Effect of rest interval length on the volume completed during upper body resistance exercise

The purpose of the current study was to compare the workout volume (sets x resistance x repetitions per set) completed during two upper body resistance exercise sessions that incorporated 1 minute versus 3 minute rest intervals between sets and exercises. Twelve trained men completed two experimental sessions that consisted of 5 upper body exercises (i.e. barbell bench press, incline barbell bench press, pec deck flye, barbell lying triceps extension, triceps pushdown) performed for three sets with an 8- RM load. The two experimental sessions differed only in the length of the rest interval between sets and exercises; one session with a 1-minute and the other session with a 3-minute rest interval. The results demonstrated that for each exercise, significantly greater workout volume was completed when resting 3 minutes between sets and exercises (p \u3c 0.05). These results indicate that during a resistance exercise session, if sufficient time is available, resting 3 minutes between sets and exercises allows greater workout volume for the upper body exercises examined

Influence of upper-body exercise order on hormonal responses in trained men

The aim of this study was to examine acute hormonal responses after different sequences of an upper-body resistance-exercise session. Twenty men completed 2 sessions (3 sets; 70% 1-repetition maximum; 2 min passive rest between sets) of the same exercises in opposite sequences (larger to smaller vs. smaller to larger muscle-group exercises). Total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), testosterone/cortisol (T/C) ratio, sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), growth hormone (GH), and cortisol (C) concentrations were measured before and immediately after each sequence. The results indicate that the GH concentration increased after both sessions, but the increase was significantly greater (p \u3c 0.05) after the sequence in which larger muscle-group exercises were performed prior to the smaller muscle-group exercises. No differences were observed between sessions for TT, FT, SHBG, C, or the T/C ratio at baseline or immediately after resistance exercise. These results indicate that performing larger muscle-group exercises first in an upper-body resistance-exercise session leads to a significantly greater GH response. This may have been due to the significantly greater exercise volume accomplished. In summary, the findings of this investigation support the common prescriptive recommendation to perform larger-muscle group exercises first during a resistance-exercise session

Effect of resistance exercise on vascular reactivity and adipocytokines of overweigth/obese women

