Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 12(27), p. 3475-3480, 2013
DOI: 10.1519/jsc.0b013e31828f2766
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The purpose of this study was to investigate post-exercise hypotension (PEH) during a four-month period of resistance training in hypertensive elderly women. Sixty-four women were divided into two groups: an experimental group (EG), which performed resistance training, and a control group that did not practice any exercise. The experimental group carried out the following steps: 1) three weeks of exercise adaptation and 1RM test (month #1); 2) resistance exercise at 60% 1RM (month #2); 3) resistance exercise at 70% 1RM (month #3); 4) resistance exercise at 80% 1RM (month #4); 5) PEH analyses at the end of each month. Measurements of systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure (BP) were performed each 5 minutes during a 20min resting period prior to the sessions and each 15min during one hour of post-session recovery. ANCOVA for repeated measures showed a reduction in SBP of about 14mmHg (p ≤ 0.05) and in DBP of 3.6 mmHg (p ≤ 0.05) between resting values after the training period. In the EG group, SBP showed acute PEH during months 2 and 3, while DBP showed acute PEH during months 2 and 4. The control group did not show acute PEH or variations during the four months period. PEH occurrence and chronic reduction of resting BP observed in the experimental group may have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system of the study participants.