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Background: The present study compared the effects of training and detraining periods of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate-intensity interval training (MIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on functional performance, body composition, resting blood pressure and heart rate in elderly women nursing home residents. Methods: Forty-six volunteers (age, 80.8 ± 5.2 y; body mass, 69.8 ± 5.2 kg, height, 164.2 ± 4.12 cm) were divided into groups that performed treadmill exercise twice-weekly HIIT (4 bouts of 4-min intervals at 85-95% of the maximal heart rate [HR max ], interspersed by 4 min at 65% HR max), MIIT (4 bouts of 4 min intervals at 55-75% HR max , interspersed by 4 min at 45-50% HR max) and MICT (30-min at 55-75% HR max). Tests were performed before and after 8 weeks of training and 2 and 4 weeks of detraining. ANCOVA was used to analyze dependent variable changes. Results: After 8 weeks HIIT promoted greater reductions in body mass (HIIT = − 1.6 ± 0.1 kg; MICT = − 0.9 ± 0.1 kg; MIIT = − 0.9 ± 0.1 kg; p = 0.001), fat mass (HIIT = − 2.2 ± 0.1%; MICT = − 0.7 ± 0.1%; MIIT = − 1.2 ± 0.1%; p < 0.001) and resting heart rate (HIIT = − 7.3 ± 0.3%; MICT = − 3.6 ± 0.3%; MIIT = − 5.1 ± 0.3%; p < 0.001) and greater improvement in the chair stand test (HIIT = 3.4 ± 0.1 reps; MICT = 2.5 ± 0.1 reps; MIIT = 3.1 ± 0.1 reps; p < 0.001) when compared to MIIT and MICT. These improvements were sustained after 2 and 4 weeks of detraining only in the HIIT group. Conclusion: HIIT promoted greater benefits for body composition and functional performance than MICT and MIIT and also showed less pronounced effects of detraining. This suggests that the intensity of physical exercise is an important factor to consider when prescribing exercise to the elderly.

Objective: To evaluate the addition of blood flow restriction to passive mobilization in patients in the intensive care unit. Design: The study was a within-patient randomized trial. Setting: Two intensive care units in Belém, from September to October 2017. Subjects: In total, 34 coma patients admitted to the intensive care unit sector, and 20 patients fulfilled the study requirements. Interventions: All participants received the passive mobilization protocol for lower limbs, and blood flow restriction was added only for one side in a concurrent fashion. Intervention lasted the entire patient's hospitalization time. Main outcome measurement: Thigh muscle thickness and circumference. Results: In total, 34 subjects were enrolled in the study: 11 were excluded for exclusion criteria, 3 for death, and 20 completed the intervention (17 men and 3 women; mean age: 66 ± 4.3 years). Despite both groups presented atrophy, the atrophy rate was lower in blood flow restriction limb in relation to the

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Barbalho, M, Gentil, P, Raiol, R, Fisher, J, Steele, J, and Coswig, V. Influence of adding single-joint exercise to a multijoint resistance training program in untrained young women. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2018-The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of adding single-joint (SJ) exercises to a multijoint (MJ) resistance training (RT) program on muscle strength and anthropometric measures of young women. Twenty untrained women were divided into a group that performed only MJ exercises or a group that performed both SJ and MJ exercises (MJ + SJ). Before and after 8 weeks of training, the participants were tested for 10 repetition maximum (10RM). Flexed arm circumference and triceps and biceps skinfold thickness were also measured. Both groups significantly decreased biceps (-3.60% for MJ and -3.55% for MJ + SJ) and triceps skinfold (-3.05% for MJ and -2.98% for MJ + SJ), with no significant difference between them. Flexed arm circumference significantly increased in both groups; however, increases in MJ + SJ (4.39%) were significantly greater than MJ (3.50%). Increases in 10RM load in elbow extension (28.2% for MJ and 28.0% for MJ + SJ), elbow flexion (29.8% for MJ and 28.7% for MJ + SJ), and knee extension (26.92% for MJ and 23.86% for MJ + SJ) were all significant and not different between groups. The results showed that adding SJ exercises to an MJ RT program resulted in no benefits in muscle performance or anthropometric changes in untrained women.

The study compared the effects of back squat (BS) and hip thrust (HT) exercises on muscle strength and hypertrophy in well-trained women. Twenty-two participants were divided in two groups: BS group (n=12, 26.4±1.32 years, 171.8±3.79 cm, and 69.5±4.9 kg) performed the BS exercise and HT group (n=10, 27.5±1.42 years, 170.8±4.4 cm, 67.5±4.7 kg) performed the HT exercise. Training was performed for 12 weeks. Before and after the training period, participants were assessed for quadriceps femoris and gluteus maximus muscle thickness (MT) and 1 repetition maximum (1RM) test on the BS and HT. Both groups significantly increased hip extensors MT and HT 1RM; however, the improvements in BS group were higher than in HT group on quadriceps femoris (12.2% for BS and 2% for HT, P<0.001) and gluteus maximus MT (9.4% for BS and 3.7% for HT, P=0.001) and BS 1 RM (35.9% for BS and 4.3% for HT, P<0.001). BS was more efficient than HT, since it resulted in greater muscle hypertrophy of the quadriceps femoris and gluteus maximus, increases in BS 1RM and similar increases in HT.

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of resistance training performed with no external load (NLRT) versus resistance training performed with elastic bands (RTEB) on muscle hypertrophy and functional performance in hospitalized patients. Twenty hospitalized females (age, 59.05±3.2 years; height 163.6±2.5 cm; body mass 70.2±3.6 kgs) were randomly assigned to RTEB or NLRT. Both groups trained three times a week for five weeks. RTEB was performed with elastic bands, while NLRT involved maximum voluntary contractions with no external loads. Biceps brachii, triceps brachii and pectoralis muscle thickness (MT) were measured by ultrasound. Functional performance was measured by the 30s elbow flexion test. MT significantly increased in all muscles tested for both groups, with no differences between groups. Changes ranged from 14 to 38%. Functional performance significantly improved by 42.7% for NLRT and 52.1% for RTEB, with no difference between them. The present results suggest that NLRT might be an efficient, feasible and low-cost strategy to promote morphological and functional benefits in the upper limb of hospitalized patients.

High-intensity activity is an important aspect of football performance during competitive match play. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of beta-alanine supplementation throughout a short-duration intense football-specific training period prior to an international competition on measures of high-intensity running performance. Methods: Twenty-four elite international U20 female footballers (age 18 ± 1 y, height 1.67 ± 0.07 m, body mass 62.7 ± 7.4 kg) volunteered to perform the YoYo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YoYo IR1), the Running Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST) and a 20-m maximal sprint test on two separate occasions, separated by 3 weeks of training and supplementation. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 6.4 g•day −1 sustained-release beta-alanine (BA, N = 12) or an equivalent dose of maltodextrin (placebo, PL, N = 12) throughout a 3-week standardized training camp. Results: There was a main effect of group (P = 0.05) and time (P = 0.004) on YoYo IR1; overall values were lower in PL and distance covered was lower post-vs. presupplementation. There was no group × time interaction (P = 0.07). There was an effect of sprint number for RAST, but no further main effects and there were no effect for the 20-m sprint. Conclusions: Top-level female footballers involved in this intense 3-week training period prior to a competition worsened their high-intensity intermittent exercise capacity, and this negative result was not attenuated by a short-duration BA supplementation protocol throughout the same period. Further work is necessary to elucidate whether adapted training protocols and BA dosing regimens could lead to better results.