The Effect of Short-term Resistance Training on Left Ventricular Structure of Non-athletic Healthy Male Students by Echocardiography

Background and Resistance training (RT) is known as weight or strength training. In response to this kind of training, both skeletal and cardiac muscles adapt. The purpose of the present study was to determine of effect of short-term resistance training on left ventricular structure of non-athletic male healthy students by echocardiography. Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study involved thirty volunteer participants with an age range of 19 to 25 years Mean±SD:21.8±1.62. They were randomly divided into two groups of 15 (resistance training and control). Training program was performed 3 times a week for 12 weeks followed by 10 stations with 50% to 80% with one repetition maximum (1RM). M and B-mode echocardiographic variables were measured at rest. The data were analyzed using dependant t-test and independent t-test. Training caused a significant increase in the mean absolute and relative values of left ventricular mass (LVM), left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions (LVEDd), end-diastolic interventricular Septum thickness (EDIVT) (P=0.000), and left ventricular posterior wall thickness end-diastolic (LVPWd) in the training group (P=0.044, P=0.000). Absolute and relative values of left ventricular end-systolic dimensions (LVESd) decreased significantly after training (P=0.001, P=0.018). Between-group comparison of absolute and relative values of LVM, EDIVT and LVPWd in the training group showed a significant increase as compared with the control group (P=0/000); also, there was a significant increase in the absolute value of LVEDd (P=0.002). Modification of resistance training can induce changes in the left ventricular structure of non-athletic people