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Effects of exercise intensity and occlusion pressure after 12 weeks of resistance training with blood-flow restriction

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Abstract

Purpose

We compared the effects of different protocols of blood-flow restriction training (BFRT) with different occlusion pressures and/or exercise intensities on muscle mass and strength. We also compared BFRT protocols with conventional high-intensity resistance training (RT).

Methods

Twenty-six subjects had each leg allocated to two of five protocols. BFRT protocols were performed at either 20 or 40 % 1-RM with either 40 or 80 % occlusion pressure: BFRT20/40, BFRT20/80, BFRT40/40, and BFRT40/80. Conventional RT was performed at 80 % 1-RM (RT80) without blood-flow restriction. Maximum dynamic strength (1-RM) and quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA) were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks.

Results

Regarding muscle mass, increasing occlusion pressure was effective only at very low intensity (BFRT20/40 0.78 % vs. BFRT20/80 3.22 %). No additional increase was observed at higher intensities (BFRT40/40 4.45 % vs. BFRT40/80 5.30 %), with no difference between the latter protocols and RT80 (5.90 %). Exercise intensity played a role in CSA when comparing groups with similar occlusion pressure. Muscle strength was similarly increased among BFRT groups (~12.10 %) but to a lesser extent than RT80 (21.60 %).

Conclusion

In conclusion, BFRT protocols benefit from higher occlusion pressure (80 %) when exercising at very low intensities. Conversely, occlusion pressure seems secondary to exercise intensity in more intense (40 % 1-RM) BFRT protocols. Finally, when considering muscle strength, BFRT protocols seem less effective than high-intensity RT.

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Abbreviations

1-RM:

One-repetition maximum dynamic strength

BFRT:

Blood-flow restriction training

CSA:

Cross-sectional area

ES:

Effect size

ESCLdiff :

Confidence intervals of the effect size

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

RT:

Resistance training

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)—process number: 2014/05320-6 and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for financial support. HR, CU and VT are supported by CNPq (307023/2014-1, 304205/2011-7 and 310823/2013-7, respectively).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physical Education and Sport, University of São Paulo, Av Prof. Mello Moraes, 65, Butantã, São Paulo, SP, 05508-030, Brazil

    Manoel E. Lixandrão, Carlos Ugrinowitsch, Gilberto Laurentino, Valmor Tricoli & Hamilton Roschel

  2. Department of Physical Education, Center of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil

    Cleiton A. Libardi

  3. Diagnósticos das Américas S/A (DASA), São Paulo, Brazil

    André Y. Aihara & Fabiano N. Cardoso

Authors
  1. Manoel E. Lixandrão
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  2. Carlos Ugrinowitsch
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  3. Gilberto Laurentino
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  4. Cleiton A. Libardi
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  5. André Y. Aihara
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  6. Fabiano N. Cardoso
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  7. Valmor Tricoli
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  8. Hamilton Roschel
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Correspondence to Hamilton Roschel.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Communicated by Nicolas Place.

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Lixandrão, M.E., Ugrinowitsch, C., Laurentino, G. et al. Effects of exercise intensity and occlusion pressure after 12 weeks of resistance training with blood-flow restriction. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 2471–2480 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3253-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3253-2

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