Handgrip exercise induces sex-specific mean arterial pressure and oxygenation responses but similar performance fatigability

Various modalities of resistance exercise promote similar acute cognitive improvements and hemodynamic increases in young, healthy adults

The aim was to examine the effects of modalities of acute resistance exercise (RE) on cognition and hemodynamics including internal carotid artery (ICA) blood flow (BF). Twenty adults completed familiarization and experimental visits. One-repetition maximum (1RM) for bilateral leg extension was quantified, and baseline executive functioning was determined from three run-in visits. Subsequent visits included three randomized, volume-equated, acute exercise bouts of 30 %1RM+blood flow restriction (BFR), 30 %1RM, and 70 %1RM. Both 30 %1RM trials completed four sets of exercise (1 × 30, 3 × 15), and the 70 %1RM condition completed four sets of 8 repetitions. BFR was induced with 40 % of the pressure to occlude the femoral arteries. 11 min following each exercise, participants completed the Stroop and Shifting Attention Tests. Baseline and post-exercise values were used to calculate change scores. The resulting mean change scores were evaluated with mixed factorial ANOVAs. A p≤0.05 was considered significant. All measured outcome variables increased in response to exercise. The ANOVAs for cognitive scores indicated no significant (p>0.05) interactions. For cognitive flexibility and executive function index, there were main effects of Sex. Change scores of the females were significantly greater than the males for cognitive flexibility (7.6 ± 5.9 vs. -2.6 ± 8.4 au; p=0.007) and executive function index (7.4 ± 4.6 vs. -2.5 ± 6.5 au; p=0.001). For ICA BF, there was no significant interaction or any main effect. The females exhibited a smaller exercise-induced increase in blood pressure compared to the males (17.7 ± 5.9 vs. 11.0 ± 4.1 mmHg; p=0.010). Each RE modality yielded acute improvements in cognition, but only for females. There were no cognitive improvements related to BFR such that each RE bout yielded similar results.

No Effect of Breakfast Consumption Observed for Afternoon Resistance Training Performance in Habitual Breakfast Consumers and Nonconsumers: A Randomized Crossover Trial

BACKGROUND

Pre-exercise meal frequency is commonly believed to impact exercise performance, but little is known about its impact on resistance training.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the impact of breakfast consumption on afternoon resistance training performance in habitual breakfast consumers and nonconsumers.

DESIGN

A randomized, crossover study was conducted in Lubbock, TX between November 2021 and May 2022.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-nine resistance-trained male (n = 20) and female (n = 19) adults (mean ± SD age 23.0 ± 4.7 years) who habitually consumed (≥5 d/wk; n = 19) or did not consume (≥5 d/wk; n = 20) breakfast completed the study.

INTERVENTION

After the establishment of 1-repetition maximums at the first visit, participants completed 2 additional visits, each of which included 4 sets of barbell back squat, bench press, and deadlift, using 80% of their 1-repetition maximum after either consuming breakfast and lunch or the same food at lunch only.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Repetitions, along with average and peak average concentric velocity and power, were measured for all repetitions throughout each exercise session. Visual analog scales were used to assess feelings of fatigue, energy, focus, hunger, desire to eat, and fullness throughout each exercise session.

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED

Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models.

RESULTS

No interactions or main effects involving condition or habitual breakfast consumption were observed for resistance training outcomes, although sex differences were noted. Male participants performed significantly fewer repetitions on sets 2, 3, and 4 (P < .014) for total repetitions, on sets 2 and 4 for barbell back squat (P < .023), and set 4 for deadlift (P = .006), with no observed differences between sexes for bench press repetitions. Male participants displayed reductions in average power across all sets and exercises except deadlift.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest that alterations in pre-exercise meal frequency may not influence afternoon resistance training performance provided similar total nutritional intake is consumed.

Are performance and perceived fatigability dependent on the anchor scheme of fatiguing isometric tasks in men?

BACKGROUND

Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) can be used to regulate exercise intensity. This study examined the effect of anchor scheme on performance fatigability and neuromuscular responses following fatiguing forearm flexion tasks.

