The effect of dynamic exercise on the blood pressure response to isometric exercise in normotensive males.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the pressor response to a static handgrip exercise would be blunted if performed during or immediately following dynamic exercise. Male subjects performed one minute handgrip (HG) contractions under three conditions (1) standing at rest, (2) during the 4th to 5th min of treadmill walking exercise and (3) during recovery one min following the combined exercise. The handgrip exercises were performed at 30% and 40% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). The results indicated that there was a main effect of intensity, such that HG exercises performed at 40% MVC produced a significantly greater blood pressure response than HG at 30% MVC for all three conditions. The systolic response to static exercise is blunted when a HG at 30% MVC is performed during moderate dynamic exercise but not with HG contractions at 40% MVC. In addition, the systolic response to static exercise is also blunted when HG contractions at both 30% and 40% MVC are performed following dynamic exercise. Also, dynamic exercise augments the diastolic response to static contractions (30% & 40% MVC) performed following dynamic effort. (Abstract shortened by UMI.