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

BACKGROUND: To analyze the short-term response to three resistance training (RT) protocols: RT protocol leading to failure (MaxRep), half-maximal repetitions protocol in untrained condition (U-HalfRep), and half-maximal repetitions protocol in trained condition (T-HalfRep).

METHODS: Ten males without RT experience performed 3 sets of 5 vs. 10 repetitions with their estimated 10RM load, U-HalfRep vs. MaxRep, in the bench press and squat exercises before a 10-week RT period. After the RT period, the half-maximal repetitions protocol was repeated (T-HalfRep). Mechanical performance (jump height, and velocity against the 1 m·s-1 load) and biochemical plasma profile (testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone, prolactin, IGF-1 and creatine kinase) were assessed at several time-points from 24 h pre- to 48 h postexercise.

RESULTS: MaxRep resulted in greater reductions and slower recovery in mechanical performance compared to half-maximal repetitions protocols. Moreover, U-HalfRep resulted in greater jump performance impairment than T-HalfRep up to 48 h-post. MaxRep also showed greater acute increments in growth hormone and prolactin. U-HalfRep and MaxRep induced higher creatine kinase levels.

CONCLUSIONS: The MaxRep resulted in greater fatigue accumulation and slower recovery, higher hormonal response and muscle damage. The same athletes suffered slower recovery and higher muscle damage before training compared to after training despite using the same relative stimulus.