To compare the blood pressure (BP) responses to exercise with 1.36 kg (3.0 1b) hand-held weights (HW), wrist weights (WW), and ankle weights (AW), 12 sedentary males (20.8 +/- 1.2 yr) completed three randomly assigned treadmill exercises at 75% maximum heart rate (HR) reserve. Systolic and diastolic BPs among HW (181.2 +/- 21.9 and 73.2 +/- 7.9 mm Hg), WW (180.1 +/- 27.2 and 71.0 +/- 10.1 mm Hg), and AW (183.8 +/- 26.8 and 71.7 +/- 7.8 mm Hg) were not significantly different (/>>0.05). When compared to exercise with no weights (NW), only the diastolic BP for HW was significantly different (+4.4 mm Hg, P<0.05). To evaluate the energy cost of exercise with HW, WW, and AW, subjects completed a fourth exercise at constant treadmill speed (6.3 +/- 0.3 km h-1) and grade (6.3 +/- 1.4%). Oxygen uptake and HR responses were greater (P<0.01) for HW (30.4 +/- 0.8 ml-min-1 -kg-1; 160.6 +/- 4.0 beats-min-1), WW (30.4 +/- 0.9 ml-min-1-kg-1; 159.7 +/- 4.6 beatsmin-1), and AW (29.0 +/- 0.7 ml-min-1-kg-1; 154.6 +/- 4.4 beatsmin-1) than for exercise with NW (26.6 +/- 0.7 ml-min-1 -kg-1; 147.0 +/-3.8 beats-min-1). Oxygen uptake and HRs for HW and WW were greater than for AW (P<0.05). Ratings of perceived exertion (Borg scale) for NW (11.7 +/- 1.8), HW (12.1 +/- 2.0), WW (12.2 +/- 1.8), and AW (12.3 +/- 1.8) were not significantly different (P>0.05). These data suggest that hand-gripping associated with HW exercise may be responsible for a slight elevation in diastolic BP. The use of 1.36 kg HW or WW increases the energy cost of walking exercise to a greater extent than 1.36 kg AW. The increased energy cost associated with HW, WW, and AW can occur with little change in ratings of perceived exertion.
(C)1988The American College of Sports Medicine