EFFECTS OF ISCHEMIC TRAINING ON LOCAL AEROBIC MUSCLE PERFORMANCE IN MAN

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of ischaemic and non-i schaemic training on aerobic performance. In 10 subjects, peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) and time to fatigue (TTF) for one-legged exercise we re measured before and after 4 weeks (4 times week-1) of one-legged tr aining. Each training session started with one leg training for 45 min with 20% blood-flow reduction induced by local application of a supra -atmospheric external pressure of 50 mmHg (ischaemic leg; I-leg). We h ave previously shown that this decreases leg blood flow by about 20%. The contralateral leg (non-restricted-flow leg; N-leg), serving as a c ontrol, then trained with an identical power-output profile for 45 min but without flow restriction. In the I-leg the average training-induc ed increments in TTF and peak VO2 were 27 and 24%, respectively. In th e N-trained leg TTF and peak-VO2 increased 10 and 14%, respectively. B oth increments were significantly greater (P < 0.05) in the I-trained leg. Moreover, the performance increase in the I-trained leg was exagg erated (P < 0.05) in the ischaemic test condition, i.e. there was a sp ecificity in the training response. In conclusion, ischaemia acts as a n additive stimulus to training leading to an exaggerated increase in endurance and peak-VO2 compared to identical training without blood-fl ow restriction. The main explanation is probably an enhanced local ada ptation in the I-trained leg.