Participants began each session with a warm-up consisting of foam rolling and dynamic stretching, after which they completed the POMS-SF. Each session ended with a cool-down consisting of foam rolling and static stretching and re-administration of the POMS-SF. The researchers collected overall session RPE at the end of each exercise bout.

The resistance training exercise bout consisted of five exercises for the major muscle groups of the body: bench press, back squat, Romanian dead lift, bent over barbell row and plank. Participants performed three sets of 12 repetitions for each resistance exercise. Researchers recorded the total time of the resistance training bout from the start of the first exercise to the end of the last exercise, excluding warm-up and cool-down.

The aerobic exercise bout consisted of brisk walking at an incline on a treadmill at an intensity of 61% maximal HR. The researchers calculated maximal HR for each participant according to the Karvonen Formula (ACSM, 2013). To eliminate any effect of time, researchers matched the duration of the aerobic bout to the exact duration of the resistance training bout for each individual participant. To reach the desired exercise intensity, the researcher gradually increased the grade and pace of the treadmill, until the participants attained 61% of maximal heart rate (± 3 bpm). Researchers did not increase the treadmill speed to the point that participants needed to jog or run; once participants attained a brisk walking speed, researchers increased and maintained the intensity of the treadmill by changing the grade.

Statistical Analysis

Researchers used six repeated measures ANOVAs with two repeated measures factors for statistical analysis. The repeated factors were condition (i.e., aerobic and resistance training) and time (pre and post exercise session). The dependent variables were the subscale scores on the POMS'SF (Shacham, 1983). Researchers further analyzed significant ANOVA results using paired samples t'tests. As a manipulation check, researchers also compared the RPE scores from each experimental session using a paired samples t'test, with the expectation that there would be no difference between conditions. Researchers used IBM SPSS version 21 for statistical analysis, and set the level of significance at p < .05. Researchers calculated effect sizes using Cohen's d statistic (Cohen, 1988).

Results

The purpose of this study was to compare changes in mood state following a single bout of resistance exercise to changes in mood state following a single bout of aerobic exercise, which the researchers matched for both intensity and duration. Participants completed the POMS'SF before and after each exercise bout, and the researchers analyzed the subscale scores of the POMS'SF using six repeated measures ANOVAs. Mean duration of both the aerobic and resistance exercise bout was 20.85 min (SD = 2.21). Mean RPE for the resistance exercise bout was 2.90 (SD = 0.72) and mean RPE for the aerobic exercise bout was 3.30 (SD = 0.80). As the researchers expected, there was no significant difference in RPE between conditions t(19) = 0.13, p = .59. Table 1 presents descriptive statistics for the POMS'SF, and Table 2 presents summary ANOVA results. In the interests of parsimony, the researchers discuss only significant results below.

Interaction Effects

There was just one significant interaction effect which was for the POMS-SF subscale of confusion, F1,19) = 9.91, p = .00, 7]~ = 0.34. The researchers conducted follow-up post-hoc tests using paired samples t-tests. The pre-exercise subscale score for confusion in the resistance exercise condition (M = 2.80, SD = 2.04) was significantly higher than the pre-exercise subscale score for confusion in the aerobic exercise condition (M = 1.30, SD = 1.34), £(19) = 3.25, p = .00. However, the post-exercise subscale score for confusion in the resistance exercise condition (M = 1.00, SD = 1.56) was not significantly different from the post-exercise subscale score for confusion in the aerobic exercise condition (M = 0.70, SD = 1.17; p = .25). See Figure 1.

Main Effects

The main effect for time was statistically significant for the following POMS-SF subscales: Tension, F(l,19) = 24.11, p = .00, rf = 0.56; Anger F(l,19) = 24.20, p = .01, rf = 0.29, Fatigue F(1,19) = 7.63, p = .01, rf = 0.29; Depression F(l,19) = 10.29, p = .00, rf = 0.35; and Confusion F(1,19) = 33.78, p = .00, ri~ = 0.26. All scores were significantly greater preexercise in comparison to post-exercise (see Figure 2). Effect sizes (Cohen's d) for the main effect of time are in Table 1.

The main effect for condition was statistically significant for the POMS-SF subscales of vigor, F(1,19) = 10.94, p = .00, rf = 0.36, and confusion F(l,19) = 7.93, p = .01, rf = 0.29. The vigor score for the resistance exercise condition was significantly greater than the vigor score for the aerobic exercise condition across pre and posttest conditions (Cohen's d = .62). Likewise, the confusion score for the resistance exercise condition was significantly greater than the confusion score for the aerobic exercise condition across pre- and post-test conditions (Cohen's d = 0.99).

