Single resistance training session leads to muscle damage without isometric strength decrease

Abstract

Here we demonstrated that a single resistance exercise session causes muscle damage, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), higher creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, and increased IL-6 concentration without changes in muscle strength. Sixteen healthy untrained subjects performed five exercises consisting of three sets of 10 maximum repetitions for each exercise and 1 minute rest period between sets and exercises. Blood samples were taken after 30 minutes, 24, 48 and 72 hours and before exercise. Muscular performance was assessed by maximum isometric strength (MIS) before, 24h, 48h and 72h exercise session. We have concluded that the single resistance exercise session, performed on this study, led to muscle damage and this variable cannot be evaluated through maximal isometric strength. Among those markers, CK was more sensitive to muscle damage. This information might be important for adequate recovery between training sessions.