title: Effects of the intensity of leg isometric training on the vasculature of trained and untrained limbs and resting blood pressure in middle-aged men.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to establish whether changes in resting blood pressure and the vasculature of trained and untrained limbs are dependent on training intensity, following isometric-leg training. Thirty middle-aged males undertook an 8 week training programme (4 × 2 min bilateral-leg isometric contractions 3 times per week). Two groups trained at either high (HI; 14%MVC) or low (LO; 8%MVC) intensity a third group (CON) acted as controls. All parameters were measured at baseline, 4-weeks and post-training. Resting SBP (-10.8 ± 7.9 mmHg), MAP (-4.7 ± 6.8 mmHg) and HR (-4.8 ± 5.9 b·min(-1)) fell significantly in the HI group post-training with concomitant significant increases in resting femoral mean artery diameter (FMAD; 1.0 ± 0.4 mm), femoral mean blood velocity (FMBV; 0.68 ± 0.83 cm·s(-1)), resting femoral artery blood flow (FABF; 82.06 ± 31.92 ml·min(-1)) and resting femoral vascular conductance (FVC, 45%). No significant changes occurred in any brachial artery measure nor in any parameters measured in the LO or CON groups. These findings show that training-induced reductions in resting blood pressure after isometric-leg training in healthy middle-aged men are associated with concomitant adaptations in the local vasculature, that appear to be dependent on training intensity and take place in the later stages of training.
authors.affiliation: Sport and Exercise Science, University of Northampton, Park Campus, Boughton Green Road, Northampton NN2 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Anthony W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Baross
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Wiles
authors.forename: Ian L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Swaine