Low- and high-intensity one-week occlusion training improve muscle oxygen consumption and reduce muscle fatigue.

BACKGROUND: Low-intensity resistance exercises with blood flow restriction have been shown is effective to increase muscular strength and hypertrophy. However, the effects of combined training: one-week occlusion training with various exercise intensities by using less occlusion pressure on muscle strength improvement, fatigability and their work capacity are not clear.

METHODS: Participants (n = 24) were middle-distance runners with 4-6 years of training experience. A control group without blood flow restriction (n = 12, age 23±1 years) and an experimental group with blood flow restriction (n = 12, age 22±1 years). In this study, the calf muscles were impacted by the training with occlusion 120 mmHg. We used intensive one-week daily training, whereby exercise intensity was gradually increased daily from 20 to 80 % of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and then decreased to 60% by the end of the week.

RESULTS: MVC of foot flexion muscles after the one-week occlusion training in the experimental group and control group increased (p < 0.05) by 5.6 ± 1.3% and 5.3 ± 1.2% accordingly. Meanwhile in experimental group work capacity improved only 2.4 ± 3.5% (p > 0.05) and in control group it significantly decreased 11.8 ± 2.5% (p < 0.05). StO2 decreased during exercise test from the baseline 100% to 45.2 ± 4.3% before occlusion training and to 34.6 ± 6.2% after the week of occlusion training (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Intensive one-week training with occlusion with varying intensity improves resistance to fatigue and recovery after training. This kind of training improves oxygen consumption while exercising.