Influence of Load Intensity on Postexercise Hypotension and Heart Rate Variability after a Strength Training Session

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare blood pressure and heart rate variability (HRV) responses in trained men after strength training (ST) sessions with loads of 60, 70, and 80% of a 1 repetition maximum (1RM). Eleven men (age: 26.1 ± 3.6 years; body mass: 74.1 ± 8.1 kg; height: 172.0 ± 4.0 cm; body mass index: 25.0 ± 1.96 kg·m(-2); %G: 18.3 ± 6.4) with at least 6-month ST experience participated in this study. After assessment of 1RM loads for the bench press (BP), lat pull-down (LPD), shoulder press (SP), biceps curl (BC), triceps extension (TE), leg press (LP), leg extension (LE), and leg curl (LC), subjects performed 3 experimental sessions in random order. During each experimental session, subjects performed 3 sets of 8-10 repetitions at 60, 70, or 80% of 1RM loads, with 2-minute rest intervals between sets and exercises. All experimental sessions were performed in the following exercise order: BP, LPD, SP, BC, TE, LP, LE, and LC. Before and for 1 hour after each experimental session, blood pressure and HRV were tracked. The results demonstrated a greater duration of postexercise hypotension (PEH) after the 70% of 1RM session vs. the 60 or 80% of 1RM session. These results indicate that the load/volume associated with completion of 8-10 repetitions at 70% of 1RM load may provide the best stimulus for the PEH response when compared with training with a 60 or 80% of 1RM loads. In conclusion, strength and conditioning professionals may prescribe exercises with 60, 70, and 80% of 1RM loads if the intent is to elicit an acute decrease in blood pressure after an ST session; however, 70% of 1RM provides a longer PEH.

Hypotension and heart rate variability after resistance exercise performed maximal and submaximal order

“…Após executarem o protocolo de exercício programado para o seu grupo, foram novamente postos sentados em repouso absoluto, e enfim, tiveram sua PA aferida durante 60 minutos, em ciclos de 10 minutos (Figueiredo et al, 2015). A PA foi aferida sempre no braço direito, com o manguito posicionado 2 centímetros acima da fossa antecubital, com o indivíduo sentado, costas apoiadas, braços e pernas descruzados.…”

“…Os dados foram registrados após 15 minutos de repouso absoluto durante dez e sessenta minutos pré e pós-exercício respectivamente estando o indivíduo sentado, com pontos de corte de 10 em 10 minutos para efeito de análise (Figueiredo et al, 2015). Uma rotina previamente elaborada no software Matlab (version 6.0, Mathworks, Massachusetts, USA) foi utilizada para análise dos dados no domínio da freqüência.…”

“…Já Ricci-Vitor et al (2013) observaram o efeito do treinamento de força em pacientes com doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica e encontraram como resultado uma melhora na modulação autonômica cardíaca a favor do aumento do componente parassimpático. Ainda, Figueiredo et al (2015) após submeterem sua amostra a três protocolos de treinamento de força com intensidades diferentes, não observaram diferença significativa no comportamento da VFC nos momentos seguintes a execução dos protocolos.…”

Clustering vs Multi-Sets Method in Resistance Training: Effect on Heart Rate Variability

“…Rio-Rodriguez et al (12) analyzed the acute effect of two methods in resistance training (clustering and multi-sets) on HRV in moderately trained individuals and demonstrated that HRV reduced in both conditions, although the multi-sets method revealed significantly greater attenuation. In the same direction, Figueiredo et al (13) reported a decrease in HRV after performing resistance training sessions (60, 70 and 80% of 1RM), adopting the multi-sets method. It is worth mentioning again that the respective studies evaluated the acute effect of resistance training on HRV.…”

“…Although studies have indicated that resistance training performed with an intensity greater than 60% of 1RM causes autonomic nervous system disturbance, representing on the reduction of HRV (12,13), the scientific literature pointed out that exposure to repeated stimuli (aerobic exercise), as long as there is balance between stress and recovery, can lead to an increase in HRV (3,7). According to Peçanha et al (1), the increase in HRV can be explained by the optimization of the activation of the parasympathetic band and reduction of the sympathetic tone, which is explained by the reduction in plasma concentration of norepinephrine.…”