Effect of muscle strength and endurance development on blood flow

¹ Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, State University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

Studies were carried out to investigate the effect of hand grip strength and/or endurance improvement on blood flow through the muscles involved. One group of subjects trained for strength development and another for endurance development throughout a 29-week period. At regular intervals blood flow was measured under resting conditions and also following three different test exercise stresses designed to test the functional capacity of the vascular bed. Subjects who participated in the strength training program made significant gains in strength but not in endurance, while those subjects who trained for endurance improved in both strength and endurance. Resting blood flow was not changed significantly as a result of either training program. Significant changes in the blood flow response to the test exercise stresses were noted; these changes were associated with endurance rather than strength improvement.