Strength adaptation to squat exercise is different between Caucasian and South Asian novice exercisers

Abstract

This study compared the progression of muscular strength (MS) adaptation between age-matched Caucasian (CAUC) and South Asian (SOU) men during 6 weeks (3× week) of resistance training. MS was determined pre and post intervention by 3-repetition maximum (3RM) strength tests, and data were analysed using repeated measures ANOVA. Pre-intervention upper and lower body 3RM were similar between groups and both upper and lower body 3RM increased in CAUCs (P < .001) and SOUs (P < .001) following resistance training. However, lower body strength adaptation (3RM) was higher in CAUCs compared with SOUs (P = .002). There was a significant group × time interaction in strength progression of the squat exercise (P = 0.03) from session 7 through to 18 (completion). The present study offers novel but provisional data that lower body strength adaptation is slower in SOU than CAUC men despite comparable adaptation to upper body strength.

A Comparative Study on Loadings of the Lower Extremity during Deep Squat in Asian and Caucasian Individuals via OpenSim Musculoskeletal Modelling

“…It is a basic movement while performing functional activities in daily life, exercise training, or working environment. The squat attracted attention from the research fields of ethnics [1], occupation [2], clinics [3], biomechanics [4], and sports training [1,5]. The squat movement was considered an effective practice to strengthen the musculature of the lower extremity and trunk for the activation and coordination of a human motor system to maintain balance and stability.…”

“…Populations of different ethnicities may present different movement capacities and muscular function adaptations [1]. Previous researchers found that Asians presented a different squatting movement pattern [14], which might be a potential cause of the incidence of knee osteoarthritis [3].…”

Caucasian and south Asian men show equivalent improvements in surrogate biomarkers of cardiovascular and metabolic health following 6-weeks of supervised resistance training

“…Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in TC, LDL and HDL concentrations, which may translate to a significant reduction in cardiovascular risk. This is of importance as our previous work has demonstrated differing rates of adaptation to exercise training between CAUCs and SAs ( Knox et al ., 2017), which may imply differing rate of adaptation in other physiological markers. However, the current study has demonstrated that this is not evident in biomarkers of cardio-metabolic health.…”

“…All training sessions were performed in local authority fitness centres under the supervision of AK. Measurement of muscular strength, prescribed training protocol, and associated data has been previously reported ( Knox et al ., 2017). Briefly, lower and upper body muscular strength was assessed by the 3 repetition maximum protocol utilizing the squat and bench press exercise, respectively.…”

“…While these data may have potentially important consequences for exercise prescription for SAs, the field is limited by the dearth of objective assessment of exercise participation. Our previous work has demonstrated differences in muscular strength adaptation in response to supervised RES in SAs, which may translate to an attenuated cardio-metabolic response ( Knox et al ., 2017). These findings are in line with two previous studies which compared objectively determined physical activity ( Iliodromiti et al ., 2016) and aerobic exercise ( Hall et al ., 2010) which support the potential for a blunted response to physical activity in SAs compared with CAUCs.…”