AUTHOR=Zuo Chongwen , Li Qing , Zhang Li , Bo Shumin 

TITLE=Effects of 6-Week Traditional and Functional Resistance Training on Arterial Stiffness and Muscular Strength in Healthy Young Men

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.859402

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2022.859402

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>The present study investigated the effects of traditional resistance training (TRT) and functional resistance training (FRT) on arterial stiffness and muscular strength in healthy young men.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>This randomized controlled trial included 29 untrained healthy young men aged 18–29 years who were randomly divided into two groups, namely, TRT group (<italic>n</italic> = 15) and FRT group (<italic>n</italic> = 14). All participants underwent numerous tests, such as those for body composition, cardio-ankle vascular index, blood pressure, heart rate, and maximal strength before and after the 6-week training program. The exercise training comprised whole-body strength training exercises 3 days a week for 6 weeks. The total training volume and number of sets (4–5 sets) were kept constantly similar in each group. The TRT group completed 4–5 sets of 8–12 repetitions [70% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM)], whereas the FRT group completed 4–5 sets of 15–22 repetitions (40% 1RM).</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>The TRT and FRT groups exhibited equally significantly increased maximal strength (within group: both <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). Furthermore, the independent <italic>t</italic>-test showed that the differences between the two groups in terms of changes in maximal strength were no significant (between group: both <italic>p</italic> &gt; 0.05). Additionally, significant main effects of time (pre vs. post) were observed for the left and right cardio-ankle vascular indices (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05); however, no significant difference were observed between the groups. For body compositions outcome measures, no significant differences between groups were observed.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Six weeks of FRT and TRT exhibit no difference in terms of effects on arterial stiffness and muscular strength.</p></sec>