Resistance Training and Blood Flow Restriction
Condition: Blood Flow Restriction and Low-Intensity Resistance Training
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The primary purposes of the proposed study is 1) To examine the changes of muscle fiber
      cross-sectional areas in the leg extensor muscles (vastus lateralis) pre- to post- 6 weeks of
      high-intensity resistance training and low-intensity resistance training with blood flow
      restriction and 2) To examine changes in motor unit size (a non-invasive measure of muscle
      fiber size) in the leg extensor muscles (vastus lateralis) pre- to post- 6 weeks of
      high-intensity resistance training and low-intensity resistance training with blood flow
      restriction.
    

Detailed description: 
      Specific Aims and Hypotheses:

      Specific Aim 1: To examine the changes of type I and II (different types of muscle fibers)
      muscle fiber cross-sectional areas in the leg extensor muscles (vastus lateralis) pre- to
      post- 6 weeks of high-intensity resistance training and low-intensity resistance training
      with blood flow restriction. Hypothesis 1: Type I and II fiber cross-sectional area will
      increase following low-intensity resistance training with blood flow restriction, however,
      only cross-sectional area of type II fibers will increase post high-intensity resistance
      training.

      Specific Aim 2: To examine changes in the size of the motor units that are active during low
      and high intensity contractions in the leg extensor muscles (vastus lateralis) pre- to post-
      6 weeks of high-intensity resistance training and low-intensity resistance training with
      blood flow restriction. Hypothesis 2: The motor units that are active during low and high
      intensity contractions will increase in size from low-intensity resistance training with
      blood flow restriction, but only the motor units that are active during high intensity
      contractions will increase in size from high-intensity resistance training.

      Specific Aim 3: To examine changes in whole muscle cross-sectional area as measured via
      ultrasound pre- to post- 6 weeks of high-intensity resistance training and low-intensity
      resistance training with blood flow restriction. Hypothesis 3: Whole muscle cross-sectional
      area will increase to similar degrees from both high-intensity resistance training and
      low-intensity resistance training with blood flow restriction.
    

Intervention name(s): Blood Flow Restriction Cuffs; Low-Intensity Resistance Training; High-Intensity Resistance Training
Intervention type(s): Device; Other; Other
Intervention description(s): This intervention consists of inflatable cuffs that are designed to partially occlude veinous blood return from the lower extremities during resistance training.; This intervention consists of performing low-intensity bilateral (both legs at the same time) leg extensions using 30% of a participants 1 repetition maximum (the maximum weight an individual can complete 1 repetition with, but not 2) to volitional failure.; This intervention consists of performing high-intensity bilateral (both legs at the same time) leg extensions using 80% of a participants 1 repetition maximum (the maximum weight an individual can complete 1 repetition with, but not 2) to volitional failure.
Other intervention name(s): Blood Flow Occlusion Cuffs
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Basic Science