title: The effects of low-intensity resistance training with vascular restriction on leg muscle strength in older men.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of two types of resistance training protocols on the adaptation of skeletal muscle strength in older men. Thirty-seven healthy male subjects (50-64 years) participated in this study. Subjects were assigned to one of three groups: high-intensity (80% 1-RM) resistance training (RT80); low-intensity (20% 1-RM) resistance training with vascular restriction (VR-RT20); and a control group (CON) that performed no exercise. Subjects in both exercise groups performed three upper body (at 80% 1-RM) and two lower body exercises either with (20% 1-RM) or without (80% 1-RM) vascular restriction three times a week for 6 weeks. As expected, the RT80 and VR-RT20 groups had significantly (p < 0.01) greater strength increases in all upper body and leg press exercises compared with CON, however, absolute strength gains for the RT80 and VR-RT20 groups were similar (p > 0.05). It should be noted that the percentage increase in leg extension strength for the RT80 group was significantly greater than that for both the VR-RT20 (p < 0.05) and CON groups (p < 0.01), while the percentage increase in leg extension strength for the VR-RT20 group was significantly (p < 0.01) greater than that for the CON. The findings suggested that leg muscle strength improves with the low-load vascular restriction training and the VR-RT20 training protocol was almost as effective as the RT80 training protocol for increasing muscular strength in older men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Texas at Brownsville/Texas Southmost College, Brownsville, TX 78520, USA. murat.karabulut@utb.edu
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karabulut
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bemben
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D001827:Body Height / Q000502:physiology; D000075202:Contraindications; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology; D055070:Resistance Training; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology