The Perceptual Responses to Occluded Exercise

Abstract

The purpose was to determine repetitions to failure and perceptual responses to exercise with and without occlusion. 15 subjects participated in a randomized crossover study of 3 trials. The first determined one repetition maximum (1RM) on the leg extension. Subjects were then assigned to an occlusion (OCC) or control (CON) group. After trial 2, subjects crossed over to the opposite trial. Knee wraps (KW) were placed around the upper thigh of each leg during OCC. Subjects completed 2 sets of leg extensions to failure at 30% 1RM, with 30 s rest between sets. Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and pain (P) were taken following each set. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-tests with an alpha level of 0.01. OCC repetitions were lower for the first and second set compared to CON (p=0.001). Total work completed was significantly lower with OCC compared to CON (p=0.001). OCC RPE were higher for both the first (p=0.01) and second set (p=0.003) compared to CON. P was not different following one set but was higher with OCC over CON following the second (p=0.009). In conclusion, KW provide an OCC stimulus allowing failure to occur sooner. However, the higher perceptual responses with OCC may limit its application to the highly motivated.

RPE - pain - hypertrophy - muscle - protein synthesis

References

• 1 Abe T, Kearns CF, Sato Y. Muscle size and strength are increased following walk training with restricted venous blood flow from the leg muscle, Kaatsu-walk training.  J Appl Physiol. 2006;  100 1460-1466
• 2 ACSM . American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;  41 687-708
• 3 Adler GK. Exercise and fatigue – is neuroendocrinology an important factor?.  J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2000;  85 2167-2169
• 4 Borg G. Borg's Perceived Exertion and Pain Scales. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 1998
• 5 Burd NA, West DW, Staples AW, Holwerda AM, Moore D, Tang J, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Influence of muscle contraction intensity and fatigue on muscle protein synthesis (MPS) following resistance exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;  41 149
• 6 Burd NA, Holwerda AM, Selby KC, West DW, Staples AW, Cain NE, Cashaback JG, Potvin JR, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Resistance exercise volume affects myofibrillar protein synthesis and anabolic signalling molecule phosphorylation in young men.  J Physiol. 2010;  DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2010.192856
• 7 Harriss DJ, Atkinson G. International Journal of Sports Medicine – Ethical Standards in Sport and Exercise Science Research.  Int J Sports Med. 2009;  30 701-702
• 8 Hollander DB, Durand RJ, Trynicki JL, Larock D, Castracane VD, Hebert EP, Kraemer RR. RPE, pain, and physiological adjustment to concentric and eccentric contractions.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003;  35 1017-1025
• 9 Hollander DB, Reeves GV, Clavier JD, Francois MR, Thomas C, Kraemer RR. Partial occlusion during resistance exercise alters effort sense and pain.  J Strength Cond Res. 2010;  24 235-243
• 10 Lagally KM, Robertson RJ, Gallagher KI, Goss FL, Jakicic JM, Lephart SM, McCaw ST, Goodpaster B. Perceived exertion, electromyography, and blood lactate during acute bouts of resistance exercise.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002;  34 552-559 discussion 560
• 11 Loenneke JP, Pujol TJ. The use of occlusion training to produce muscle hypertrophy.  Strength Condit J. 2009;  31 77-84
• 12 Loenneke JP, Pujol TJ. KAATSU: Rationale for application in astronauts.  Hippokratia. 2010;  14 224
• 13 Loenneke JP, Wilson GJ, Wilson JM. A Mechanistic approach to blood flow occlusion.  Int J Sports Med. 2010;  31 1-4
• 14 Manini TM, Clark BC. Blood flow restricted exercise and skeletal muscle health.  Exerc Sport Sci Rev. 2009;  37 78-85
• 15 Moore DR, Burgomaster KA, Schofield LM, Gibala MJ, Sale DG, Phillips SM. Neuromuscular adaptations in human muscle following low intensity resistance training with vascular occlusion.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2004;  92 399-406
• 16 Suga T, Okita K, Morita N, Yokota T, Hirabayashi K, Horiuchi M, Takada S, Omokawa M, Kinugawa S, Tsutsui H. Dose effect on intramuscular metabolic stress during low-intensity resistance exercise with blood flow restriction.  J Appl Physiol. 2010;  108 1563-1567
• 17 Suminski RR, Robertson RJ, Arslanian S, Kang J, Utter AC, DaSilva SG, Goss FL, Metz KF. Perception of effort during resistance exercise.  J Strength Cond Res. 1997;  11 261-265
• 18 Takano H, Morita T, Iida H, Asada K, Kato M, Uno K, Hirose K, Matsumoto A, Takenaka K, Hirata Y, Eto F, Nagai R, Sato Y, Nakajima T. Hemodynamic and hormonal responses to a short-term low-intensity resistance exercise with the reduction of muscle blood flow.  Eur J Appl Physiol. 2005;  95 65-73
• 19 Takarada Y, Nakamura Y, Aruga S, Onda T, Miyazaki S, Ishii N. Rapid increase in plasma growth hormone after low-intensity resistance exercise with vascular occlusion.  J Appl Physiol. 2000;  88 61-65
• 20 Takarada Y, Takazawa H, Ishii N. Applications of vascular occlusion diminish disuse atrophy of knee extensor muscles.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000;  32 2035-2039
• 21 Takarada Y, Takazawa H, Sato Y, Takebayashi S, Tanaka Y, Ishii N. Effects of resistance exercise combined with moderate vascular occlusion on muscular function in humans.  J Appl Physiol. 2000;  88 2097-2106
• 22 Wernbom M, Augustsson J, Thomee R. Effects of vascular occlusion on muscular endurance in dynamic knee extension exercise at different submaximal loads.  J Strength Cond Res. 2006;  20 372-377
• 23 Wernbom M, Jarrebring R, Andreasson MA, Augustsson J. Acute effects of blood flow restriction on muscle activity and endurance during fatiguing dynamic knee extensions at low load.  J Strength Cond Res. 2009;  23 2389-2395
• 24 Yasuda T, Abe T, Sato Y, Midorikawa T, Kearns CF, Inoue K, Ishii N. Muscle fiber cross-sectional area is increased after two weeks of twice daily KAATSU-resistance training.  International Journal of KAATSU Training Research. 2005;  1 65-70

Correspondence