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorIntrodução O exercício resistido (ER) agudo parece resultar em importantes efeitos sobre a liberação de substâncias vasoativas e sobre o controle endotélio-dependente do tônus vascular. Objetivos O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar os efeitos agudos de um ER isolado sobre a pressão arterial (PA), frequência cardíaca (FC), fluxo sanguíneo do antebraço (FSA), condutância vascular (CV), respostas endotelial e inflamatória de mulheres jovens com sobrepeso/obesidade (Sp/Ob). Materiais e Métodos As voluntárias foram separadas em grupos: controle (n = 16) e Sp/Ob (n = 16). Ambos os grupos realizaram cinco séries de 10 repetições com 70% de uma repetição máxima (1-RM) no exercício de flexão unilateral do cotovelo. A PA, FC e o FSA (medido por pletismografia por oclusão venosa), foram avaliados em repouso e durante uma hora após o ER em ambos os grupos. Adipocitocinas e endotelina-1 (ET-1) foram avaliadas em repouso nos dois grupos e após o ER apenas no grupo Sp/Ob. Resultados O grupo Sp/Ob apresentou massa corporal e IMC significativamente maiores que o controle (p<0,05). Surpreendentemente, o grupo Sp/Ob apresentou relação cintura-quadril significativamente menor (p<0,05). As diferenças entre grupos nas PAs diastólica e média observadas antes do ER (repouso) foram também observadas imediatamente e 20 minutos após a sessão de ER (p<0,05). Ambos os grupos apresentaram reduções significativas na PA diastólica imediatamente após a sessão de ER (p<0,01). A PA média apresentou redução significativa imediatamente após a sessão de ER apenas no grupo controle (p<0,05). O grupo Sp/Ob apresentou valores de FSA significativamente maiores que o controle em repouso (p<0,05), em 20 (p<0,01) e em 40 (p<0,01) minutos após o ER. A CV não apresentou diferença em repouso, porém em 20 e 40 minutos após o ER, o grupo Sp/Ob apresentou valores significativamente maiores (p<0,01). Em repouso e imediatamente após a sessão de ER, não foram observadas diferenças entre o grupo controle e o grupo Sp/Ob na vasodilatação endotélio-dependente. Deve-se ressaltar que em 30 minutos após a realização do ER, o grupo Sp/Ob apresentou maior vasodilatação endotélio-dependente que o controle (p<0,05). Surpreendentemente, a vasodilatação endotélio-independente em repouso era menor no grupo controle quando comparado ao grupo Sp/Ob (p<0,05). Entretanto, não foi observada diferença significativa entre os grupos 50 minutos após a sessão de ER. Como esperado, o grupo Sp/Ob apresentou valores significativamente menores de adiponectina (p<0,01) e significativamente maiores de IL-6 e leptina que o grupo controle (p<0,001). Foram observadas reduções significativas nos valores de IL-6 (p<0,05) e leptina (p<0,01), enquanto a ET-1 (p<0,05) apresentou aumento significativo. Conclusões Em conclusão, a realização do ER resultou em melhora aguda do FSA, da CV e da vasodilatação endotélio-dependente concomitantemente com mudanças no perfil inflamatório e ET-1 de mulheres saudáveis com Sp/Ob.Introduction - Acute resistance exercise (RE) seems to have important effects on release of vasoactive substances and on endothelium-dependent control of vascular tone. Objectives The aims of our study were to the acute effects of an isolated RE on blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), forearm blood flow (FBF), vascular conductance (VC), endothelial and inflammatory responses of overweight/obese (Ow/Ob) young women. Materials and Methods The volunteers were assigned in two groups: controls (n=16) and Ow/Ob (n=16). Both groups performed five sets of 10 repetitions with 70% of 1-RM in the unilateral elbow flexion exercise. BP, HR and FBF (determined by venous occlusion plethysmography) were evaluated at rest and along one hour after resistance exercise. Adipocytokines and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were evaluated at rest in both groups and after RE only in the Ow/Ob. Results - The Ow/Ob group presented significant higher body weight and BMI than controls. Of interest, the former group had significant lower waist-to-hip ratio (p<0.05). The significant differences between groups on diastolic and mean BP before resistance exercise (at resting) were observed immediately after and at 20 minutes post-exercise (p<0.05). Differences as a resultant of exercise in each group separately were noted and expressed as significant reduction in diastolic BP immediately post-exercise in both groups (p<0.01). Mean BP reduced immediately post-exercise only in controls (p<0.05). Significant higher basal FBF not only at resting (p<0.05) but also at 20 (p<0.01) and 40 minutes post-exercise (p<0.01) were evident in Ow/Ob group. Although basal FBF was different between groups at resting, basal VC was not. Of note, VC at 20 (p<0.01) and 40 minutes (p<0.01) post-exercise was higher in the Ow/Ob group compared to controls. At resting and immediately post-exercise, no differences between controls and Ow/Ob were observed in endothelial-dependent vasodilatation. We should emphasize that surprisingly Ow/Ob at 30 minutes post-exercise had higher responses than controls on the referred variable (p<0.05). Endothelial-independent vasodilatation at rest was lower in control compared to Ow/Ob group (p<0.05); however no additional significant difference between these groups was noticed at 50 minutes post-exercise. As expected, adiponectin was lower (p<0.01) while IL-6 and leptin levels were higher in Ow/Ob (p<0.001). Of note, we should highlight that during post-exercise period, significant reductions in IL-6 (p<0.05) and leptin (p<0.01) were observed, while ET-1 increased (p<0.05). Conclusions In conclusion, acute resistance exercise improved BF, VC, endothelial-dependent vasodilatation, inflammatory profile and ET-1 of healthy Ow/Ob women

Volume for muscle hypertrophy and health outcomes: The most effective variable in resistance training

Resistance training is the most effective method to increase muscle mass. It has also been shown to promote many health benefits. Although it is deemed safe and of clinical relevance for treating and preventing a vast number of diseases, a time-efficient and minimal dose of exercise has been the focus of a great number of research studies. Similarly, an inverted U-shaped relationship between training dose/volume and physiological response has been hypothesized to exist. However, the majority of available evidence supports a clear dose-response relationship between resistance training volume and physiological responses, such as muscle hypertrophy and health outcomes. Additionally, there is a paucity of data to support the inverted U-shaped response. Although it may indeed exist, it appears to be much more plastic than previously thought. The overarching principle argued herein is that volume is the most easily modifiable variable that has the most evidenced-based response with important repercussions, be these muscle hypertrophy or health-related outcomes

