Double-leg isometric exercise training in older men

Anthony W Baross, Jonathan D Wiles, Ian L Swaine, Anthony W Baross, Jonathan D Wiles, Ian L Swaine

Abstract

Double-leg isometric training has been demonstrated to reduce resting blood pressure in young men when using electromyographic activity (EMG) to regulate exercise intensity. This study assessed this training method in healthy older (45-60 years.) men. Initially, 35 older men performed an incremental isometric exercise test to determine the linearity of the heart rate versus percentage peak EMG (%EMGpeak) and systolic blood pressure versus %EMGpeak relationship. Thereafter, 20 participants were allocated to a training or control group. The training group performed three double-leg isometric sessions per week for 8 weeks, at 85% of peak heart rate. The training resulted in a significant reduction in resting systolic (11 ± 8 mmHg, P < 0.05) and mean arterial (5 ± 7 mmHg, P < 0.05) blood pressure. There was no significant change in resting systolic blood pressure for the control group or diastolic blood pressure in either group (all P > 0.05). These findings show that this training method, used previously in young men, is also effective in reducing resting systolic and mean arterial blood pressure in older men.

Keywords: electromyography; heart rate; resting blood pressure.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Standardized subject position during double-leg isometric testing procedures.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) The relationship between mean %EMG and HR for sedentary group (n = 35) during leg incremental isometric exercise tests. (B) The relationship between mean %EMG and SBP for sedentary group (n = 35) during leg incremental isometric exercise tests. Abbreviations: %EMG, percentage electromyographic activity; HR, heart rate; SBP, systolic blood pressure.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) Resting SBP for the CON and TRA groups at pre and post training. (B) Resting MAP for the CON and TRA groups at pre and post training. (C) Resting HR for the CON and TRA groups at pre and post training. Notes: *P-value < 0.05; **P-value < 0.01. Abbreviations: SBP, systolic blood pressure; CON, control; TRA, double-leg isometric training; MAP, mean arterial pressure; HR, heart rate.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Regression line and plot of the initial resting SBP and changes in resting SBP for the TRA (n = 10) group following 8 weeks isometric exercise training. Abbreviations: SBP, systolic blood pressure; TRA, double-leg isometric training.