METHODS

Twelve men (age 20.9±2.2 years; height 179.8±5.3 cm; body mass 80.2±9.9 kg) performed sustained, isometric forearm flexion tasks to failure anchored to RPE=6 (RPEFT) and the torque (TRQFT) that corresponded to RPE=6. Pre-test and post-test maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC) were performed to quantify changes in the amplitude (AMP) and mean power frequency (MPF) of the electromyographic (EMG) and mechanomyographic (MMG) signals. Neuromuscular efficiency (NME) was calculated by dividing normalized torque by normalized EMG AMP. A dependent t-test was used to assess the mean difference for time to task failure (TTF). Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare mean differences for performance fatigability and normalized neuromuscular parameters.

RESULTS

The RPEFT had a greater TTF than the TRQFT (P<0.001). MVIC and NME decreased from pre-test to post-test following the RPEFT and TRQFT (P<0.05) with no differences between anchor schemes. Following the TRQFT, normalized EMG MPF decreased from pre-test to post-test (P=0.004). Following the RPEFT, normalized MMG MPF increased from pre-test to post-test (P=0.021). There were no changes in normalized EMG AMP or MMG AMP (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicated anchor scheme-specific neuromuscular responses and TTF, despite no difference in performance fatigability. Furthermore, performance fatigability was likely due to peripheral fatigue (based on normalized EMG MPF and NME) following the TRQFT, but peripheral and central fatigue (based on normalized MMG MPF and NME) following the RPEFT.

Sex-specific microvascular and hemodynamic responses to passive limb heating in young adults

OBJECTIVE

We examined sex-specific microvascular reactivity and hemodynamic responses under conditions of augmented resting blood flow induced by passive heating compared to normal blood flow.

METHODS

Thirty-eight adults (19 females) completed a vascular occlusion test (VOT) on two occasions preceded by rest with or without passive heating in a randomized, counterbalanced order. Skeletal muscle tissue oxygenation (StO2, %) was assessed with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and the rate of desaturation and resaturation as well as maximal StO2 (StO2max) and prolonged hypersaturation (area under the curve, StO2AUC) were quantified. Before the VOT, brachial artery blood flow (BABF), vascular conductance, and relative BABF (BABF normalized to forearm lean mass) were determined. Sex × condition ANOVAs were used. A p-value ≤.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Twenty minutes of heating increased BABF compared to the control (102.9 ± 28.3 vs. 36.0 ± 20.9 mL min-1; p < .01). Males demonstrated greater BABF than females (91.9 ± 34.0 vs. 47.0 ± 19.1 mL min-1; p < .01). There was no sex difference in normalized BABF. There were no significant interactions for NIRS-VOT outcomes, but heat did increase the rate of desaturation (-0.140 ± 0.02 vs. -0.119 ± 0.03% s-1; p < .01), whereas regardless of condition, males exhibited greater rates of resaturation and StO2max than females.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that blood flow is not the primary factor causing sex differences in NIRS-VOT outcomes.

Myofascial release induces declines in heart rate and changes to microvascular reactivity in young healthy adults

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to compare physiological responses to myofascial release (MFR) and passive limb movement (PLM).

DESIGN

Nineteen (23 ± 2.6yrs) adults (10 men and 9 women) completed two experiments on separate days: MFR and PLM. Participation included collecting ultrasound images, blood pressure, and heart rate (HR) as well as performing a vascular occlusion test (VOT). The VOT assessed muscle tissue oxygenation (StO2) with near-infrared spectroscopy. Experiments consisted of moving the upper limb to release subtle barriers of resistance in the muscle/fascia (MFR) and passive, assisted range of motion (PLM).

RESULTS

There was a significantly (p = 0.012) greater decrease in HR following MFR (-7.3 ± 5.2 BPM) than PLM (-1.3 ± 0.9 BPM). There was an equivalent change in brachial blood flow (-17.3 ± 23.0 vs. -11.9 ± 14.9 mL min-1; p = 0.37) and vascular conductance (-19.3 ± 31.1 vs. -12.4 ± 15.3 mL min-1 mmHg-1; p = 0.38). Microvascular responses differed between the experiments such that MFR exhibited greater area under the curve (AUC, 1503 ± 499.1%∙s-1 vs. 1203 ± 411.1%∙s-1; p = 0.021) and time to maximum StO2 (40.0 ± 8.4s vs. 35.8 ± 7.3s; p = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

As evidenced by HR, MFR induced greater parasympathetic activity than PLM. The greater AUC and time to StO2max following MFR suggested a spillover effect to induce prolonged hyper-saturation. These results may be of interest to those investigating possible MFR-related rehabilitative benefits.

