Changes in heart rate variability and post exercise blood pressure from manipulating load intensities of resistance-training

Background: The isolated effect of resistance training (RT) on heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure (BP) is crucial when prescribing suitable training programmes for healthy individuals. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare BP and HRV responses in physically active men after an acute RT session with loads of 5-, 10- or 15-repetition maximums (5RM, 10RM and 15RM). Method: Eighty-one men (age: 21.6±1.1yr; body mass: 74.1±5.8 kg; height: 175.3 ±7.1cm) who performed moderate to vigorous physical activities for at least 30 min a day on most days of the week participated in this study. After the of 5RM loads for the bent-over row (BR), bench press (BEP), Dead-lift (DL) and squats (SQ), participants were divided into three training load groups (15RM = GrpL, 10RM = GrpM or 5RM = GrpH). During the experimental session, each group (n=27) performed 3 sets for each of the four exercise, with 2-min rest intervals between sets and exercises with their assigned training load. BP and HRV were measured prior to, immediately after, and at 15-min intervals until two hours post-experiment. Results: All three groups attained improved BP (p = .001) reductions and longer HRV (p = .0001) changes after an acute exercise session but the GrpM (10RM) and and GrpL (15RM) performed better than GrpH (5RM). Conclusion: Strength and conditioning professionals may prescribe exercises with 10-15RM loads if the aim is to obtain an acute reduction in BP after an RT session

Effects of Post-Activation Potentiation (PAP) warm-up on vertical jump performance among volleyball players

This study aims to examine the effects of resistance versus complex exercise with the retention of post-activation potentiation (PAP) on vertical jump among volleyball players. A total of 30 volleyball players (mean age = 16.5 ± 1.106 years old) were recruited as participants of this study. The participants were requested to attend two different testing sessions, with two days between each session. Each session had a different exercise routine, namely, resistance and complex. A one-way repeated measure was used to analyse the performance of the vertical jump, while a pairwise comparison was applied to compare the retention of PAP between the resistance and complex exercises. The findings show that there is a significant interaction for both warm-up exercises; [(F(1,29)=1275.57, p=0.000] for resistance exercise and [(F(1,29) = 1456.83, p= 0.000] for complex exercise. The retention analysis for PAP effect also indicates that there is a significant difference between the two warm-up activities in vertical jump performance. In conclusion, this study reveals that both exercises managed to increase PAP among volleyball players. However, complex exercise is suggested to be combined with the warm-up method as it can maintain a longer retention than resistance exercise

Changes in Heart Rate Variability and Post Exercise Blood Pressure from Manipulating Load Intensities of Resistance-Training

Background: The isolated effect of resistance training (RT) on heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure (BP) is crucial when prescribing suitable training programmes for healthy individuals. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare BP and HRV responses in physically active men after an acute RT session with loads of 5-, 10- or 15-repetition maximums (5RM, 10RM and 15RM). Method: Eighty-one men (age: 21.6±1.1yr; body mass: 74.1±5.8 kg; height: 175.3 ±7.1cm) who performed moderate to vigorous physical activities for at least 30 min a day on most days of the week participated in this study. After the of 5RM loads for the bent-over row (BR), bench press (BEP), Dead-lift (DL) and squats (SQ), participants were divided into three training load groups (15RM = GrpL, 10RM = GrpM or 5RM = GrpH). During the experimental session, each group (n=27) performed 3 sets for each of the four exercise, with 2-min rest intervals between sets and exercises with their assigned training load. BP and HRV were measured prior to, immediately after, and at 15-min intervals until two hours post-experiment. Results: All three groups attained improved BP (p = .001) reductions and longer HRV (p = .0001) changes after an acute exercise session but the GrpM (10RM) and and GrpL (15RM) performed better than GrpH (5RM). Conclusion: Strength and conditioning professionals may prescribe exercises with 10-15RM loads if the aim is to obtain an acute reduction in BP after an RT session

Evaluation of differences in the performance strategies of top and bottom basketball teams utilizing rank-sum ratio comprehensive

