Abstract
It is well known that musculoskeletal atrophy arises among astronauts and bedridden patients. This is one of main issues on space medicine and clinical medicine. We proposed a "hybrid exercise method" (hereafter, abbreviated as HYB exercise) in which antagonist was stimulated electrically for generating resistance against the volitional contraction of agonist. The HYB exercise, which utilizes electrically stimulated antagonist force as a resistance of joint movement instead of the gravity, would become a useful exercise method in the weightless environment. The HYB exercise was examined in upper and lower limbs under a normal situation and a simulated microgravity. We confirmed its advantages and found it be tedious in a long-term exercise. The purpose of this study is to develop a training system for maintaining and increasing motivation for training. The training system is based on a virtual reality containing entertainment.
