Human Performance and Body Composition Lab | Nutrition and Health Sciences | College of Education and Human Sciences

Located in the Carolyn Pope Edwards Hall on UNL's City Campus, the Human Performance and Body Composition Laboratory operates under the direction of Dr. Terry Housh. The lab serves as a cornerstone for advanced studies in exercise physiology and nutritional science while serving two essential functions:

Providing a dynamic educational environment where students engage with advanced concepts through hands-on learning experiences
Conducting research in a state-of-the-art facility to advance the knowledge of human performance optimization and physiological adaptations across diverse populations

Our facility is equipped with precision equipment which enables comprehensive assessment of human performance and body composition:

Digitimer Nerve Stimulator: Delivers precise electrical stimulation to nerves to assess neuromuscular function, measure nerve conduction velocity, and evaluate muscle fatigue characteristics.
Lode Corival Cycle Ergometer: A precision bicycle ergometer that provides accurate workload control for cardiovascular fitness testing, exercise prescription research, and performance assessment.
Treadmills: Used for cardiorespiratory fitness assessment, gait analysis, and exercise protocols requiring controlled walking or running conditions.
Monark Cycle Ergometers: Mechanical or electronically-braked cycle ergometers used for Wingate testing, cardiorespiratory fitness assessment, and submaximal exercise protocols.
Biodex System 3 & System 4 Dynamometer Systems: Advanced isokinetic testing systems that measure muscle force, torque, power, and endurance across multiple joint movements and speeds.

Biopic Data Acquisition System: Collects and analyzes physiological data including heart rate, blood pressure, and other biometric signals during exercise interventions.
Delays EMG Decomposition System: Analyzes electromyographic signals to identify individual motor unit action potentials, providing insights into neuromuscular recruitment patterns.
Delays High Density EMG System: Captures detailed surface electromyography data using multiple electrodes to map muscle activation patterns during various movements.
GE Ultrasound Systems: Provides real-time imaging of muscle architecture, thickness, and pinnation angles to assess musculoskeletal adaptations to training.
Underwater Weighing Body Composition System: Gold-standard method for determining body density and calculating body fat percentage using Archimedes' principle.

Free Weights: Used for resistance training studies, strength assessment, and researching acute and chronic adaptations to resistance exercise.
Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzer: Measures body composition by sending a low-level electrical current through the body to determine fat mass and fat-free mass.
Tendo Strength and Power System: Measures movement velocity during resistance exercises to calculate power output and monitor explosive strength development.
Parvo Metabolic Carts: Analyze respiratory gas exchange to determine oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and energy expenditure during exercise.
Wingate Anaerobic System: Assesses anaerobic power and capacity through a 30-second maximal cycling protocol, measuring peak power, mean power, and fatigue index.

Our laboratory investigates the interplay between muscular function and human performance. We examine muscular adaptation, fatigue mechanisms, and performance optimization while exploring how nutritional supplementation affects health and athletic outcomes.

Integrated Approach

We combine kinesiology (the study of human movement through mechanics, anatomy, and physiology) with nutrition and exercise physiology to analyze and enhance the physiological foundations of health and fitness.

Research Spectrum

Our work spans multiple domains which include:

Nutritional supplement development for athletic performance enhancement
Growth and development patterns in young athletes
Fatigue analysis and its performance implications across populations
Physiological adaptation mechanisms to various training stimuli

This integrated research approach allows us to develop evidence-based protocols that serve both athletic performance advancement and broader health applications.