Effects of different rest intervals between circuit resistance exercises on post-exercise blood pressure responses in normotensive young males

ABSTRACT

To investigate the blood pressure responses during recovery after two protocols of circuit resistance exercises [CRE] with different rest intervals [RI]. Eleven normotensive males [aged 19.5 +/- 1.0 yrs, height 172.8 +/- 5.7 cm and weight 65.1 +/- 8.1 kg] performed two CRE with RI of 30 [RI30s] and 40 [RI40s] seconds between the exercises randomly, as well as a control session without exercise. The protocols consisted of 3 circuits of 6 exercises with 10 repetitions maximum [10RM] and 2 minute rest between circuits, followed by an 80 minute recovery period. Measurements were taken before exercise and at each 10 min of post-exercise recovery. The Analysis of Variance [ANOVA] with Repeated Measures [group x time] was used to analyze data, followed by posthoc Bonferroni test, for P < =0.05. Post-exercise hypotension of systolic blood pressure was observed after both CRE with RI30s and RI40s [at R40, R50, R60, R70 and R80], whereas diastolic blood pressure did not differ from that measured at rest. In all measured moments, there was no significant difference between exercise trials in post-exercise levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. CRE with RI30s and RI40s between the exercises can lead to occurrence of PEH similarly in magnitude and duration. Our findings suggest a potentially positive health benefit of strength training