AUTHOR=Pedersen Helene , Saeterbakken Atle Hole , Fimland Marius Steiro , Iversen Vegard Moe , Schoenfeld Brad J. , Stien Nicolay , Andersen Vidar 

TITLE=Effects of one long vs. two short resistance training sessions on training volume and affective responses in resistance-trained women

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1010596

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1010596

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of performing a lower body resistance training program in one long or two shorter sessions in one day on training volume and affective measures. Employing a randomized-crossover design, 23 resistance-trained women (22±2 years, 166±6 cm, and 66.4±7.5 kg) performed i) one long (46 min) and ii) two shorter sessions (total of 43 min) separated by 3.5-5 hours. Each training day was separated by 4-6 days and consisted of three sets to failure for six exercises. Training volume (number of repetitions lifted) were recorded during the sessions. Rating of perceived exertion for effort (RPE), rating of perceived exertion for discomfort (RPD), session displeasure/pleasure (sPDF) and exercise enjoyment (EES) were measured ten minutes after each session. Participants were also asked about their readiness to train, twenty-four hours after each session, and which training protocol they preferred, forty-eight hours after the last session. The long session led to significantly higher RPE (1.5 points, p<0.001, ES=1.07), RPD (0.8 points, p=0.043, ES=0.53) and sPDF (0.5 points, p=0.010, ES=0.59) compared to the short sessions. There was no difference in EES (p=0.118, ES=0.33). The short sessions had 3% higher training volume than the long session (p=0.002, ES=0.42). There were no differences in perceived readiness to train twenty-four hours after the sessions (p=0.166-0.856, ES=0.08-0.32). Twenty-two participants preferred the long session, while one preferred the short sessions. In conclusion, performing a longer, lower body, resistance training session led to greater perceptions of effort, discomfort and session pleasure than splitting the same program into two shorter sessions among resistance-trained women. However, two shorter sessions led to a greater training volume.