Exercise Intermittent Isometric Handgrip and Blood Flow Restriction

Muscle fatigue is a process widely disbelieved and studied in the literature. Isometric handgrip exercises have been widely utilized to explain the effects of fatigue on the strength and activation of the muscles involved in certain exercises. Among the many factors that can influence the process of muscular fatigue, blood flow available at the time of exercise is an aspect of fundamental importance, as some studies demonstrate changes in the pattern of muscle recruitment and strength recovery when the exercise is performed associated with an external obstruction of blood flow.

Resistance exercise associated with partial obstruction of blood flow (ischemic exercise) is gaining notoriety in the scientific environment, mainly due to strong evidence indicating that such activity can increase strength and muscle hypertrophy, even when performed with low intensity loads. The underlying neuromuscular mechanisms such effects are still partially unknown, and some studies have shown differences in the recruitment of motor units during its execution, and the relationship fatigue-strength after ischemic resistance exercise. Nevertheless, there are still some gaps in the literature regarding the neuromuscular responses during and after unilateral intermittent isometric handgrip protocols to failure in the associated task to partial obstruction of blood flow.

Evidence suggests that the total obstruction of blood flow decreases performance and accelerates the recovery of the isometric strength after fatigue protocols, but the effects of partial obstruction on these variables remain unknown. In the above so far, it seems that isometric fatigue protocols associated with remote obstruction (away from the venue of the exercise) blood flow can influence acutely in strength members at a distance, but it is not known as a protocol unilateral isometric fatigue associated with partial and complete obstruction of blood flow can influence acutely the strength of the contralateral limb (ie, not subject to any type of exercise). Thus, the realization of this study is justified by the possibility of answering these questions still little studied, with regard to neuromuscular factors of ischemic resistance training.

Inclusion criteria

• Volunteers classified as irregularly active or active
• Volunteers ranked within the normal range (18.5 to 24.9 kg / m2), the Body Mass Index (BMI).

Exclusion criteria

• Smokers volunteers will be excluded, that are using vasoactive drugs and having fracture history in upper limbs; hypertension, venous insufficiency, cardiac insufficiency or any other cardiovascular disease; epilepsy, stroke or some other neurological disease or any other condition that prevents you from performing the exercise protocol.