The Effect of Eight Weeks of Resistance Training with a Double and Flat Pyramid Pattern on the Muscle Strength of the Upper and Lower Limbs of Untrained and Overweight Handball Players

Obesity and overweight have become a global problem today. Resistance exercises have the highest effect on muscle strength, which can lead to the improvement of people's quality of life. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 8 weeks of resistance training with a double and flat pyramid pattern on the muscle strength of the upper and lower limbs of non-exercising and overweight handball players.

This research was semi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design. The statistical population of the present study includes handball players from Zanjan who did not practice sports for at least 6 months. The statistical sample of this study was randomly selected from among 36 athletes and divided into three groups of 12 people (double pyramid group, flat pyramid group and control group). The exercise program of flat and double pyramid groups was carried out for eight weeks (three sessions per week). No program was considered for the control group and they did not have any special activities. Shapiro-Wilk statistical test was used for the normality of data distribution. Correlation t and ANOVA statistical tests were used to investigate intra-group and intergroup differences, respectively. All statistical analyzes were performed using spss software version 22 and EXELL software version 2010.

The muscle strength of the upper and lower limbs of nonexercising and overweight athletes showed a significant increase during eight weeks of resistance training with a double and flat pyramid pattern (P=0.001). The results of the T-test of correlated groups showed that eight weeks of resistance training with a double pyramid pattern had a significant effect on the muscle strength of the lower limbs of untrained and overweight athletes (P=0.001).

The results of the present study showed that strength training with double and flat pyramid yielding pattern was effective in improving the strength of untrained athletes. It seems that the double pyramid exercises were superior to the flat type exercises in increasing strength or muscle mass.