Strength training variants, such as load, repetition, and set, are manipulated for strength gain and muscle hypertrophy. However, there is little evidence of optimal training variants for women. PURPOSE: To investigate sex differences in blood lactate concentration and changes in lifting velocity during and after resistance exercise for strength gain and muscle hypertrophy, respectively. METHODS: Fourteen subjects (men=8, age 21.1±0.8 years, weight 70.9±7.2 kg, height 170.7±5.4 cm; women=6, age 20.7±1.1 years, weight 58.3±5.0kg, height 159.5±5.5 cm) with significant physical education and resistance training experience participated in this study. Participants performed four sets of parallel squats as part of two protocols, one for strength gain (four repetitions at 85% of 1RM) and one for muscle hypertrophy (10 repetitions at 70% of 1RM) using a cross over design. We measured blood lactate concentration before, during, and after the exercise. We also measured lifting velocity during exercise using a transducer (GymAware). RESULTS: Blood lactate concentration significantly increased after both protocols in both men (strength 1.4±0.7 to 4.1±1.7 mmol/l, p=0.001, hypertrophy 1.6±0.5 to 8.3±2.0 mmol/l, p<0.001) and women (strength 1.3±0.3 to 1.8±0.5 mmol/l,p=0.012, hypertrophy 1.5±0.3 to 4.0±2.0 mmol/l,p=0.269). The protocol for muscle hypertrophy, led to a more significant increase in blood lactate concentration in both men (p=0.001) and women (p=0.040) after exercise than the protocol for strength gain. After both protocols were applied, blood lactate concentration immediately after exercise was significantly higher in men than in women (strength p= 0.008, hypertrophy p=0.005, respectively). Lifting velocity showed a decreasing tendency for both protocols, especially for muscle hypertrophy, in men, but without any significant differences between men and women. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that there are no significant sex differences in blood lactate concentration and lifting velocity during and after the application of the two protocols for strength gain and muscle hypertrophy. However, blood lactate concentration was significantly higher in men than in women.
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