Effect of exercise modalities on postexercise hypotension in pre- and postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Hormonal changes associated with menopause increase the risk of hypertension. Postexercise hypotension (PEH) is an important tool in the prevention and management of hypertension; however, menopause may alter this response. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis [International Prospective Registered of Systematic Review (PROSPERO): CRD42023297557] was to evaluate the effect of exercise modalities (aerobic, AE; resistance, RE; and combined exercise, CE: AE + RE) on PEH in women, according to their menopausal status (premenopausal or postmenopausal). We searched controlled trials in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Science Direct published between 1990 and March 2023. Inclusion criteria were normotensive, pre- and hypertensive, pre- and postmenopausal women who performed an exercise session compared with a control session and reported systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) for at least 30 min after the sessions. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Standardized mean differences (Hedge's g) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and Q-test and Z-test were conducted to assess differences between moderators. Forty-one trials with 718 women (474 menopausal) were included. Overall, we found with moderate evidence that SBP and DBP decreased significantly after exercise session (SBP: g = -0.69, 95% CI -0.87 to -0.51; DBP: g = -0.31, 95% CI -0.47 to -0.14), with no difference between premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Regarding exercise modalities, RE is more effective than AE and CE in lowering blood pressure (BP) in women regardless of menopausal status. In conclusion, women's menopausal status does not influence the magnitude of PEH, and the best modality to reduce BP in women seems to be RE.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This meta-analysis has demonstrated that a single bout of exercise induces postexercise hypotension (PEH) in women and that the hormonal shift occurring with menopause does not influence the magnitude of PEH. However, we have shown with moderate evidence that the effectiveness of exercise modalities differs between pre- and postmenopausal women. Resistance and combined exercises are the best modalities to induce PEH in premenopausal women, whereas resistance and aerobic exercises are more effective in postmenopausal women.

Effect of a home-based isometric handgrip training programme on systolic blood pressure in adults: A randomised assessor-blinded trial

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effects of 20 weeks of home-based isometric handgrip training (IHT) compared with usual care on systolic blood pressure (SBP) in adults.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

This was a randomised, controlled, assessor-blinded trial. Participants were randomised to either IHT (intervention group) or usual care (control group).

INTERVENTIONS

Participants randomised to the intervention group performed a session of 16 min of effective workout home-based IHT three times per week for 20 weeks. Participants randomised to the control group were asked to continue their daily activities as usual.

OUTCOMES

The primary outcome was the difference in SBP between groups over 20 weeks. Secondary outcomes were diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, handgrip strength, and self-administered home blood pressure measures.

RESULTS

Forty-eight adults (mean [SD] age, 64 [8] years) were included in this trial. The adjusted between-group mean difference in SBP was 8.12 mmHg (95% CI 0.24 to 16.01, p = 0.04) - favouring the usual care group. No differences between groups were found in any of the home blood pressure measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial showed that 20 weeks of home-based isometric handgrip training was not superior compared to the usual care in lowering SBP.

Acute Effects of Continuous and Intermittent Blood Flow Restriction on Sprint Interval Performance and Muscle Oxygen Responses

