ELBOW FLEXOR MUSCLE FUNCTION AND UPPER ARM GIRTH FOLLOWING CONCURRENT STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE TRAINING IN NON RESISTANCETRAINED FEMALES

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of eight weeks of concurrent muscular strength and endurance resistance training of the non-dominant elbow flexors on muscular strength, endurance, and upper arm girths of previously non resistance-trained females. Subjects (n=12) were assigned to one of 3 training groups. These groups were Strength (S), Endurance (E), or Combined (C) with pre and post-training tests for arm girths, 1 RM preacher curl, maximal isometric torque, peak isokinetic torque at velocities of 30 and 90" s-', and total work during 25 continuous repetitions at 90"s.'. Significant increases in prepost strength and endurance occurred in both C and S groups, but not E, in the absence of any change in arm girth. Furthermore, C training produced equivalent gains in strength and endurance to the S and E groups, respectively.