Impact of Different Resistance Training Protocols on Balance, Quality of Life and Physical Activity Level of Older Women.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) and physical fitness are key factors for quality of life (QoL) for older women. The aging process promotes the decrease in some capacities such as strength, which affect the activities of daily life. This loss of strength leads to a reduction in balance and an increased risk of falls as well as a sedentary lifestyle. Resistance Training (RT) is an effective method to improve balance and strength but different RT protocols can promote different responses. Power training has a higher impact on the performance of activities of daily life. Therefore, our study aimed to analyze if different RT protocols promote individual responses in balance, QoL and PA levels of older women and which are more effective for the older women. METHODS: Ninety-four older women were divided into four RT groups (relative strength endurance training, SET; Traditional strength training, TRT; absolute strength training, AST; power training, PWT) and one control group (CG). Each RT group performed a specific protocol for 16 weeks. At baseline and after 8 and 16 weeks, we assessed balance through the Berg balance scale; PA levels with a modified Baecke questionnaire and QoL with World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and World Health Organization Quality of Life-OLD module (WHOQOL-OLD). RESULTS: Balance improved after 16 weeks (baseline vs. 16 weeks; p < 0.05) without differences between all RT groups. PWT (2.82%) and TRT (3.48%) improved balance in the first 8 weeks (baseline vs. 8 weeks; p < 0.05). PA levels increased in PWT, TRT and AST after 16 weeks (baseline vs. 16 weeks; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: All RT protocols improved PA levels and QoL after 16 weeks of training. For the improvement of balance, QoL and PA, older women can be subjected to PWT, AST and SET, and not be restricted to TRT.

Ischemic Preconditioning Improves Resistance Training Session Performance.

ABSTRACT: da Silva Novaes, J, da Silva Telles, LG, Monteiro, ER, da Silva Araujo, G, Vingren, JL, Silva Panza, P, Reis, VM, Laterza, MC, and Vianna, JM. Ischemic preconditioning improves resistance training session performance. J Strength Cond Res 35(11): 2993-2998, 2021-The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effect of ischemic preconditioning (IPC) in a resistance exercise (RE) training session on the number of repetitions performed, total volume, and rating of perceived exertion in recreationally trained and normotensive men. Sixteen recreationally trained and normotensive men completed 3 RE sessions in a counterbalanced and randomized order: (a) IPC protocol using 220 mm Hg followed by RE (IPC), (b) IPC cuff control protocol with 20 mm Hg followed by RE (CUFF), and (c) no IPC (control) followed by RE (CON). RE was performed with 3 sets of each exercise (bench press, leg press, lateral pulldown, hack machine squat, shoulder press, and Smith back squat) until concentric muscular failure, at 80% of one repetition maximum, with 90 seconds of rest between sets and 2 minutes of rest between exercises. Ischemic preconditioning and CUFF consisted of 4 cycles of 5 minutes of occlusion/low pressure alternating with 5 minutes of no occlusion (0 mm Hg) using a pneumatic tourniquet applied around the subaxillary region of the upper arm. For each condition, the number of repetitions completed, total volume of work performed, and rating of perceived exertion were determined. No significant difference was found for rating of perceived exertion between any experimental protocol. Ischemic preconditioning significantly (p < 0.05) increased the number of repetitions across exercises. Consequently, total volume performed (sum of total number of repetitions x load for each exercise) was significantly higher in IPC (46,170 kg) compared with CON (34,069 kg) and CUFF (36,590 kg) across all exercises. This work may have important implications for athletic populations because it demonstrates increase in muscle performance outcomes during a single RE session. Therefore, performing IPC before RE could be an important exercise prescription recommendation to increase maximum repetition performance and total volume of work performed and thus potentially increase desired training adaptations (i.e., strength and hypertrophy).

Ischemic Preconditioning Promotes Post-Exercise Hypotension in a Session of Resistance Exercise in Normotensive Trained Individuals.

Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) is a method that has been used prior to resistance exercise to improve performance. However, little is known about its effect before a resistance exercise training session on hemodynamic responses. Thus, the aim of the study was to verify the acute effect of IPC before a session of resistance exercises on the systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean blood pressure (MBP) of trained normotensive trained individuals. Sixteen men (25.3 ± 1.7 years; 78.4 ± 6.2 kg; 176.9 ± 5.4 cm, 25.1 ± 1.5 m2.kg-1) trained in resistance exercise (RE) (5.0 ± 1.7 years) were evaluated in five sessions on non-consecutive days. The first two sessions' subjects performed one repetition maximum (RM) test and retest, and for the next three sessions, they performed the experimental protocols: (a) IPC + RE; (b) SHAM + RE; (c) RE. The RE protocol consisted of six multi-joint exercises, three sets at 80% of 1RM until concentric failure. Blood pressure was monitored pre-session, immediately after and every 10 min for 60 min after RE. IPC consisted of 4 × 5 min of vascular occlusion/reperfusion at 220 mmHg. SHAM (fake protocol) consisted of 20 mmHg of vascular occlusion/reperfusion. The IPC + RE protocol showed significant reductions on SBP, DBP, and MBP compared with SHAM + RE (p < 0.05) and with RE (p < 0.05). The IPC + RE protocol presented a greater magnitude and duration of post-exercise hypotension (PEH) from 20 to 60 min after exercise in SBP (-11 to 14 mmHg), DBP (-5 to 14 mmHg), and MBP (-7 to 13 mmHg). Therefore, we can conclude that the application of IPC before an RE session potentiated the PEH in normotensive individuals trained in resistance exercise.

Static Stretch Performed After Strength Training Session Induces Hypotensive Response in Trained Men.

Sousa, AC, Gomes, TM, Sousa, MS, Saraiva, AR, Araujo, GS, Figueiredo, T, and Novaes, JS. Static stretch performed after strength training session induces hypotensive response in trained men. J Strength Cond Res 33(11): 2981-2990, 2019-The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effect of 3 different combinations between passive static stretching exercises (SE) with resistance training (RT) on blood pressure (BP) response in normotensive trained men. Twenty-six volunteer subjects (age: 26.1 ± 5.4 years; body mass: 86.5 ± 10.5 kg; height: 1.78 ± 0.6 cm) participated in this study. After assessing 10 repetition maximum loads for the bench press, lat pulldown, shoulder press, leg press, leg extension, and leg curl, the subjects were randomly assigned on 3 experimental conditions: (a) static SE were performed before the RT session (SE + RT); (b) static SE were performed after the RT session (RT + SE); and (c) static SE were performed between the RT session (RTSE). The BP was measured for 60 minutes after the RT session. The 2-way analysis of variance for repeated measures showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the experimental conditions. In within comparisons, only the RT + SE experimental condition did not cause significant increases (p = 0.07) on systolic blood pressure (SBP) when compared the baseline and post-test moments (132.2 ± 10.7 vs. 141.3 ± 18.1 mm Hg). In addition, hypotensive effects were found in SBP only in the RT + SE experimental condition when compared SBP baseline (132.2 ± 10.7 mm Hg) vs. SBP30 minutes (121.7 ± 11.8 mm Hg; p = 0.04), SBP45 minutes (120.6 ± 9.8 mm Hg; p = 0.03), and SBP60 minutes (120.0 ± 7.9 mm Hg; p = 0.00). These findings suggest that performing static SE after the RT session provide an ideal combination for a postexercise hypotensive response from 30 minutes after exercise (and this change was enhanced up to 60 minutes). In conclusion, strength and conditioning professionals can prescribe static SE after RT if the goal is to reduce blood pressure after training.

Order Effects of Resistance and Stretching Exercises on Heart Rate Variability and Blood Pressure in Healthy Adults.

da Silva Araujo, G, Behm, DG, Monteiro, ER, de Melo Fiuza, AGF, Gomes, TM, Vianna, JM, Reis, MS, and da Silva Novaes, J. Order effects of resistance and stretching exercises on heart rate variability and blood pressure in healthy adults. J Strength Cond Res 33(10): 2684-2693, 2019-The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effect of different combinations and order of resistance exercise (RE) and stretching exercise (SE) on heart rate variability, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Twenty subjects, recreationally trained, performed 5 sessions in a random order: (a) SE followed by RE no rest (SE + RE), (b) RE followed by SE no rest (RE + SE), (c) SE between RE sets (SBE), (d) SE isolated, and (e) RE isolated. Heart rate variability, SBP, and DBP were collected for 15 minutes before (baseline) and 60 minutes after each experimental session. A significant decrease was found for standardized deviation of differences between adjacent normal r-r intervals (RMSSDms) SE + RE (-50.79%), SE (+9.2%), SBE (-42.8%), and RE (-46.3%). Similarly, a significant increase was found for LFnu in SE + RE (+12.8%) and SBE (+16.6%). In addition, a significant decrease was found for HFnu in SE + RE (-34.8%) and SBE (-39.7%). Finally, a significant decrease was found for SBP in SE (-6.1%). In conclusion, this study indicated that SE followed by RE promotes a reduction in LFnu and RMSSDnu, with trivial to small magnitude decreases in SBP. Therefore, performing SE either before or between RE would be an important exercise prescription recommendation to lower cardiac load and consequently greater safety.