Cadets Lassalle and McGovern are working on a project seeking to determine the effects of heavy load carriage on oxygen consumption and energy expenditure in males and females.

Carrying a heavy ruck sack requires the use of many accessory muscles to balance and bear the weight. Moreover, the constriction of the chest and shoulders by the pack’s straps increase the effort and work of breathing, which can cause fatigue of the diaphragm. Both of these effects may reduce exercise efficiency and lead to premature fatigue. Interestingly, prior research has established that females may have more resistance to diaphragm fatigue, which may positively influence their load carriage endurance. Cadet Lassalle and McGovern will test this hypothesis.  

I have worked with Cadets Lassalle and McGovern on prior research projects and had them in my Exercise Physiology course. They are both excellent students, work well as a team, and have shown impressive aptitude for research. Cadet Lassalle has already presented work from a prior project at a regional conference and co-authored a paper with me that is in review at Physiological Reports. As such, I offered them the opportunity to take charge of this project and am thrilled they accepted. They are responsible for all aspects of the study including the Institutional Review Board proposal/approval process, pilot testing, data collection, analysis, and manuscript writing. Based on my experience with them, I have no doubt that they will be successful and produce an impactful study published in a high impact journal.

Lt. Col. Dan Baur, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Human Performance and Wellness
A Lexington native, Lt. Col. Baur's primary research interests are military/human performance and ergogenic aids. Specifically, he investigates the physiological impact of heavy load carriage in different environments including simulated high altitude.

His teaching responsibilities include Exercise Physiology, The Physiology of Military and Endurance Performance, Boxing Fitness, and Principles of Physical Conditioning.