Moderate-intensity exercise with blood flow restriction on cardiopulmonary kinetics and efficiency during a subsequent high-intensity exercise in young women

Abstract

Blood flow restriction (BFR) training applied prior to a subsequent exercise has been used as a method to induce changes in oxygen uptake pulmonary kinetics (trueV˙O2P) and exercise performance. However, the effects of a moderate-intensity training associated with BFR on a subsequent high-intensity exercise on trueV˙O2P and cardiac output (QT) kinetics, exercise tolerance, and efficiency remain unknown.This prospective physiologic study was performed at the Exercise Physiology Lab, University of Brasilia. Ten healthy females (mean ± SD values: age = 21.3 ± 2.2 years; height = 1.6 ± 0.07 m, and weight = 55.6 ± 8.8 kg) underwent moderate-intensity training associated with or without BFR for 6 minutes prior to a maximal high-intensity exercise bout. trueV˙O2P, heart rate, and QT kinetics and gross efficiency were obtained during the high-intensity constant workload exercise test.No differences were observed in trueV˙O2P, heart rate, and QT kinetics in the subsequent high-intensity exercise following BFR training. However, exercise tolerance and gross efficiency were significantly greater after BFR (220 ± 45 vs 136 ± 30 seconds; P < .05, and 32.8 ± 6.3 vs 27.1 ± 5.4%; P < .05, respectively), which also resulted in lower oxygen cost (1382 ± 227 vs 1695 ± 305 mL min–1).We concluded that moderate-intensity BFR training implemented prior to a high-intensity protocol did not accelerate subsequent trueV˙O2P and QT kinetics, but it has the potential to improve both exercise tolerance and work efficiency at high workloads.