References

    1. Wiley RL, Dunn CL, Cox RH, Hueppchen NA, Scott MS. Isometric exercise training lowers resting blood pressure. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1992;24:749–754.
    1. Howden R, Lightfoot T, Brown S, Swaine IL. Orthostatic tolerance and blood pressure after isometric training in humans. Exp Physiol. 2002;87:507–515.
    1. Taylor AC, McCartney N, Kamath MV, Wiley RL. Isometric training lowers resting blood pressure and modulates autonomic control. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003;35:251–256.
    1. McGowan CL, Visocchi A, Faulkner M, et al. Isometric handgrip training improves local flow mediated dilation in medicated hypertensives. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006;98:355–362.
    1. Wiles JD, Coleman DA, Swaine IL. Effects of performing isometric training at two exercise intensities in healthy young males. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2010;108:419–428.
    1. Wiles JD, Allum SR, Coleman DA, Swaine IL. The relationship between heart rate, blood pressure and exercise intensity during an incremental isometric exercise test. J Sports Sci. 2008;24:155–162.
    1. Franke WD, Boettger CF, McLean SP. Effects of varying central command and muscle mass on the cardiovascular responses to isometric exercise. Clin Physiol. 2000;20:380–387.
    1. Schibye B, Mitchell JH, Payne FC, Saltin B. Blood pressure and heart rate response to static exercise in relation to electromyographic activity and force development. Acta Physiol Scand. 1981;113:61–66.
    1. Mitchell JH, Reeves DR, Jr, Rogers HB, Secher NH. Epidural anaesthesia and cardiovascular responses to static exercise in man. J Physiol. 1989;417:13–24.
    1. McGowan CL, Levy AS, Millar PJ, et al. Acute vascular responses to isometric handgrip exercise and the effects of training in persons medicated for hypertension. Am J Physiol. 2006;291:H1797–H1802.
    1. Millar PJ, Bray SR, MacDonald MJ, McCartney N. The hypotensive effects of isometric handgrip training using an inexpensive spring handgrip training device. J Cardiopulm Rehabil Prevention. 2008;28:203–207.
    1. Perini R, Fisher N, Veicsteinas A, Pendergast DR. Aerobic training and cardiovascular reponses at rest and during exercise in older men and women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;34:700–708.
    1. Ferrari AU, Radaelli A, Centola M. Invited review: aging and the cardiovascular system. J Appl Physiol. 2003;95:2591–2597.
    1. Vandervoort AA. Aging of the human neuromuscular system. Muscle Nerve. 2002;25:17–25.
    1. Moore A, Mangoni AA, Lyons D, Jackson SHD. The cardiovascular system in the ageing patient. Brit J Clin Pharmacol. 2003;56:254–260.
    1. Sargent C, Scroop G. Response: defining exercise capacity, exercise performance, and a sedentary lifestyle. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;34:1692–1693.
    1. Woods JJ, Bigland-Richie B. Linear and non-linear surface EMG/force relationships in human muscles: an anatomical/functional argument for the existence of both. Am J Phys Med. 1983;62:287–299.
    1. Alkner BA, Tesch PA, Berg HE. Quadriceps EMG/force relationship in knee extension and leg press. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;32:459–463.
    1. Bartlett R, Paton C. Biomechanical Analysis of Movement in Sport and Exercise. Leeds, UK: The British Association of Sport and Exercise Science; 1997.
    1. Kumar GB, Buckley JJ, Poliac MO. Accuracy of radial artery blood pressure determination with the Vasotrac. Can J Anesth. 1999;46:488–496.
    1. Field A. Discovering Statistics: Using SPSS for Windows. London, UK: Sage; 2000.
    1. Millar PJ, Bray SR, McGowan CL, MacDonald MJ, McCartney N. Effects of isometric handgrip training among people medicated for hypertension: a multilevel analysis. Blood Press Monit. 2007;12:307–314.
    1. Taylor JA, Hand GA, Johnson DG, Seals DR. Sympathoadrenal-circulatory regulation during sustained isometric exercise in young and older men. Am J Physiol. 1991;261:R1061–R1069.
    1. Halliwill JR, Buck TM, Lacewell AN, Romero SA. Post-exercise hypotension and sustained post-exercise vasodilatation: what happens after we exercise? Exp Physiol. 2012 Aug 7; Epub.
    1. Fisher WJ, White MJ. Training induced adaptations in the central command and peripheral reflex components of the pressor response to isometric exercise of the human triceps surae. J Physiol. 1999;520:621–628.
    1. Baross AW, Wiles JD, Swaine I. Effects of the intensity of leg isometric training on the vasculature of trained and untrained limbs and resting blood pressure in middle-aged men. Int J Vasc Med. 2012;2012:964697.
    1. Millar PJ, MacDonald MJ, Bray SR, McCartney N. Isometric handgrip exercise improves acute neurocardiac regulation. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2009;107:509–515.
    1. Sagiv M, Ben-Sira D, Rudoy J. Cardiovascular responses during upright isometric dead lift in young, older, and elderly healthy men. Int J Sports Med. 1988;9:134–136.
    1. Van Loan MD, Massey BH, Boileau RA, Lohman TG, Misner JE, Best PL. Age as a factor in the hemodynamic response to isometric exercise. J Sports Med. 1989;29:262–268.
    1. Mayo JJ, Kravitz L. A review of the acute cardiovascular responses to resistance exercise of healthy young and older adults. J Strength Cond Res. 1999;13:90–96.

Source: PubMed

Sponzoři a spolupracovníci

Zdravotní podmínky

Drogové intervence

3
Předplatit