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Autonomic modulation following an acute bout of bench press with and without blood flow restriction

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Traditional resistance exercise decreases vagal tone up to 30 min after an acute bout of resistance exercise, which may increase the risk of cardiovascular events. However, the effects of resistance exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) on autonomic modulation are unclear. To evaluate autonomic modulation after resistance exercise with and without BFR in resistance-trained men.

Methods

Eleven young men volunteered for the study. Autonomic modulation was assessed at rest, 15 (Rec 1), and 25 (Rec 2) minutes after low-load bench press with BFR (LL-BFR), traditional high-load bench press (HL), and a control (CON). Autonomic modulation assessments were expressed as natural logarithm (Ln), and included total power (LnTP), low-frequency power (LnLF), high-frequency power (LnHF), sympathovagal balance (LnLF/LnHF ratio), root mean square of the successive differences (LnRMSSD), and the proportion of intervals differing by > 50 ms from the preceding intervals (LnPNN50). A repeated measures ANOVA was used to evaluate conditions (LL-BFR, HL and CON) across time (Rest, Rec1, and Rec2) on autonomic modulation.

Results

There were significant condition by time interactions for LnTP, LnHF, and LnRMSSD such that they were reduced during recovery after LL-BFR and HL compared to Rest and CON. There were no interactions in the LnLF, LnLF/LnHF ratio, and LnPNN50.

Conclusions

These data suggest that LL-BFR and HL significantly alter autonomic modulation up to 30 min after exercise with significant reduction after HL compared to LL-BFR when exercise volume is equated.

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Abbreviations

1RM:

1-Repetition maximum

ACSM:

American College of Sports Medicine

BFR:

Blood flow restriction

BMI:

Body mass index

BP:

Blood pressure

CON:

Control

ECG:

Electrocardiogram

HF:

High-frequency power

HL:

Traditional high-load bench press

HR:

Heart rate

HRV:

Heart rate variability

LL-BFR:

Low-load bench press with blood flow restriction

Ln:

Natural logarithm

LnHF:

Natural logarithm of high-frequency power

LnLF:

Natural logarithm of low-frequency power

LnPNN50:

Natural logarithm of number of normal to normal intervals which differed by > 50 ms from adjacent intervals divided by the total number of all normal to normal intervals

LnRMSSD:

Natural logarithm of root mean square of successive differences of normal to normal intervals

LnTP:

Natural logarithm of total power

LF:

Low-frequency power

NN:

Normal to normal intervals

PAR-Q:

Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

TP:

Total power

PNN50:

Number of normal to normal intervals which differed by > 50 ms from adjacent intervals divided by the total number of all normal to normal intervals

RMSSD:

Root mean square of successive differences of normal to normal intervals

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by a grant from the School of Health Sciences at Kent State University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health and Human Performance, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA

    Yu Lun Tai

  2. Cardiovascular Dynamics Laboratory, Exercise Physiology, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA

    Yu Lun Tai, Erica M. Marshall, Alaina Glasgow, Jason C. Parks, Leslie Sensibello & J. Derek Kingsley

Authors
  1. Yu Lun Tai
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  2. Erica M. Marshall
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  3. Alaina Glasgow
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  4. Jason C. Parks
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  5. Leslie Sensibello
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  6. J. Derek Kingsley
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Contributions

YLT and JDK conceived and designed. YLT, EMM, AG, JCP, and LS conducted experiments. YLT and JDK analyzed data. YLT and JDK wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Yu Lun Tai.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Communicated by William J. Kraemer.

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Tai, Y.L., Marshall, E.M., Glasgow, A. et al. Autonomic modulation following an acute bout of bench press with and without blood flow restriction. Eur J Appl Physiol 119, 2177–2183 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04201-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04201-x

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