Lattari, E, Vieira, LAF, Oliveira, BRR, Unal, G, Bikson, M, de Mello Pedreiro, RC, Marques Neto, SR, Machado, S, and Maranhão-Neto, GA. Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation with caffeine intake on muscular strength and perceived exertion. J Strength Cond Res 33(5): 1237–1243, 2019—The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) associated with caffeine intake on muscular strength and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Fifteen healthy young males recreationally trained (age: 25.3 ± 3.2 years, body mass: 78.0 ± 6.9 kg, height: 174.1 ± 6.1 cm) were recruited. The experimental conditions started with the administration of caffeine (Caff) or placebo (Pla) 1 hour before starting the anodal tDCS (a-tDCS or sham). There was an intake of 5 mg·kg−1 of Caff or 5 mg·kg−1 of Pla. After the intake, a-tDCS or sham was applied in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with intensity of 2 mA and 20 minutes of duration. The experimental conditions were defined as Sham + Pla, a-tDCS + Pla, Sham + Caff, and a-tDCS + Caff. After the conditions, muscular strength and RPE were verified. Muscular strength was determined by volume load performed in bench press exercise. Muscular strength in Sham + Pla condition was lower compared with all others conditions (p < 0.05). The RPE in the Sham + Pla was greater compared with a-tDCS + Caff (p < 0.05). Muscular strength was greater in all experimental conditions, and a-tDCS + Caff had lower RPE compared with placebo. When very little gains in muscle strength are expected, both caffeine and tDCS were effective in increasing muscle strength. Besides, the improvement in RPE of the caffeine associated with a-tDCS could prove advantageous in participants experienced in strength training. In fact, coaches and applied sport scientists quantitating the intensity of training based on RPE.

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Rodrigues, GM, Machado, S, Faria Vieira, LA, Ramalho de Oliveira, BR, Jesus Abreu, MA, Marquez, G, Maranhão Neto, GA, and Lattari, E. Effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation on training volume and pleasure responses in the back squat exercise following a bench press. J Strength Cond Res 36(11): 3048–3055, 2022—This study aimed to investigate the effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) on volume-load and pleasure responses in a back squat following a bench press. Twelve male subjects advanced in resistance training (RT) (age, 25.5 ± 4.4 years) completed 2 experimental trials in a counterbalanced crossover design: a-tDCS and sham conditions. The stimulus was applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 20 minutes using a 2-mA current intensity in a-tDCS condition and 1 minute of active stimulus in the sham condition. Immediately after stimulation, subjects performed the bench press followed by the back squat. The exercise protocol consisted of 3 sets of maximum repetitions at an intensity of 80% of 1 repetition maximum. The volume-load, perceived pleasure, and arousal responses were measured during the RT protocol. The results indicated that volume-load was higher in the a-tDCS condition than in the sham condition for both exercises (p = 0.02), with large effect for the back squat (p = 0.045; d = 0.96). The higher volume-load was obtained by increasing the number of repetitions across all sets for the bench press (p ≤ 0.0001) and only in the first set for the back squat (p = 0.01). The circumplex model analysis showed a higher pleasure in the bench press and a tendency toward a higher pleasure in the a-tDCS condition. Anodal tDCS may be used as an ergogenic resource for increasing the back squat volume after performing the bench press in resistance-trained male subjects.

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Introdução: Há uma falta de conhecimento sobre o perfil de saúde das pessoas que frequentam as academias de ginástica. Objetivo: Investigar a prevalência de hipertensão arterial (HA) e sua associação com Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) e Circunferência da Cintura (CC) em frequentadores de academias no município do Rio de Janeiro. Métodos: A amostra foi constituída de 2836 mulheres e 1707 homens com idades entre 19 e 64 anos. A HA foi diagnosticada como pressão arterial ≥140/90 mm Hg. Todas as medidas antropométricas seguiram as diretrizes preconizadas pela International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. Resultados: As prevalências de HA (10,9%), sobrepeso (30,3%) e obesidade (11,5%), foram significativamente maiores nos homens e associados com a idade, e a prevalência de CC elevada (56,6%) foi significativamente maior em mulheres e se associou com a idade (p<0,001). Apesar da prevalência de HA ter sido relativamente baixa, tanto o IMC quanto o CC mostraram-se marcadores associados a HA. Conclusão: Profissionais que trabalham em academias de ginástica devem ter conhecimento sobre a importância desses indicadores e principalmente sobre a sua relação com a HA.