Effects of Different Types of Lower Body Resistance Exercise on Upper-body Strength in Men and Women, with Special Reference to Anabolic Hormones

Resistance exercise has been shown to induce an acute hormonal response. The purpose of this study was to examine upper-body adaptations and the endocrine response to strength training in men and women when subjected to two different types of lower-body resistance training protocols. Nine males and eight females were assigned to either a Heavy Load (HL) ( N = 10) or Mixed Load (ML) ( N = 7) training routine three times per week for ten weeks. The HL-group executed low-volume, high-load resistance exercise for both lower and upper-body (4–6 reps at 80–90% of one repetition maximum (1-RM), three-minute inter-set rest). The ML-group performed the HL-protocol for the upper-body, but a high-volume, moderate-load protocol for the lower body (10–15 reps at 60–70% of 1-RM, one-minute inter-set rest). Volume load, 1-RM strength and hormonal measurements were analyzed by repeated-measures linear mixed models. Both groups increased their 1-RM in all assessments ( p < 0.01) with no significant difference between groups at any time. Growth hormone (GH), testosterone and bioavailable testosterone (T/SHBG) increased in both groups during a standardized exercise session ( p < 0.01) with ML having a greater increase in GH. The notion that acute elevations in anabolic hormones is important for muscle strength adaptation cannot be supported by the present study.