Clinical Research Directory
Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.
Sex Differences in Heart Rate Variability Responses to Eight Weeks of Circuit Training
Sponsor: Universiti Sains Malaysia
Summary
The main goal of this study is to find out how an 8-week circuit training exercise program affects heart health and how the body recovers in young adults who do not regularly exercise. The researchers also want to see if these responses are different between men and women. The body's nervous system controls automatic functions like heart rate. Measuring changes in heart rate patterns-known as heart rate variability (HRV)-helps show how well the body switches between "fight-or-flight" (stress/exercise mode) and "rest-and-digest" (recovery mode). While men and women naturally have different heart rate patterns at rest, less is known about whether they recover differently after a structured exercise program. The main questions this study aims to answer are: 1. Does 8 weeks of circuit training improve heart rate recovery and nervous system balance in inactive young adults? 2. Do men and women show different heart rate responses or recovery patterns after taking part in circuit training? To answer these questions, inactive university students took part in an 8-week supervised circuit training program. Participants were considered inactive if they did less than 150 minutes of moderate exercise or less than 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. Participants completed 20 exercise sessions (2 times per week) led by the study team: * Exercise Sessions: Each session started with a 5-minute warm-up, followed by 10 exercise stations using light weights, resistance bands, and bodyweight movements. Exercises targeted both upper and lower body muscles. * Workouts and Rest: Participants did each exercise for 30 seconds, rested for 1 minute between stations, and rested for 5 minutes between full sets. * Progression: During Weeks 1 to 4, participants did 2 sets per session. During Weeks 5 to 8, they increased to 3 sets per session. To measure heart rate recovery, participants wore a heart rate chest monitor while resting quietly lying down: 1. Before starting the 8-week program (Baseline) 2. At 10 minutes after a workout at Week 8 (Short-term recovery) 3. At 24 hours after a workout at Week 8 (Full recovery) The researchers compared the heart rate data between men and women across these time points to see how quickly their nervous systems returned to a resting state after exercise.
Official title: Circuit Training and Autonomic Recovery: Sex Differences in Heart Rate Variability Among Inactive Young Adults
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
18 Years - 25 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
17
Start Date
2025-03-06
Completion Date
2026-03-05
Last Updated
2026-10-02
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Conditions
Interventions
Circuit Training Program
Participants complete an 8-week supervised circuit training intervention consisting of 20 total sessions (2 sessions per week). Each session begins with a 5-minute warm-up, followed by 10 exercise stations targeting both upper-body and lower-body muscle groups using body weight, resistance bands, and dumbbells. The 10 stations include: heel raises with dumbbells, lateral raises with resistance bands, leg abductions with resistance bands, shoulder extensions and flexions with resistance bands, jump rope, triceps extensions with dumbbells, half squats with resistance bands, standing chest fly with dumbbells, leg curls with resistance bands, and bicep curls with dumbbells. Each exercise station is performed for 30 seconds with a 1-minute rest interval between stations, and a 5-minute rest interval between complete sets. Training volume progresses from 2 sets per session in Weeks 1-4 (8 sessions) to 3 sets per session in Weeks 5-8 (12 sessions)
Locations (1)
Exercise and Sports Science Laboratory, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia