Campbell, B. I., Raposo, K. A., Bullion, A., Petchonka, A., Pannoni, N., Cloer, B., Deignan, S., Vyas, T., & Kreider, R. (2012). Pre-exercise carbohydrate supplementation does not suppress rate of fatigue during resistance exercise in trained females. Presentation 2353 at the 59th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, San Francisco, California; May 29-June 2, 2012.

This study investigated the effects of ingesting pre-exercise waxy maize carbohydrate on the rate of fatigue (as measured by total repetitions performed) during an acute bout of resistance exercise. Resistance-trained females (N = 13) participated in two resistance-exercise sessions separated by seven days. During a familiarization trial, each S’s 1RM for the bench press and leg press was determined. Next, Ss were randomly assigned to a carbohydrate or placebo treatment session. Ss consumed 1.0g carbohydrate/kg of body mass (waxy maize carbohydrate) or a non-caloric placebo beverage 60 minutes before exercise. The resistance exercise workout required each S to perform five sets of bench press at 75% 1RM followed by five sets of leg press at 85% of 1RM, each to muscular failure. There were three minutes of rest between each set and five minutes of rest between the two exercises. The rate of fatigue was calculated as the percentage decline (in repetitions completed) from the first set to the fifth set in both exercises.

Fatigue rates did not differ between the exercises.

Implication. Pre-exercise carbohydrate supplementation (in the form of waxy maize carbohydrate) does not impact the rate of fatigue during an acute bout of resistance exercise in resistance-trained females.

Return to Table of Contents for this issue.