Effect of an 11-Week Resistance Training Program on Arterial Stiffness in Young Women

Abstract Morgan, B, Mirza, AM, Gimblet, CJ, Ortlip, AT, Ancalmo, J, Kalita, D, Pellinger, TK, Walter, JM, and Werner, TJ. Effect of an 11-week resistance training program on arterial stiffness in young women. J Strength Cond Res 37(2): 315–321, 2023—The current investigation was conducted to determine the effect of 2 resistance training models on indices of arterial stiffness in young, healthy women. Twenty-four women, untrained college students, aged 18–22 years were randomized into 1 of 3 groups: control (CON) group (n = 8), high-intensity (HI) resistance exercise group (n = 8), and high-volume (HV) resistance exercise group (n = 8). Subjects randomized to resistance training groups were required to perform strength training exercises 3–5 days a week for 11 weeks. The exercise regimen consisted of 2–3 sets of 3–8 repetitions (80–90% of 1 repetition maximum [1RM]) for the HI group and 3–4 sets of 10–15 repetitions (50–70% of 1RM) for the HV group. All subjects were instructed to continue their normal diet and avoid cardiovascular exercise during the study. After the intervention, there was a significant increase in carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) (6.39 ± 0.73 to 8.40 ± 2.31 m·s−1; p < 0.05) and carotid radial PWV (9.77 ± 1.74 to 12.58 ± 2.09 m·s−1; p < 0.05) in the CON group alone. Both the HI and HV groups increased their maximum squat (36.6 ± 7.9 vs. 41.3 ± 31.8 percent change; p < 0.05), bench press (34.4 ± 12.6 vs. 23.4 ± 11.1 percent change; p < 0.05), and seated row (22.0 ± 12.6 vs. 21.9 ± 12.5 percent change; p < 0.05), respectively. Our findings support the use of resistance training exercise without undue impact on vascular compliance in otherwise healthy women.