High intensity, short rest protocols have become increasingly popular within the fitness industry. Such protocols can elicit extensive muscle damage and oxidative stress; thus the purpose of this study was to examine markers of muscle tissue damage and inflammation along with testosterone responses to a high intensity (75% 1RM), short rest resistance exercise protocol and sex-specific effects. Nine resistance trained men (age: 23.6 ± 3.5 years, weight: 77.8 ± 8.8 kilograms, height: 172.4 ± 4.0 cm, body fat 9.3 ± 3.3 %) and nine resistance trained women (age: 22.9 ± 2.0 years, weight: 68.6 ± 10.4 kilograms, height: 168.6 ± 9.4 cm, body fat 13.6 ± 3.3 %) participated. The protocol consisted of a descending pyramid scheme starting at 10 for three major lifts. No significant sex interactions were seen with testosterone or IL-6. There were significant sex interactions observed in myoglobin (IP) and CK (IP, +60, +24). Men demonstrated significant increases in testosterone (IP, +15), myoglobin (IP, +15, +60, +24), IL-6 (IP), and CK (IP, +60, +24). Women demonstrated significant increases in myoglobin (IP, +15, +60), IL-6 (IP), and CK (+24). There were no significant increases observed in women for testosterone. Women demonstrated a greater absolute increase in myoglobin per kilogram of fat free mass than men (+15, +60) indicating a sufficient degree of muscle damage. Both men and women demonstrated significant muscle damage with a high intensity, short rest protocol with different hormonal and immune responses, most likely mediated through differing signaling cascades.
","abstract_html":"<p>High intensity, short rest protocols have become increasingly popular within the fitness industry. Such protocols can elicit extensive muscle damage and oxidative stress; thus the purpose of this study was to<strong> </strong>examine markers of muscle tissue damage and inflammation along with testosterone responses to a high intensity (75% 1RM), short rest resistance exercise protocol and sex-specific effects. Nine resistance trained men (age: 23.6 ± 3.5 years, weight: 77.8 ± 8.8 kilograms, height: 172.4 ± 4.0 cm, body fat 9.3 ± 3.3 %) and nine resistance trained women (age: 22.9 ± 2.0 years, weight: 68.6 ± 10.4 kilograms, height: 168.6 ± 9.4 cm, body fat 13.6 ± 3.3 %) participated. The protocol consisted of a descending pyramid scheme starting at 10 for three major lifts. No significant sex interactions were seen with testosterone or IL-6. There were significant sex interactions observed in myoglobin (IP) and CK (IP, +60, +24). Men demonstrated significant increases in testosterone (IP, +15), myoglobin (IP, +15, +60, +24), IL-6 (IP), and CK (IP, +60, +24). Women demonstrated significant increases in myoglobin (IP, +15, +60), IL-6 (IP), and CK (+24). There were no significant increases observed in women for testosterone. Women demonstrated a greater absolute increase in myoglobin per kilogram of fat free mass than men (+15, +60) indicating a sufficient degree of muscle damage. Both men and women demonstrated significant muscle damage with a high intensity, short rest protocol with different hormonal and immune responses, most likely mediated through differing signaling cascades.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Heavens, Kristen R"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Kinesiology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Carl Maresh; Jeff Volek","William Kraemer"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-05-05T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-05-05T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:31:50Z","subjects":["Testosterone","Myoglobin","IL-6","Creatine Kinase","High Intensity","Squat","Deadlift","Bench"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/gs_theses/249","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Carl Maresh; Jeff Volek","William Kraemer"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Heavens, Kristen R"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2012-05-04T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Kinesiology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Testosterone","Myoglobin","IL-6","Creatine Kinase","High Intensity","Squat","Deadlift","Bench"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/gs_theses/249"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["High intensity, short rest protocols have become increasingly popular within the fitness industry. Such protocols can elicit extensive muscle damage and oxidative stress; thus the purpose of this study was to examine markers of muscle tissue damage and inflammation along with testosterone responses to a high intensity (75% 1RM), short rest resistance exercise protocol and sex-specific effects. Nine resistance trained men (age: 23.6 ± 3.5 years, weight: 77.8 ± 8.8 kilograms, height: 172.4 ± 4.0 cm, body fat 9.3 ± 3.3 %) and nine resistance trained women (age: 22.9 ± 2.0 years, weight: 68.6 ± 10.4 kilograms, height: 168.6 ± 9.4 cm, body fat 13.6 ± 3.3 %) participated. The protocol consisted of a descending pyramid scheme starting at 10 for three major lifts. No significant sex interactions were seen with testosterone or IL-6. There were significant sex interactions observed in myoglobin (IP) and CK (IP, +60, +24). Men demonstrated significant increases in testosterone (IP, +15), myoglobin (IP, +15, +60, +24), IL-6 (IP), and CK (IP, +60, +24). Women demonstrated significant increases in myoglobin (IP, +15, +60), IL-6 (IP), and CK (+24). There were no significant increases observed in women for testosterone. Women demonstrated a greater absolute increase in myoglobin per kilogram of fat free mass than men (+15, +60) indicating a sufficient degree of muscle damage. Both men and women demonstrated significant muscle damage with a high intensity, short rest protocol with different hormonal and immune responses, most likely mediated through differing signaling cascades.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Effects of High Intensity, Short Rest Resistance Exercise on Testosterone and Muscle Damage Markers in Men and Women"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Carl Maresh; Jeff Volek","William Kraemer"],"dc:creator":["Heavens, Kristen R"],"dc:date.available":["2012-05-04T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["High intensity, short rest protocols have become increasingly popular within the fitness industry. Such protocols can elicit extensive muscle damage and oxidative stress; thus the purpose of this study was to examine markers of muscle tissue damage and inflammation along with testosterone responses to a high intensity (75% 1RM), short rest resistance exercise protocol and sex-specific effects. Nine resistance trained men (age: 23.6 ± 3.5 years, weight: 77.8 ± 8.8 kilograms, height: 172.4 ± 4.0 cm, body fat 9.3 ± 3.3 %) and nine resistance trained women (age: 22.9 ± 2.0 years, weight: 68.6 ± 10.4 kilograms, height: 168.6 ± 9.4 cm, body fat 13.6 ± 3.3 %) participated. The protocol consisted of a descending pyramid scheme starting at 10 for three major lifts. No significant sex interactions were seen with testosterone or IL-6. There were significant sex interactions observed in myoglobin (IP) and CK (IP, +60, +24). Men demonstrated significant increases in testosterone (IP, +15), myoglobin (IP, +15, +60, +24), IL-6 (IP), and CK (IP, +60, +24). Women demonstrated significant increases in myoglobin (IP, +15, +60), IL-6 (IP), and CK (+24). There were no significant increases observed in women for testosterone. Women demonstrated a greater absolute increase in myoglobin per kilogram of fat free mass than men (+15, +60) indicating a sufficient degree of muscle damage. Both men and women demonstrated significant muscle damage with a high intensity, short rest protocol with different hormonal and immune responses, most likely mediated through differing signaling cascades.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.lib.uconn.edu/gs_theses/249"],"dc:subject":["Testosterone","Myoglobin","IL-6","Creatine Kinase","High Intensity","Squat","Deadlift","Bench"],"dc:title":["The Effects of High Intensity, Short Rest Resistance Exercise on Testosterone and Muscle Damage Markers in Men and Women"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Kinesiology"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T06:31:50Z"}