Muscle Fatigue Is Attenuated When Applying Intermittent Compared With Continuous Blood Flow Restriction During Endurance Cycling.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify a blood-flow-restriction (BFR) endurance exercise protocol that maximizes metabolic strain and minimizes muscle fatigue.

Methods: Twelve healthy participants accomplished 5 different interval cycling endurance exercises (2-min work, 1-min rest) in a randomized order: (1) control, low intensity with unrestricted blood flow (CON30); (2) low intensity with intermittent BFR (i-BFR30, ∼150 mm Hg); (3) low intensity with continuous BFR (c-BFR, ∼100 mm Hg); (4) unloaded cycling with i-BFR0 (∼150 mm Hg); and (5) high intensity (HI) with unrestricted blood flow. Force production, creatine kinase activity, antioxidant markers, blood pH, and potassium (K+) were measured in a range of 5 minutes before and after each cycling exercise protocol.

Muscle Oxidative Capacity Is Reduced in Both Upper and Lower Limbs in COPD.

Introduction: Skeletal muscle atrophy, weakness, mitochondrial loss, and dysfunction are characteristics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It remains unclear whether muscle dysfunction occurs in both upper and lower limbs, because findings are inconsistent in the few studies where upper and lower limb muscle performance properties were compared within an individual. This study determined whether muscle oxidative capacity is low in upper and lower limbs of COPD patients compared with controls.

Speeding of oxygen uptake kinetics is not different following low-intensity blood-flow-restricted and high-intensity interval training.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? Can interval blood-flow-restricted (BFR) cycling training, undertaken at a low intensity, promote a similar adaptation to oxygen uptake ( ) kinetics to high-intensity interval training? What is the main finding and its importance? Speeding of pulmonary on-kinetics in healthy young subjects was not different between low-intensity interval BFR training and traditional high-intensity interval training. Given that very low workloads are well tolerated during BFR cycle training and speed on-kinetics, this training method could be used when high mechanical loads are contraindicated.

Abstract: Low-intensity blood-flow-restricted (BFR) endurance training is effective to increase aerobic capacity.

Physiological responses to interval endurance exercise at different levels of blood flow restriction.

Purpose: We aimed to identify a blood flow restriction (BFR) endurance exercise protocol that would both maximize cardiopulmonary and metabolic strain, and minimize the perception of effort.

Methods: Twelve healthy males (23 ± 2 years, 75 ± 7 kg) performed five different exercise protocols in randomized order: HI, high-intensity exercise starting at 105% of the incremental peak power (P ); I-BFR30, intermittent BFR at 30% P ; C-BFR30, continuous BFR at 30% P ; CON30, control exercise without BFR at 30% P ; I-BFR0, intermittent BFR during unloaded exercise. Cardiopulmonary, gastrocnemius oxygenation (StO), capillary lactate ([La]), and perceived exertion (RPE) were measured.

Bilateral muscle strength symmetry and performance are improved following walk training with restricted blood flow in an elite paralympic sprint runner: Case study.

Objectives: Investigate the influence of 4 weeks of walk training with blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscle strength, metabolic responses, 100-m and 400-m performances in an athlete with cerebral palsy.

Methods: An elite Paralympic sprinter (20 years, 176 cm, 64.8 kg) who presented with moderate hemiplegic cerebral palsy (right side impaired) completed four visits before and after 4 weeks of the BFR training: 1) anthropometric measurements, familiarization of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), and an incremental test; 2) MVC measurements; 3) 400-m performance, and 4) 100-m performance.

Effects of fast-velocity eccentric resistance training on early and late rate of force development.

This study examined whether short-term maximal resistance training employing fast-velocity eccentric knee extensor actions would induce improvements in maximal isometric torque and rate of force development (RFD) at early (<100 ms) and late phases (>100 ms) of rising torque. Twenty healthy men were assigned to two experimental groups: eccentric resistance training (TG) or control (CG). Participants on the TG trained three days a week for a total of eight weeks.

Isokinetic eccentric resistance training prevents loss in mechanical muscle function after running.

The aim of the study was to verify whether 8 weeks of resistance training employing maximal isokinetic eccentric (IERT) knee extensor actions would reduce the acute force loss observed after high-intensity treadmill running exercise. It was hypothesized that specific IERT would induce protective effects against muscle fatigue and ultrastructural damages, preventing or reducing the loss in mechanical muscle function after running. Subjects were tested before and after IERT protocol for maximal isometric, concentric and eccentric isokinetic knee extensor strength (60° and 180° s(-1)).

Effects of a single habituation session on neuromuscular isokinetic profile at different movement velocities.

Single training session (STS) may increase the power output (i.e., maximal torque) in different contraction types; however, little is known about the neuromuscular adaptations to reach this enhancement.