A single set of exhaustive exercise before local muscular endurance training improves quadriceps strength and endurance in young men.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an additional set of exhaustive exercise before local muscular endurance (LME) training on maximal dynamic strength and endurance of quadriceps muscle in young men.

Methods: Twenty-seven healthy men (age: 20.9±1.8 years) performed one repetition maximum (1RM), muscular endurance, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests on two separate occasions (before and after an 8-wk LME training program using a bilateral knee extensor machine). After baseline testing, the subjects were divided into three groups: untrained control (CO, N.=9), traditional training (TR, N.=9), and prior exhaustive training (PE, N.=9). Both the TR and PE groups trained using the same LME training protocol (2 d∙wk-1; 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions at 50% of 1RM) throughout the 8-wk experimental period; the only difference was that the PE group performed an additional set of exhaustive exercise at 80% of 1RM immediately before each training session.

Results: After 8 wk, the PE group experienced a greater (P<0.05) increase in 1RM, endurance, and work efficiency than the TR group. Additionally, no changes (P>0.05) in cross-sectional area (CSA), body mass and daily dietary intake were observed from pre- to post-test in either group.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the inclusion of a single set of exhaustive exercise at 80% of 1RM immediately before LME training can be a suitable strategy for inducing additional beneficial effects on quadriceps strength and endurance in young men.