Effects of strength training with blood flow restriction on torque, muscle activation and local muscular endurance in healthy subjects

• Published in: Biology of sport Vol. 1; no. 1; pp. 83 - 90
• Main Authors: Sousa, JBC, Neto, GR, Santos, HH, Araújo, JP, Silva, HG, Cirilo-Sousa, MS
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Poland Termedia Publishing House 01.01.2017; Institute of Sport in Warsaw
• Subjects: Blood flow; Electromyography; Exercise tolerance; Ischemia; Muscle contraction; Original Paper; Quadriceps muscle; Sports training; Strength training; Therapeutic occlusion; Quadriceps muscle; Electromyography; Exercise tolerance; Therapeutic occlusion; Ischemia
• ISSN: 0860-021X; 2083-1862
• DOI: 10.5114/biolsport.2017.63738

The present study aimed to analyse the effects of six weeks of strength training (ST), with and without blood flow restriction (BFR), on torque, muscle activation, and local muscular endurance (LME) of the knee extensors. Thirty-seven healthy young individuals were divided into four groups: high intensity (HI), low intensity with BFR (LI+BFR), high intensity and low intensity + BFR (COMB), and low intensity (LI). Torque, muscle activation and LME were evaluated before the test and at the 2 , 4 and 6 weeks after exercise. All groups had increased torque, muscle activation and LME (p<0.05) after the intervention, but the effect size and magnitude were greater in the HI, LI+BFR and COMB groups. In conclusion, the groups with BFR (LI+BFR and COMB) produced magnitudes of muscle activation, torque and LME similar to those of the HI group.