Discussion

The current study examined the effect of a single bout of aerobic and resistance exercise on mood. The purpose of the study was to determine whether mood state changed from pre- to post-exercise and whether the mode of exercise affected potential changes in mood state. In the present study, mood improved from before to after exercise in the tension, anger, fatigue, depression, and confusion subscales of the Profile of Mood States Short Form (POMS-SF; Shacham, 1983). Resistance exercise had a larger effect on tension (d = 1.10), depression (d = 0.73), vigor (d = -0.50), and confusion (d = 1.25) in comparison to aerobic exercise (d = 0.78, 0.49, -0.19, 0.57 respectively). Effect sizes for the subscale scores of anger and fatigue were comparable between resistance and aerobic exercise.

Researchers have found both aerobic and resistance exercise to improve mood states, but aerobic exercise appears to be the more researched mode of exercise. Hansen, Stevens, and Coast (2001) found improvements in vigor, fatigue, confusion, and overall mood the POMS measured when participants exercised at 60% of their age predicted maximal heart rate for three different durations: 10, 20, and 30 minutes of cycling on an ergometer. The present findings are partially consistent with Hansen et al. (2001) in that participant's fatigue and confusion (but not vigor) improved following an acute exercise bout of approximately 20 minutes. The present findings extend those of Hansen et al. to also encompass resistance training.

In a study by Roth (1989), active and inactive participants performed 20 minute aerobic exercise on a bicycle ergometer, and researchers used the POMS to examine any exerciseinduced changes in mood. Results indicated exercise activity significantly altered mood, with reductions in tension specifically evident. The tension subscale scores improved in both the fit and unfit groups, suggesting fitness level does not affect changes in mood state due to exercise. The present study used an active sample, and findings regarding the tension subscale scores were consistent.

Fewer studies have examined the effect of resistance exercise on mood. Bartholomew (1999) examined the effects of resistance exercise on manipulated pre-exercise mood and reported an anxiolytic effect of exercise when compared to a placebo activity. Rocheleau, Webster, Bryan, and Frazier (2004) found improved mood following an acute bout of resistance training, and reported that workout duration and level of exertion significantly moderated the relationship of exercise to mood improvement. In the present study, researchers controlled for the duration and intensity of exercise; however, future studies comparing aerobic and resistance exercise might consider examining these variables.

The current study demonstrated a significant condition x time interaction for scores on the confusion subscale of the POMS. Post-hoc tests revealed that confusion scores were significantly higher prior to exercise in the resistance exercise, compared to the aerobic exercise condition, but there was no significant difference post-exercise. A potential explanation for this is that the resistance exercise bout was more cognitively demanding than the aerobic exercise bout. The resistance exercise bout consisted of three sets of 12 reps for five different exercises, while the aerobic exercise bout consisted of walking on the treadmill for a set duration. The aerobic exercise bout may have been more straightforward and easier to understand than the resistance exercise bout, and this may have accounted for the variation in confusion subscale scores before exercise, and the time by condition interaction for confusion. Future research comparing aerobic and resistance exercise should include a habituation trial in order to eliminate this potential effect.

Limitations and Future Directions

In assessing the findings of the current study, readers should note several limitations. First, participants were all college students who experienced fluctuating personal stress levels during the period of data collection, which may have affected mood state scores. Second, the POMS'SF measures six distinct mood states, but does not necessarily capture the entire domain of mood in that there may be other mood states that the POMS'SF did not measure. Therefore, others cannot draw inferences beyond the distinct mood states the POMS'SF measured. Finally, the researchers conducted this study with participants who fall under the medium to high physical activity level classification according to the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Further research should directly compare the effects of aerobic and resistance exercise on mood in participants who are more representative of the general population.

An interesting line of research would be to compare the effects of aerobic versus resistance exercise on mood in depressed participants. The effects of exercise on mood can possibly be the most useful in individuals with mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Future research also should seek to investigate the effect of combined aerobic and resistance exercise on mood state and depression. One entity has recommended a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise for overall lifelong health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008), and researchers should determine whether a combination of both is also beneficial for mood state and depression.

Conclusions

The current study suggests exercise is effective in improving mood, and this is associated with a moderate to large effect (Cohen, 1988). For the POMS'SF subscales of tension, anger, depression, and fatigue, there was no significant difference in rate of mood improvement between modes of exercise, although effect sizes were slightly higher with resistance training for the subscales of tension and depression. Considering this, individuals seeking exercise for the benefit of mood enhancement can perform resistance or aerobic exercise.

Sidebar

Discussion Questions

1. Discuss some of the potential mechanisms by which exercise improves mood state.

2. How does mood differ from emotion?

3. What further studies would be valuable to enhance this research?

To Cite this Article

Chase, R., & Hutchinson, J. (2015, Summer). The effects of acute aerobic exercise versus resistance exercise on mood state. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 7(2), 5-16.

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