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Different training programs decrease blood pressure during submaximal exercise

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European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

Our purpose was to study the effects of aerobic, resistance, and mixed (aerobic and resistance) training programs on blood pressure, both at rest and during submaximal exercise in healthy people.

Methods

We randomized 39 physically active, healthy participants into aerobic, resistance, and mixed (aerobic and resistance) exercise groups, and a control group. The exercise groups trained for 60 min three times/week for 6 weeks, and a submaximal cycle ergometer test was performed before and after training, and 3 weeks after detraining. Continuous blood pressure was determined before and during the test.

Results

At the submaximal test, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased significantly (p < 0.05) after detraining in the exercise groups. However, between pre-training and detraining, we found significant reductions at rest only in the mixed exercise group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Although all exercise had similar effects on blood pressure during submaximal exercise, the mixed aerobic and resistance exercise may be optimal for blood pressure reduction, by the addition of diverse physiological pathways.

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Abbreviations

AET:

Aerobic exercise training group

BMI:

Body mass index

BP:

Blood pressure

CON:

Control training group

HR:

Heart rate

MIX:

Mixed aerobic and resistance training group

RET:

Resistance training group

VO2max :

Maximal oxygen uptake

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya (INEFC) for technical support and to the professors and students who participated in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiological Sciences, Medical School, University of Barcelona, Campus of Bellvitge, C/Feixa Llarga s/n, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08907, Barcelona, Spain

    Oscar Niño, Juan Alamo, Casimiro Javierre, Elisabet Guillamo, Maria C. Delicado & Josep L. Ventura

  2. Institut Nacional de Educacio Fisica de Catalunya, 08038, Barcelona, Spain

    Natalia Balagué, Daniel Aragonés & Elisabet Guillamo

  3. Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal, 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Gines Viscor

  4. Faculty of Psychology, Education and Sport Sciences, Universidad Ramon Llull, c. Císter, 34, 08022, Barcelona, Spain

    Guillermo Oviedo

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  1. Oscar Niño
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  2. Natalia Balagué
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  3. Daniel Aragonés
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  4. Juan Alamo
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Correspondence to Casimiro Javierre.

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Communicated by Keith Phillip George.

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Niño, O., Balagué, N., Aragonés, D. et al. Different training programs decrease blood pressure during submaximal exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 117, 2181–2189 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3706-x

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