Cardiovascular Responses to Unilateral, Bilateral, Upper, and Lower Limbs Resistance Exercise.

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Sports Science

Background:

• The impact of varied resistance exercises on cardiovascular function is not fully understood.
• Understanding these responses is crucial for designing safe and effective training programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine acute cardiovascular responses to unilateral and bilateral upper and lower limb resistance exercises.
• To compare the effects of different exercise modalities on heart rate, blood pressure, and rate-pressure product.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-two healthy young males performed unilateral and bilateral knee extensions and biceps curls.
• Cardiovascular responses (heart rate, systolic blood pressure, rate-pressure product) were measured at rest and post-exercise sets.
• All exercises were performed to concentric muscle failure with 2-minute rest intervals.

Main Results:

• Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and rate-pressure product increased progressively across all exercise conditions.
• Bilateral exercises, particularly lower limb variations, elicited greater increases in heart rate and rate-pressure product compared to unilateral exercises.
• Bilateral knee extensions resulted in higher systolic blood pressure increases than unilateral biceps curls.

Conclusions:

• Resistance exercises progressively elevate cardiovascular demand.
• Bilateral exercises induce a higher cardiovascular load than unilateral exercises, with lower limb exercises showing a more pronounced effect.
• Unilateral resistance exercises may be a practical choice for reducing cardiovascular stress during training sessions.