Introduction: This study aimed to explore common characteristics among top basketball teams, differentiate attacking and defensive performance between top and bottom teams, and correlate attacking and defensive performance with final competition rankings during the 2019 Men's Basketball World Cup, as well as to determine the relationship between performance indicators and the attacking and defensive performance. In addition, the study aimed to determine the attacking and defensive level of the top and bottom eight teams and find their existing problems and shortcomings, to further improve their competitive basketball strength, and also provided valid and reliable information for coaches to conduct targeted training in the future. Methods: The rank-sum ratio (RSR) was employed to evaluate the attack, defense, and overall attacking and defensive performance between the top and bottom teams during the 2019 Men's Basketball World Cup. Additionally, an independent sample T-test was conducted to test the difference in performance indicators of attack and defense between the top eight and bottom eight teams. Spearman Rho Correlation was conducted to determine the relationship between the attacking and defensive RSR value and the final competition ranking at the 0.05 confidence level. Pearson Correlation was employed to test the relationship between the performance indicators and the attacking and defensive RSR value at the 0.05 confidence level. According to Spearman and Pearson Correlation, the indicators which contributed most to the attacking and defensive performance, as well as the correlation between attack and defense and the final ranking, can thus be determined. Results: The results showed that the attacking performance of the top eight teams was far better than the bottom eight teams in terms of average points (p = 0.000), 2-point shoot percentage (p = 0.001), 3-point shoot percentage (p = 0.003), free throw percentage (p = 0.001), turnovers (p = 0.012), and assists (p = 0.000), and there was a significant difference (p 0.05), and the offensive rebounds of the bottom eight teams were better than the top eight teams. Additionally, there was a large gap between the top eight teams and the bottom eight teams in lost points (p = 0.001) and defensive rebounds (p = 0.000), with a very significant difference (p 0.05). Additionally, there was a very significant difference between attack RSR (p = 0.000), defense RSR (p = 0.006), and the overall attack-defense RSR (p = 0.000) of the top eight and bottom eight teams (p < 0.01), and most top teams focused on developing both attack and defense and paid attention to improve the overall attacking and defensive ability. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between the overall attack-defense performance and assists (p = 0.832), rebounds (p = 0.762), turnovers (p = 0.702), 2-point shoot percentage (p = 0.704), defensive rebounds (p = 0.809), fast-break points (p = 0.577), blocks (p = 0.600), and free throw percentage (p = 0.575). Conclusions: This study showed that the top basketball teams focused on developing both attack and defense, and have the common characteristics of strong attack and defense. Whether it was the attack, defense, or overall attacking and defensive ability, there was a significant relationship with the final ranking. Additionally, this study showed that there were very significant differences in both attacking and defensive abilities between the top eight and bottom eight teams, as well as highlighted their respective advantages and disadvantages in attacking and defensive indicators. Besides that, this study found that performance indicators such as assists, defensive rebounds, 2P%, turnovers, FT%, fast-breaks, and blocks were the main factors that distinguish the top and bottom teams, and they had a significant relationship with overall attacking and defensive performance. The above information allows coaches and players to learn the latest developments in competitive basketball, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, to help them organize targeted training in the future

Empagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background The effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease who are at risk for disease progression are not well understood. The EMPA-KIDNEY trial was designed to assess the effects of treatment with empagliflozin in a broad range of such patients. Methods We enrolled patients with chronic kidney disease who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 20 but less than 45 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) of body-surface area, or who had an eGFR of at least 45 but less than 90 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (with albumin measured in milligrams and creatinine measured in grams) of at least 200. Patients were randomly assigned to receive empagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or matching placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of progression of kidney disease (defined as end-stage kidney disease, a sustained decrease in eGFR to &lt; 10 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2), a sustained decrease in eGFR of &amp; GE;40% from baseline, or death from renal causes) or death from cardiovascular causes. Results A total of 6609 patients underwent randomization. During a median of 2.0 years of follow-up, progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes occurred in 432 of 3304 patients (13.1%) in the empagliflozin group and in 558 of 3305 patients (16.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.82; P &lt; 0.001). Results were consistent among patients with or without diabetes and across subgroups defined according to eGFR ranges. The rate of hospitalization from any cause was lower in the empagliflozin group than in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.95; P=0.003), but there were no significant between-group differences with respect to the composite outcome of hospitalization for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes (which occurred in 4.0% in the empagliflozin group and 4.6% in the placebo group) or death from any cause (in 4.5% and 5.1%, respectively). The rates of serious adverse events were similar in the two groups. Conclusions Among a wide range of patients with chronic kidney disease who were at risk for disease progression, empagliflozin therapy led to a lower risk of progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes than placebo