ABSTRACT

Wizenberg, AM, Gonzalez-Rojas, D, Rivera, PM, Proppe, CE, Laurel, KP, Stout, JR, Fukuda, DH, Billaut, F, Keller, JL, and Hill, EC. Acute effects of continuous and intermittent blood flow restriction on sprint interval performance and muscle oxygen responses. J Strength Cond Res 37(10): e546-e554, 2023-This investigation aimed to examine the acute effects of continuous and intermittent blood flow restriction (CBFR and IBFR, respectively) during sprint interval training (SIT) on muscle oxygenation, sprint performance, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Fifteen men (22.6 ± 2.4 years; 176 ± 6.3 cm; 80.0 ± 12.6 kg) completed in random order a SIT session with CBFR, IBFR (applied during rest), and no blood flow restriction (NoBFR). Each SIT session consisted of two 30-second all-out sprint tests separated by 2 minutes. Peak power (PP), total work (TW), sprint decrement score (S dec ), RPE, and muscle oxygenation were measured during each sprint. A p value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. PP decreased to a greater extent from sprint 1 to sprint 2 during CBFR (25.5 ± 11.9%) and IBFR (23.4 ± 9.3%) compared with NoBFR (13.4 ± 8.6%). TW was reduced similarly (17,835.6 ± 966.2 to 12,687.2 ± 675.2 J) from sprint 1 to sprint 2 for all 3 conditions, but TW was lower (collapsed across time) for CBFR (14,320.7 ± 769.1 J) than IBFR (15,548.0 ± 840.5 J) and NoBFR (15,915.4 ± 771.5 J). There were no differences in S dec (84.3 ± 1.7%, 86.1 ± 1.5%, and 87.2 ± 1.1% for CBFR, IBFR, and NoBFR, respectively) or RPE, which increased from sprint 1 (8.5 ± 0.3) to sprint 2 (9.7 ± 0.1). Collective muscle oxygenation responses increased across time and were similar among conditions, whereas increases in deoxy[heme] and total[heme] were greatest for CBFR. Applying BFR during SIT induced greater decrements in PP, and CBFR resulted in greater decrements in work across repeated sprints. The larger increases in deoxy[heme] and total[heme] for CBFR suggested it may induce greater metabolite accumulation than IBFR and NoBFR when combined with SIT.

Effects of Sex and Cuff Pressure on Physiological Responses during Blood Flow Restriction Resistance Exercise in Young Adults

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to examine the physiological responses resulting from an acute blood flow restriction resistance exercise bout with two different cuff pressures in young, healthy men and women.

METHODS

Thirty adults (18-30 yr) completed a bilateral leg extension blood flow restriction bout consisting of four sets (30-15-15-15 repetitions), with cuffs applied at pressures corresponding to 40% and 60% of the minimum arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) needed to completely collapse the femoral arteries. During each of these conditions (40% and 60% AOP), physiological measures of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and EMG amplitude (EMG AMP) were collected from the dominant or nondominant vastus lateralis. After each set, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were collected, whereas only at baseline and at the end of the bout, mean arterial pressure (MAP) was assessed. Separate mixed-factorial ANOVA models were used to examine mean differences in the change in EMG AMP and NIRS parameters during each set. The absolute RPE and MAP values were also examined with separate ANOVAs. A P value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

Regardless of sex or cuff pressure, the change in EMG AMP was lower in set 1 (14.8%) compared with the remaining sets (22.6%-27.0%). The 40% AOP condition elicited the greatest changes in oxy[heme] and deoxy[heme], while also providing lower RPEs. For MAP, there was an effect for time such that MAP increased from preexercise (87.5 ± 4.3 mm Hg) to postexercise (104.5 ± 4.1 mm Hg).

CONCLUSIONS

The major findings suggested that the 40% AOP condition permitted the greatest amount of recovery during the interset rest. In addition, there did not seem to be any meaningful sex-related difference in this sample of young healthy adults.

Effect of isometric handgrip exercise on cognitive function: Current evidence, methodology, and safety considerations

Cognitive function is essential for most behaviors of daily living and is a critical component in assessing the quality of life. Mounting prospective evidence supports the use of isometric handgrip exercise (IHE) as a small muscle mass practice to promote health-related outcomes in clinical and healthy populations. The aim of the present review was to systematically investigate whether IHE is effective in improving the cognitive function of adults (aged ≥18 years). Studies were identified by searching five databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, PsychINFO, and Web of Science). Eight out of 767 studies met the inclusion criteria, including three types of studies: 1) acute effect for IHE with various intensity protocols (n = 4); 2) acute effect for IHE with one set exhaustion protocol (n = 2); and 3) chronic effect of IHE on cognitive function (n = 2). To assess the methodological quality of studies, the PEDro scale was used (mean score = 6.75). The evidence on whether IHE exerts acute positive effects on cognitive performance is currently rather inconclusive. However, a trend was discernible that implementing IHE can generate a beneficial chronic effect on cognitive function, although the results should be interpreted with caution. The clinical relevance of IHE as a time-efficient type of physical exercise to improve cognitive function warrants further investigation. Methodology and safety considerations were discussed.

Systematic Review Registration: (https://osf.io/gbzp9).