[ effects of the intensity and volume of resistance exercises on the post-exercise blood pressure, heart rate and rate pressure product]

ABSTRACT

Cardiovascular diseases are the most common causes of mortality in the world. Increased blood pressure is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Decreasing blood pressure due to exercise can reduce the risk of cardiovascular incidents. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of exercise on blood pressure, heart rate and rate pressure product. To evaluate the effects of intensity and volume of resistance exercises on the post-exercise cardiovascular responses, 10 young untrained non-athletic men [age 22 +/- 0.8 years; height 173.05 +/- 2.4 cms and weight 67.2 +/- 3.4 kgs] participated in this study as the subjects. The subjects performed four exercise bouts in a randomized order. Each bout consisted of five exercises arm curl, hamstring curl, squat, seated lat pull-down and bench press. The exercises were determined to be performed at three sets SHORT volume of LOW 40% IRM [SL] and HIGH intensity 80% 1RM [SH] and at six sets LONG volume of LOW 40% 1RM [LL] and HIGH intensity 80% 1RM [LH]. Blood pressure [BP], heart rate [HR] and rate pressure product [RPP] [product of HR and systolic BP] were measure before the exercise [baseline] and at the ten-minute intervals within 90minutes after each exercise. Then, the data were analyzed using two way ANOVA repeated measures and LSD post-hoc tests. Systolic BP was found to be affected by the volume and intensity of exercise and became lower during 10 to 60 minutes after the exercises [P<0.05]. However, Diastolic BP was not altered after the exercise bouts. HR was increased in 30 minutes after LL and SL, and within 60 minutes after SH and LH exercises [p<0.05]. In contrast, after SH and LH, RPP was increased over a period of 50 minutes. The intensity and volume of resistance exercises do not influence the magnitude and duration of post-exercise hypotension. Also, HR and RPP post-exercise are not affected by the resistance exercise volume