Muscular strength adaptations and hormonal responses after two different multiple-set protocols of resistance training in postmenopausal women.

We studied the effects of two different resistance training (RT) multiple-set protocols (three and six sets) on muscle strength and basal hormones concentrations in postmenopausal women (PW). Thirty-four PW were randomly allocated into three groups: control (CT, n=12), low RT volume (LV = three sets for each exercise, n=10) and high RT volume (HV = six sets for each exercise, n=12). The LV and HV groups performed eight exercises of a total body RT protocol three times a week, at 70 % of one repetition maximum (1RM) for 16 weeks. The muscle strength and basal hormones concentration were measured before and after the RT. Our findings show that three sets or six sets at 70% of 1RM protocol increased muscular strength similarly after 16 weeks (sum of all exercises, LV: 37.7% and HV: 34.1% vs. CT: 2.1%, p < 0.001). Moreover, the RT volume does not affect basal levels of testosterone (TT) (LV: 0.02%, HV: -0.12% and CT: 0.006%, p = 0.233), cortisol (C) (LV: 72.4%, HV: 36.8% and CT: 16.8%, p = 0.892), insulin-like growth factor-1 (LV: 6.7%, HV: 7.3% and CT: 4.1%, p = 0.802), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (LV: 0.1%, HV: -4.5% and CT: -6.7%, p = 0.885) and TT:C ratio (LV: -0.9%, HV: -1.6% and CT: -0.4%, p = 0.429). Our results suggest that three sets and six sets at 70% of 1RM seem to promote similar muscle strength gain. Thus, three set RT is a time efficient protocol for strength gain after 16 weeks in PW.