Resistance training induces similar adaptations of upper and lower-body muscles between sexes

• Published in: Scientific reports 2021-12, Vol.11 (1), p.23449-23449, Article 23449
• Main Authors: Kojić, Filip, Mandić, Danimir, Ilić, Vladimir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/443; 692/698; Adaptation; Adaptation, Physiological - physiology; Adult; Contractility; Contraction; Elbow; Exercise; Female; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Hypertrophy; Knee; Male; multidisciplinary; Muscle Contraction - physiology; Muscle Strength - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Muscles; Myography; Physical training; Quadriceps muscle; Repetition; Reproducibility of Results; Resistance Training - methods; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Sex; Sex Factors; Strength training; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02867-y

The purpose of the study was to compare sex adaptations in hypertrophy, strength and contractile properties of upper and lower-body muscles induced by resistance training (RT). Eighteen RT untrained male (MG) and female (FG) students (aged 24.1 ± 1.7 years, height: 1.75 ± 0.08 m, weight: 70.4 ± 12.3 kg) undervent 7 weeks of biceps curl and squat training (2 days/week, 60–70% repetition maximum, 3–4 sets, 120 s rest intervals, reps until muscular failure). At baseline and final measurement, thickness and cross-section area, one-repetition maximum and tensiomyography parameters (contraction time − Tc and radial displacement − Dm) of elbow flexors (biceps brachii) and knee extensors (4 quadriceps muscles) were evaluated. Although MG tends to display greater absolute strength gains for upper- (p = 0.055) and lower-body (p = 0.098), for relative changes ANCOVA revealed no sex-specific differences for either of the tested variables. Significant hypertrophy was observed for all tested muscles, except for vastus intermedius in FG (p = 0.076). The Dm significantly decreased for biceps brachii (MG by 12%, p