The Effects of Cycle Ergometer Training on Blood Pressure in Young Basketball Players and Untrained Boys

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects on resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, after 10 weeks strength training program on cycle ergometer. Forty six boys 13 year-olds participated in this study. Subjects were divided into four groups, two exercise groups A (n=12 untrained boys) and C (n=13 basketball players) and two control (B and D) respectively. Exercise groups participated in an interval exercise program (10 weeks, 50min/ day, 3days/week) of high intensity workload (HR 170-180 bpm) 6x2 min followed by 4 min of low intensity workload (HR of 120-130 bpm) of floor training. Boys of control groups B and D participated only in the school physical education courses or basketball team training program respectively. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements were taken at the beginning and at the end of the training period. At the beginning of the training period no significant differences were found for systolic and diastolic blood pressure between groups. At the end of the training period, systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased in the training group A only. On the contrary, no significant differences were observed at the end of the 10-weeks training period for the training group C and for the control groups. The findings suggest that the type of exercise used by the training group appears to be a stimulus for decreasing systolic and diastolic blood pressure in untrained pubescence boys.