The effect of acute resistance exercise on feelings of energy and fatigue.
We examined the effect of acute moderate- to high-intensity resistance exercise on feelings of energy and fatigue in sedentary college women reporting a persistent above-average frequency of fatigue. Fourteen sedentary female volunteers reporting persistent fatigue completed three counterbalanced conditions [70% one-repetition maximum (1-RM), 15% 1-RM/placebo, and a no-exercise control]. In the exercise conditions, participants performed four sets of 10 repetitions of three lower-body resistance exercises. The Profile of Mood States-Brief Form (POMS-B) vigour and fatigue mood scores were obtained immediately before conditions, every 11 min and 40 s during conditions, and 20 and 30 min after conditions. The data showed a significant main effect for vigour (P = 0.01). Vigour scores were significantly higher for the 70% 1-RM than the control condition (P = 0.01). No significant difference was observed between the 70% 1-RM and 15% 1-RM/placebo conditions. There was a significant main effect for fatigue (P = 0.04). Fatigue scores were significantly lower for the 15% 1-RM/placebo than the control condition (P = 0.04). Acute moderate- to high-intensity lower-body resistance exercise increased feelings of energy during and after exercise compared with the control. It is unclear whether this effect is a placebo effect because, while it did not differ from the placebo condition, we cannot rule out that resistance exercise at a wide range of intensities produces increased feelings of energy.
Department of Kinesiology, The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA. mph8@uga.edu
Matthew P
MP
Herring
Patrick J
PJ
O'Connor
D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055070:Resistance Training; D055815:Young Adult