Resistance Training and Post-exercise Blood Pressure in Normotensive Older Women
Condition: Healthy Older Adults
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of the present study was to analyze the effect of 12 weeks of resistance training
      on post-exercise blood pressure (BP) and to to correlate the acute and chronic decrease in
      blood pressure (BP) following resistance training in normotensive older women. Twenty-eight
      older women were randomly assigned to a training group (TG) or to a control group (CG). The
      TG underwent a resistance training program (8 exercises, 2 sets, 10-15 repetitions), while
      the CG performed stretching exercises (2 sets, 20 s each, 2 nonconsecutive days/week). Both
      groups performed the intervention for 12 weeks. At baseline and after intervention the
      subjects were submitted to two sessions: resistance exercise session and control session. In
      these sessions, BP was obtained in pre and post-sessions. Rest blood pressure were also
      measure at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention.
    

Detailed description: 
      Older (≥60 years) normotensive and physically inactive women were recruited. Women were
      randomized into training group (TG) or control group (CG) and submitted to 12 weeks of
      intervention. The intervention programs were divided into three phases: initial (first two
      weeks), intermediate (from week 3 to week 10) and final (last two weeks). The TG was
      submitted to a resistance training program that consisted of eight exercises performed in two
      sets of 10 to 15 repetitions, three times per week. The CG performed a stretching training
      program for the major muscle groups, in sessions of 30 minutes, twice a week. These
      interventions were maintained during the 12 weeks.

      During initial and final phases subjects of both groups were submitted to two acute
      experimental sessions: resistance exercise and control, which were performed in random order.
      The resistance exercise session was similar to those performed during the resistance training
      program (i.e., 7 exercises, 2 sets, 10-15 repetitions). In the control session participants
      remained seated for 40 min. Before and after each session the BP parameters were obtained.
      The chronic effect of resistance training on post-exercise BP were assessed by analyzing the
      changes (∆) in BP after acute experimental sessions at initial and final phases. The
      correlation between acute and chronic responses of blood pressure following resistance
      training was analyses correlating the acute blood pressure observed in initial phase with the
      chronic effect of resistance training on rest blood pressure.
    

Intervention name(s): Resistance training
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Supervised resistance training program was performed on three nonconsecutive days per week at morning period for 12 weeks. The resistance training program included eight exercises in two consecutive sets of 10-15 repetitions until moderate fatigue, except for crunch exercise which was performed on 20 to 30 repetitions without overload. The participants were instructed to perform repetitions at a ratio of 1:2 (concentric and eccentric phases, respectively). Subjects rested for 60- to 90-s between each set and for 2- to 3-min between each exercise. Each subject was individually supervised. Increases of 2-5 % for the upper limb exercises and 5-10 % for the lower limb exercises every time that subjects were able to complete 15 repetitions in both sets.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention