HURLEY, B. F., J. M. HAGBERG, A. P. GOLDBERG, D. R. SEALS, A. A. EHSANI, R. E. BRENNAN, and J. O. HOLLOSZY. Resistive training can reduce coronary risk factors without altering VO2max or percent body fat. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 20, No. 2, pp. 150-154, 1988. Eleven healthy, untrained males (age = 44 +/- 1 yr; range = 40 to 55 yr) were studied to determine the effects of 16 wk of high-intensity resistive training on risk factors for coronary artery disease. Lipoprotein-lipid profiles, plasma glucose and insulin responses during an oral glucose tolerance test, and blood pressure at rest were determined before and after training. The training program resulted in a 13% increase in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (39 +/- 2 vs 44 +/- 3 mg[middle dot]dl-1, P < 0.05), a 43% increase in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol2 (7 +/- 2 vs 10 +/- 2 mg-dl-1, P < 0.05), a 5% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (129 +/- 5 vs 122 +/- 5 mg[middle dot]dl-1, P< 0.05), and an 8% decrease in the total cholesterol/high- density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio (5.1 +/- 0.3 vs 4.7 +/- 0.3, P < 0.01), despite no changes in VO2max body weight, or percent body fat. Glucose-stimulated plasma insulin concentrations during oral glucose tolerance testing were significantly lower, and supine diastolic blood pressure was reduced (P < 0.05) as a result of the training program. No changes in any of these variables occurred in a sedentary control group. These findings indicate that resistive training can lower risk factors for coronary artery disease independent of changes in VO2max, body weight, or body composition.
(C)1988The American College of Sports Medicine