Objective: To explore the effect of resistance training against hypoxia-induced skeletal muscle atrophy, and to provide a theoretical basis for solving the problem of skeletal muscle loss in athletes during altitude training.
Methods: Twenty-four 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, with an average weight of about 230 g, were randomly divided into 4 groups: normoxia quiet group (C), normoxia resistance training group (R), hypoxia quiet group (H) and the hypoxic resistance training group (HR). The H and HR groups were at a simulated altitude of 4000m, while the R and HR groups were subjected to resistance training. After 4 weeks of hypoxia and resistance training intervention, the rats in each group were tested. Body composition, wet weight and muscle fiber cross-sectional area of soleus, extensor digitorum longus, gastrocnemius, biceps.
Results: It was observed that the lean body mass of HR group was significantly higher than that of H group, and the lean body mass of H group was significantly lower than that of C group; the wet weight of biceps brachii and muscle fiber cross-sectional area of HR group were significantly higher than those of H group.
Conclusion: Resistance training can help prevent hypoxia-induced skeletal muscle atrophy, and resistance training in the form of ladder climbing can stimulate the hypertrophy of biceps in rats.