Blood Pressure Response to “Super-Slow” vs Traditional Resistance Exercise

Abstract

1422 Super-slow(SLOW) resistance exercise has been touted as a more effective means to increase muscular strength compared to traditional (TRAD) resistance exercise, but health risks associated with blood pressure (BP) elevation during heavy weight lifting have been reported. Determining the extent to which BP is perturbed by different resistance exercise protocols could ameliorate risks. PURPOSE: To compare the baseline (following 5 min seated rest) and post exercise (15 sec, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min) BP response to SLOW, TRAD, and control (CON) resistance exercise. METHODS: Participants (11 females; 7 males; mean age 25.2 yr ± 7.6 SD; range 18–45), with no history of SLOW resistance training, and resting BP < 135/85, were randomized into a SLOW (10 sec concentric, 4 sec eccentric; 1 set of 6–8 reps, 50% 1RM), TRAD (2 sec concentric, 1 sec pause, 4 sec eccentric; 3 sets of 10–12 reps, 70% 1RM) or CON (2 sec concentric, 1 sec pause, 4 sec eccentric; 1 set of 12 reps, 70% 1RM) resistance protocol for the first trial. Other protocols were completed in random order at least one wk apart at the same time of day. A random zero sphygmomanometer was used for all BP measurements to decrease reader bias. Resistance exercises included the leg press, chest press, leg curl, lat pull-down, leg extension, and seated row. Upper and lower body stations were alternated with a 60-sec rest period between exercises and sets. Data were analyzed by a 2 × 3 (gender × protocol) repeated (time) measures ANOVA. Post hoc t-tests were used to further examine significant differences. RESULTS: Baseline BP was similar between genders and protocols. A main effect of protocol demonstrated that systolic and diastolic BP were higher in response to SLOW compared to TRAD and CON. A significant time effect was observed for systolic (p< 0.01) and diastolic (p < 0.01) BP. Baseline systolic BP (111.0 ± 8.5) was less (p < 0.01) than at 15 sec (127.0 ± 11.2) but greater (p < 0.05) than all other time points. Similarly, baseline diastolic BP (72.2 ± 6.3) was less (p < 0.01) than at 15 sec (79.2 ± 7.0), but did not differ (p > 0.05) from other time points. A main effect of gender demonstrated that BP was lower for females (p < 0.05) than males regardless of protocol. However, a gender by protocol interaction demonstrated that while the systolic BP in the females did not differ by protocol, in the males the BP was higher in response to the SLOW and TRAD protocol vs the control. CONCLUSION: Repetition speed may influence BP response to resistance exercise in males more so than females