Effects of Various Periods of Inactivity on Retention of Newly Acquired Levels of Muscular Endurance

Abstract

Abstract Male university students (N = 54) engaged in an 8-week training program with sessions held three times per week. Each session consisted of one “all-out” bout of right elbow flexion on an arm lever ergometer against a resistance of 11.03 lbs. at a work rate of 40 repetitions per minute. Following the training phase of the study, the subjects were randomly assigned to three experimental groups and ceased training for either 8, 10, or 12 weeks. At the conclusion of the inactivity period, each subject retrained until his peak performance of the training program had been equaled or exceeded. The analysis of data revealed that no difference existed among the groups: (a) at the beginning of the training program, (b) at the termination of the training program, (c) following the various inactivity periods, and (d) in the number of sessions needed to retrain to the peak performance attained during the training period. The within-group analysis indicated that each group had experienced: (a) significant musc...