Effects of Elastic Resistance Training and Traditional Weight Training on Antioxidant and Oxidative Stress Markers in Untrained Men

Resistance Training (RT) is very various and diverse. Although RT with weights has positive influence on antioxidant status, the effect of elastic resistance training (ERT) on the antioxidant and oxidative stress status has not been investigated. The aim of the present study was to compare effects of traditional Resistance training (TRT) and ERT on oxidative stress and antioxidant in untrained men.

A total of 30 untrained male students in Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj Branch, with no experience in RT, voluntarily participated in the present study in 2016 and randomly assigned into ERT (n=10), TRT (n=10), and control (n=10) groups. Blood samples were obtained prior to the study, and was repeated 72 hr after the last training session. Then, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), Superoxide dismutase (SOD), Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) as antioxidant indices, and Malondialdehyde (MDA), as oxidative stress index, were measured in the plasma.

SOD activity significantly increased in TRT compared with control group (p=0.016), while GPX significantly increased in ERT compared with control group (p=0.014). Also, compared with control group, MDA significantly decreased in ERT after training (p=0.045). Moreover, TAC did not change significantly (p˃0.05). However, we did not found a significant difference in variables mentioned between ERT and TRT (p˃0.05).

According to the results, two traditional and elastic resistance training protocols can affect oxidative stress and antioxidant indices selectively. However, none of them has advantages over the other. Therefore, it is recommended that considering the conditions and facilities, elastic and traditional resistance training be used for improving antioxidant status.