Tan, J. G., Coburn, J. W., Judelson, D. A., Brown, L. E., Barsaga, B., Morales, J. R., Du Bois, A. M., Nelson, G. C., Cazas, V. L., & Truong, L. (2012). Acute effects of lower body aerobic exercise on lower and upper body resistance exercise workouts. Presentation 1871 at the 59th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, San Francisco, California; May 29-June 2, 2012.

This study compared lower- and upper-body resistance exercise workout responses following acute bouts of lower body aerobic exercise on an elliptical machine in males (N = 12). Four trials were completed. Two trials consisted of 30 minutes on the elliptical machine at 70% of age-predicted maximum heart rate prior to a back squat or bench press workout, consisting of three sets to failure performed at 75% 1 RM. The other two trials consisted of the same resistance workouts without the preceding aerobic exercise.

An acute bout of aerobic exercise on an elliptical machine significantly reduced the number of repetitions completed for the back squat but not bench press exercise.

Implication. The performance of an acute bout of lower-body aerobic exercise reduces the number of repetitions completed during a subsequent lower-body resistance training workout but not in the upper body. This suggests that aerobic exercise dampens the exercise capability of the exercised muscles in a subsequent resistance training program.

Return to Table of Contents for this issue.