Hemodynamic Responses and Perceived Exertion During Continuous and Discontinuous Resistance Exercise

Abstract

This study compared acute responses of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP), cardiac output (Q), heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), total peripheral resistance (TPR) and rate of perceived exertion (RPE) during resistance exercise performed continuously and discontinuously. Hemodynamic responses and RPE were assessed in the last of 4 sets of 12 repetitions of the knee extension with load corresponding to 70% of 12 repetition maximum, performed continuously (C) or discontinuously, with pauses of 5 s (D5) or 10 s (D10) interspersed in the middle of sets. The increase in SBP was higher for D10 (34.0±8.4%) and D5 (34.1±13.2%) vs. C (19.8±10.3%; P<0.001), while no difference was detected for DBP. Q (P=0.03) and SV (P=0.02) were higher, but HR was lower (P=0.04) in discontinuous vs. continuous. TPR remained stable during continuous, but significant decreases occurred during the pauses in the discontinuous protocols (P<0.001). The BP was higher in discontinuous than in continuous protocols, but the RPE was attenuated in discontinuous compared to continuous exercise. In conclusion, hemodynamic responses were exacerbated during resistance exercise performed discontinuously, but the perceived exertion was lowered.

Interrepetition Rest Set Lacks the V-Shape Systolic Pressure Response Advantage during Resistance Exercise

“…Our results agree with two previous studies comparing cluster set designs with continuous set designs [ 16 , 17 ]. These designs observed higher increases in SBP response, with two to ten seconds of resting time in the middle of the set, in comparison with the continuous ones.…”

“…When leg press was the preferred exercise with intraarterial catheterization [ 6 ], it may not be the best exercise with photoplethysmography, since loss of data has been already reported [ 8 ]. A better option may be the leg extension exercise since loss of data was not previously informed [ 16 , 17 ]. Besides, while metabolism involvement and intrathoracic pressure were not tested, an inference based on previous studies, describing the response during a set, allowed us a rational explanation of the differences.…”

“…The total duration of each repetition was used to select the higher SBP value of that particular repetition, and the HR and DBP values belonging to the same cardiac beat. For each design, the average of the total, concentric, and eccentric time of all repetitions were analyzed as indicators of total, concentric, and eccentric time under tension (TUT), respectively [ 16 ].…”

“…Three reports previously studied this particular topic [ 7 , 16 , 17 ], but probably the resting time (2–10 s) between repetitions, or groups of repetitions in the short sets, was not enough to maintain the phosphocreatine muscle content [ 9 ], thus failing to avoid the involvement of the glycolytic metabolism when comparing it with continuous sets. In our study, we aimed to compare the pressure response of an IRD, with enough resting time of a CD.…”

Cardiovascular Responses to Resistance Exercise Performed with Large and Small Muscle Mass

“…This should be considered when designing training programs for groups with high cardiovascular risk. Hence, strategies that could minimize the increase in CVR due to resistance exercise have been investigated, such as the adoption of fractioned sets [20] or manipulation of time under muscle tension [17].…”