Abstract
The purposes of this study were to (1) determine and compare the cardiovascular (CV) responses (i.e., exercise and recovery heart rate and recovery blood pressure) to weight training (WT) exercise and a graded exercise test (GXT) on a cycle ergometer, and (2) to determine and compare the exercise and recovery heart rate (HR) and recovery blood pressure characteristics to several intensities of WT exercise. Nineteen weight-trained men (mean age = 24.5 ± 2.9 yr) performed the squat WT exercise for sets of 10 repetitions at 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% of their 10 repetition maximum (RM). HR was continuously monitored, and systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures, and rate pressure product (RPP; HR × SBP × 0.01) were recorded at T1 (15–30 sec postexercise), T2 (1 min postexercise), T3 (2 min postexercise), and T4 (3 min postexercise). Maximal mean CV responses at T1 during WT were: HR = 154.1 ± 20.8 bpm (during 100% 10 RM), SBP = 172.8 ± 19.2 mmHg (90% 10 RM), DBP = 88.8 ± 8.2 mmHg (60% 10 RM), and RPP = 259.3 ± 44.5 (100% 10 RM). On a separate day, all subjects performed a discontinuous GXT while the same CV variables were recorded at T1. Mean maximal exercise responses at T1 during the GXT were: HR = 161.5 ± 15.6 bpm, SBP = 190.6 ± 25.6 mmHg, DBP = 82.9 ± 8.9 mmHg, and RPP = 307.4 ± 51.4. For WT, HR, SBP, and RPP were always significantly less (p ≤ 0.05) than the values for the GXT, except for HR at T1 of 100% 10 RM intensity, which was similar to the GXT T1 values. WT DBP at T1 was always significantly greater than GXT DBP, but the differences appeared to be of little physiological importance. Recovery WT responses (T1 – T4) showed consistent decreases across time for HR and RPP. WT DBP increased slightly, but significantly after all WT intensities. It was determined that, in response to WT, the HR responses during exercise and recovery, and the SBP and RPP responses during recovery were generally less than or equal to the respective responses to a discontinuous GXT. Although the DBP responses to WT were greater than the responses to the GXT, it was determined that the differences were small enough to be of little physiological importance.