King Grub
2015-10-16, 11:09
The purpose of this study was to assess the cross education of strength and changes in the underlying mechanisms (muscle size, activation, and hormonal response) following a 4-week unilateral resistance training (URT) program. A group of nine untrained men completed a 4-week URT program on the dominant leg (DOM), while cross education was measured in the non-dominant leg (NON); and were compared to a control group (n=8, CON). Unilateral isometric force (PKF), leg press (LP) and leg extension (LE) strength, muscle size (via ultrasonography) and activation (via electromyography) of the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis, and the hormonal response (testosterone, growth hormone, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-1) were tested pre- and post-training. Group × time interactions were present for PKF, LP, LE, and muscle size in DOM and for LP in NON. In all interactions, the URT group improved significantly better than CON. There was a significant acute hormonal response to URT, but no chronic adaptation after the 4-week training program. Four weeks of URT resulted in an increase in strength and size of the trained musculature, as well as cross education of strength in the untrained musculature, which may occur without detectable changes in muscle size, activation, or the acute hormonal response.
J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Oct 6. Short-Term Unilateral Resistance Training Results in Cross Education of Strength without Changes in Muscle Size, Activation, or Endocrine Response.
J Strength Cond Res. 2015 Oct 6. Short-Term Unilateral Resistance Training Results in Cross Education of Strength without Changes in Muscle Size, Activation, or Endocrine Response.