Effect of Resistance Training on Glucose Tolerance in College Swimmers

Abstract

Previous studies have suggested that improvement in muscle glucose uptake is associated with exercise intensity or the amount of muscle fiber recruitment during training. The current study investigated the differential effect of swimming training and swimming plus resistance training on glycemic control in college swimmers. The acute exercise effect on glucose tolerance was determined one hour after the first bout of exercise during the training period. The training effect on glucose tolerance was evaluated 16 hr after the last bout of exercise of the one-month training. Although both training protocols did not alter the fasting glucose level, the blood glucose concentration under the oral glucose challenge condition was significantly lowered by both training protocols. Swimming training alone exhibited a better effect on improving glucose tolerance than swimming plus resistance training. Acute swimming plus resistant training dramatically elevated the blood creatine kinase level 15-fold, and it remained well above the swimming training level. This, response was significantly lowered after one-month adaptation, but swimming + resistance training still greater than swimming training only. This result indicates that the training regimen may have led to muscle damage during the training period in a training-specific manner. In conclusion, the type of training protocol appears to be an important determinant in improving the effect of glucose tolerance.