Behavior of the muscle strength and arm muscle area during 24 weeks of weight training

Resumen

The purpose of this study was to analyze the behavior of muscle strength and arm muscle area (AMA) over 24 weeks of weight training (WT) as well as to establish possible associations between these variables. The sample was composed of 18 men aged between 18 and 30 years. Measurements of relaxed arm circumference and triceps skinfold measurement were used for the calculation. Muscle strength was assessed using the one-repetition maximum test (1-RM) on the arm curl exercise. The WT protocol lasted 24 weeks, divided into 3 stages (F1, F2, and F3) of 8 weeks each. It is important to emphasize that every measurement was made before, during and after the end of the WT period. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures followed by the Tukey post hoc (P < 0.05) was used to the compare the indicators of muscle strength and muscle hypertrophy. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to verify possible association between muscle strength and AMA. Muscle strength and AMA increased continuously throughout the whole period except for the initial period (F1). Therefore, it is concluded that the initial phase of training, neuromuscular adaptation, seems to have been the turning point for increase in muscle strength. After that, the hypertrophy process appears to gradually become the essential factor for increase in muscle strength.