Combined effects of low-intensity blood flow restriction training and high-intensity resistance training on muscle strength and size

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology Vol. 111; no. 10; pp. 2525 - 2533
• Main Authors: Yasuda, Tomohiro, Ogasawara, Riki, Sakamaki, Mikako, Ozaki, Hayao, Sato, Yoshiaki, Abe, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.10.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Arm - blood supply; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Blood flow; Blood pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Compliance; Constriction; Elbows; Exercise; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human Physiology; Humans; Isometrics; Kinases; Male; Muscle strength; Muscle Strength - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - anatomy & histology; Muscle, Skeletal - blood supply; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Muscles (blood flow); Muscles (size); Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Organ Size; Original Article; Physical Education and Training - methods; Physical Endurance - physiology; Physical Exertion - physiology; Regional Blood Flow - physiology; Resistance exercise; Resistance Training - methods; Sports Medicine; Strength training; Stress; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports; Young Adult; Muscle hypertrophy; Muscle strength; Vascular occlusion; Neural adaptation; Human; Occlusion; Physical training; Intensity; Striated muscle; Blood flow; Hemodynamics; Adaptation; Hypertrophy
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-011-1873-8

We investigated the combined effect of low-intensity blood flow restriction and high-intensity resistance training on muscle adaptation. Forty young men (aged 22–32 years) were randomly divided into four groups of ten subjects each: high-intensity resistance training (HI-RT, 75% of one repetition maximum [1-RM]), low-intensity resistance training with blood flow restriction (LI-BFR, 30% 1-RM), combined HI-RT and LI-BFR (CB-RT, twice-weekly LI-BFR and once-weekly HI-RT), and nontraining control (CON). Three training groups performed bench press exercises 3 days/week for 6 weeks. During LI-BFR training sessions, subjects wore pressure cuffs on both arms that were inflated to 100–160 mmHg. Increases in 1-RM were similar in the HI-RT (19.9%) and CB-RT (15.3%) groups and lower in the LI-BFR group (8.7%, p  < 0.05). Maximal isometric elbow extension (MVC) increased in the HI-RT (11.3%) and CB-RT (6.6%) groups; there was no change in the LI-BFR group (−0.2%). The cross-sectional area (CSA) of the triceps brachii (TB) increased ( p  < 0.05) in the HI-RT (8.6%), CB-RT (7.2%), and LI-BFR (4.4%) groups. The change in relative isometric strength (MVC divided by TB CSA) was greater ( p  < 0.05) in the HI-RT group (3.3%) than in the LI-BFR (−3.5%) and CON (−0.1%) groups. Following training, relative dynamic strength (1-RM divided by TB CSA) was increased ( p  < 0.05) by 10.5% in the HI-RT group and 6.7% in the CB-RT group. None of the variables in the CON group changed. Our results show that low-intensity resistance training with BFR-induced functional muscle adaptations is improved by combining it with HI-RT.