Influência da ordem dos exercícios no desempenho do número de repetições com baixa intensidade de carga em homens destreinados

Introduction: Exercise order may significantly affect muscle strength performance. Objective: To compare the maximum repetition performance and perceived exertion adopting different orders exercises. Methods: Thirty-six untrained men (27.86 ± 2.89 years) performed two exercise sequences: SEQA – the order was: bench press (BP), lat pull down (LPD), shoulder press (SP), biceps curl (BC), triceps curl (TC), leg press (LP), leg extension (LE) and leg curl (LC); SEQB – the reverse order was adopted to TC, BC, SP, LPD, BP, LC, LE, LP. Results: BP, LPD, BC and TC repetition performance was significantly higher during SEQA when compared to SEQB. However, no differences were noted for LC, LE and LP. The perceived exertion showed differences for the following exercises: LC, BC and TC. Conclusion: Therefore, the main muscle groups should be exercised at the beginning of training session

Exercise Order in Resistance Training

Resistance training (RT) is now an integral component of a well rounded exercise programme. For a correct training prescription, it is of the utmost importance to understand the interaction among training variables, such as the load, volume, rest interval between sets and exercises, frequency of sessions, exercise modality, repetition velocity and, finally, exercise order. Sports medicine research has indicated that exercise order is an important variable that affects both acute responses and chronic adaptations to RT programmes. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to analyse and discuss exercise order with relevance to acute responses (e.g. repetition performance) and also the expression of chronic adaptable characteristics (e.g. maximal strength and hypertrophy). To accomplish this purpose, the Scielo, Science Citation Index, National Library of Medicine, MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and CINAHL databases were accessed to locate previously conducted original scientific investigations. The studies reviewed examined both acute responses and chronic adaptations with exercise order as the experimental variable. Generally, with relevance to acute responses, a key finding was that exercise order affects repetition performance over multiple sets, indicating that the total repetitions, and thus the volume, is greater when an exercise is placed at the beginning of an RT session, regardless of the relative amount of muscle mass involved. The pre-exhaustion method might not be an effective technique to increase the extent of neuromuscular recruitment for larger muscle groups (e.g. pectoralis major for the bench press) when preceded by a single-joint movement (e.g. pec-deck fly). With relevance to localized muscular endurance performance, oxygen consumption and ratings of perceived exertion, the limited amount of research conducted thus far indicates that exercise order does not appear to impact the acute expression of these variables. In terms of chronic adaptations, greater strength increases were evident by untrained subjects for the first exercise of a given sequence, while strength increases were inhibited for the last exercise of a given sequence. Additionally, based on strength and hypertrophy (i.e. muscle thickness and volume) effect-size data, the research suggests that exercises be ordered based on priority of importance as dictated by the training goal of a programme, irrespective of whether the exercise involves a relatively large or small muscle group. In summary, exercise order is an important variable that should receive greater attention in RT prescription. When prescribed appropriately with other key prescriptive variables (i.e. load, volume, rest interval between sets and exercises), the exercise order can influence the efficiency, safety and ultimate effectiveness of an RT programme

The Effect of Exercise Order in Circuit Training on Muscular Strength and Functional Fitness in Older Women

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(4): 657-665, 2019.The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of different orders of exercises in circuit training on strength and functional fitness in older women over a 12-week period. After 10 repetition maximum (10-RM) and functional fitness baseline testing, thirty older women were randomly assigned into two groups. The exercise order for Group 1 was leg press, wide-grip lat pulldown, knee extension, pec deck fly, plantar flexion and triceps extension; Group 2 performed the same exercises, but in the opposite order: triceps extension, plantar flexion, pec deck fly, knee extension, wide-grip lat pulldown and leg press. Both groups performed the circuit three times with a load that permitted 8 to 10 repetitions per exercise set. Both groups exhibited gains in 10-RM strength and functional fitness test performance (p ≤ 0.05). In Comparing groups, the G1 presented greater strength gains for the wide-grip lat pulldown, while G2 showed higher values for the plantar flexion and triceps extension exercises (p ≤ 0.05). Both circuit exercise orders were effective and could be applied to promote strength and functional fitness gains. However, based on the results for the wide-grip lat pulldown, plantar flexion and triceps extension, it seems that exercise order should be considered when specific muscle weaknesses are a priority, so that these muscles are trained first within a circuit