Related Experiment Videos
Hormonal responses after various resistance exercise protocols
Ilias Smilios1, Theophilos Pilianidis, Michalis Karamouzis
1Department of Physical Education & Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|April 4, 2003
Summary
The number of sets influences hormonal responses for muscular hypertrophy and strength endurance, but not maximum strength. More sets increase cortisol and growth hormone (hGH) up to a point for these protocols.
Area of Science:
- Exercise Physiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Resistance training protocols elicit distinct hormonal responses.
- The number of sets is a key variable in designing training programs for specific adaptations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of varying set numbers on acute hormonal responses (testosterone, cortisol, hGH).
- To compare these responses across maximum strength (MS), muscular hypertrophy (MH), and strength endurance (SE) training protocols.
Main Methods:
- Eleven young men participated in dynamic, multi-joint exercises.
- Protocols included MS (88% 1-RM, 5 reps), MH (75% 1-RM, 10 reps), and SE (60% 1-RM, 15 reps) with 2, 4, or 6 sets.
- Hormonal levels were measured pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and at 15 and 30 minutes recovery.
Main Results:
- Testosterone levels remained unchanged across all protocols and set configurations.
- Cortisol and hGH increased with more sets in MH and SE protocols (4 vs. 2 sets).
- MS protocol showed no significant hormonal changes related to set number; SE and MH protocols elicited higher cortisol and hGH than MS.
Conclusions:
- Set volume is a critical stimulus for hormonal adaptations in MH and SE, but not MS.
- The number of sets can modulate hormonal profiles, potentially influencing long-term training adaptations differently across MS, MH, and SE.