Time course of recovery from resistance exercise before and after a training program

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Investigating short-term physiological responses to different resistance training (RT) protocols.
• Comparing training to failure (MaxRep) versus half-maximal repetitions (U-HalfRep, T-HalfRep).

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the acute effects of MaxRep, U-HalfRep, and T-HalfRep on mechanical performance and hormonal profiles.
• To compare fatigue accumulation and recovery kinetics across different RT protocols.

Main Methods:

• Ten untrained males performed MaxRep and U-HalfRep protocols (bench press, squat) before a 10-week RT program.
• T-HalfRep protocol was repeated post-training.
• Assessed jump height, velocity, and plasma biomarkers (testosterone, cortisol, GH, prolactin, IGF-1, CK) pre- and post-exercise.

Main Results:

• MaxRep induced greater mechanical performance decrements and slower recovery than half-maximal protocols.
• U-HalfRep caused more significant jump impairment than T-HalfRep up to 48 hours post-exercise.
• MaxRep and U-HalfRep elevated creatine kinase, while MaxRep increased growth hormone and prolactin.

Conclusions:

• MaxRep leads to greater fatigue, slower recovery, higher hormonal response, and muscle damage compared to half-maximal repetitions.
• Athletes experienced slower recovery and more muscle damage pre-training than post-training, despite similar relative stimuli.