This study was designed to investigate the comparative effectiveness of free weights and the Universal Centurion in improving muscular strength. The subjects were twenty-two male students enrolled at Loma Linda University in La Sierra, California. Subjects were divided into two experimental groups, one training with free weights and the other with the Universal Centurion. The bench press exercise was utilized as both the exercise medium for the eight-week training period and also as the testing medium for the pre- and post-tests.
Pre- and post-test differences between the two groups were compared by an analysis of covariance. Results of the analysis revealed that the Universal training group demonstrated significantly greater post-test strength than did the free weight training group.
It is concluded that an individual would develop significantly greater strength in the bench press exercise by training on the Universal Centurion than with free weights.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study was designed to investigate the comparative effectiveness of free weights and the Universal Centurion in improving muscular strength. The subjects were twenty-two male students enrolled at Loma Linda University in La Sierra, California. Subjects were divided into two experimental groups, one training with free weights and the other with the Universal Centurion. The bench press exercise was utilized as both the exercise medium for the eight-week training period and also as the testing medium for the pre- and post-tests.</p> <p>Pre- and post-test differences between the two groups were compared by an analysis of covariance. Results of the analysis revealed that the Universal training group demonstrated significantly greater post-test strength than did the free weight training group.</p> <p>It is concluded that an individual would develop significantly greater strength in the bench press exercise by training on the Universal Centurion than with free weights.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Davies, David J."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Physical Education and Health","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Walter S. Hamerslough","Vernon L. Scheffel","Sandy R. Cavanaugh"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1985,"date_issued":"1985-03-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"1985-03-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:52Z","subjects":["Health and Physical Education","Physical Therapy","Weight lifting; Bodybuilding"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1052","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Walter S. Hamerslough","Vernon L. Scheffel","Sandy R. Cavanaugh"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Davies, David J."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Physical Education and Health"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Health and Physical Education","Physical Therapy","Weight lifting; Bodybuilding"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1052"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study was designed to investigate the comparative effectiveness of free weights and the Universal Centurion in improving muscular strength. The subjects were twenty-two male students enrolled at Loma Linda University in La Sierra, California. Subjects were divided into two experimental groups, one training with free weights and the other with the Universal Centurion. The bench press exercise was utilized as both the exercise medium for the eight-week training period and also as the testing medium for the pre- and post-tests.
Pre- and post-test differences between the two groups were compared by an analysis of covariance. Results of the analysis revealed that the Universal training group demonstrated significantly greater post-test strength than did the free weight training group.
It is concluded that an individual would develop significantly greater strength in the bench press exercise by training on the Universal Centurion than with free weights.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Comparison of Strength Improvement on Free Weights and the Universal Centurion"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Walter S. Hamerslough","Vernon L. Scheffel","Sandy R. Cavanaugh"],"dc:creator":["Davies, David J."],"dc:description.abstract":["This study was designed to investigate the comparative effectiveness of free weights and the Universal Centurion in improving muscular strength. The subjects were twenty-two male students enrolled at Loma Linda University in La Sierra, California. Subjects were divided into two experimental groups, one training with free weights and the other with the Universal Centurion. The bench press exercise was utilized as both the exercise medium for the eight-week training period and also as the testing medium for the pre- and post-tests.
Pre- and post-test differences between the two groups were compared by an analysis of covariance. Results of the analysis revealed that the Universal training group demonstrated significantly greater post-test strength than did the free weight training group.
It is concluded that an individual would develop significantly greater strength in the bench press exercise by training on the Universal Centurion than with free weights.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1052"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Health and Physical Education","Physical Therapy","Weight lifting; Bodybuilding"],"dc:title":["A Comparison of Strength Improvement on Free Weights and the Universal Centurion"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Physical Education and Health"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:52:52Z"}