Acute effect of ischemic preconditioning with different pressures on training volume, work, and fatigue index in an upper limb session

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the acute effects of ischemic preconditioning at varying pressures on training volume, work, and fatigue index during an upper limb workout session. The sample consisted of 13 participants, comprised of six women and seven men. Each subject was directed to two training sessions that included a bench press and a closed-row exercise. They executed three sets up to concentric failure at 75% of their one-repetition maximum, with two minutes of recovery between sets and exercises. Prior to each experimental session, participants underwent four cycles of five-minute ischemia-reperfusion applied unilaterally and alternately to the arms. In one protocol, the pressure point was set at 50 mmHg above the resting systolic blood pressure, while in the other, a fixed pressure of 220 mmHg was applied. The 50 mmHg protocol led to greater work (p=0.02) and volume (p=0.01) in the closed-row exercise, and additionally, it resulted in a higher overall work (p=0.04). For enhanced upper limb performance, the protocol of 50 mmHg above resting systolic blood pressure proved more effective. Keywords: Ischemic Preconditioning, Strength Training, Upper Limbs, Training Volume, Pressure Occlusion.