Sympathetic Nerve Activity and Strength Gains in Resistance Versus Concurrent Training

NCT07680387 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: BSU-2024224H
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 30
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study examines how the body's stress (sympathetic) nervous system responds to 8 weeks of either strength training alone or strength training combined with endurance (treadmill running) training in previously untrained young men. Skin sympathetic nerve activity, a noninvasive marker of sympathetic nervous system activity, is measured before and after training, along with muscle strength, jumping ability, and heart rate variability. The study investigates whether changes in sympathetic nervous system activity are associated with changes in strength and jumping ability, and whether this relationship differs between men who perform strength training alone versus those who combine strength and endurance training.

Conditions

Sympathetic Nervous System

Keywords

skin sympathetic nerve activity; concurrent training; resistance training; autonomic nervous system

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• skin sympathetic nerve activity (aSKNA)

  Average rectified voltage of skin sympathetic nerve activity recorded noninvasively via the neuECG method.

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Change in one-repetition maximum (1RM) back squat

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Change in countermovement jump (CMJ) height

  Baseline and 8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Change in CMJ peak velocity

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Change in CMJ peak power

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Change in SKNA burst duration

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Change in SKNA burst amplitude

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Change in SKNA burst total area

  Baseline and 8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Strength-only training

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants performed a supervised resistance training program three times weekly for 8 weeks: weighted calf raises (80% 1RM, 4x6), back squats (75% 1RM, 4x6), countermovement jumps (60-cm target height, 4x6), and weighted lunges (60% 1RM, 4x5), using a Smith machine.

Other: Strength-only training

Concurrent training

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants performed the identical resistance training program as the Strength-only arm, followed by 30-40 minutes of moderate-intensity treadmill running (46-64% VO2max) once heart rate had returned to 40% of maximum, three times weekly for 8 weeks (a strength-priority exercise sequence).

Other: Concurrent training

Interventions

Strength-only training OTHER

Supervised resistance exercise comprising weighted calf raises, back squats, countermovement jumps, and weighted lunges, performed on a Smith machine three times weekly for 8 weeks.

Strength-only training

Concurrent training OTHER

performed on a Smith machine three times weekly for 8 weeks.

Concurrent training

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy young men
• No hypertension or cardiovascular/vascular disease
• No migraine or neurodegenerative disease
• No smoking or alcohol use
• No prior structured exercise training
• No musculoskeletal injury
• Willing to abstain from caffeine, alcohol, and strenuous exercise for 24 hours before testing

You may not qualify if:

• Hypertension or cardiovascular/vascular disease
• Migraine or neurodegenerative disease
• Current smoking or alcohol use
• Prior structured exercise training history
• Musculoskeletal injury precluding resistance or endurance exercise

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Beijing Sport University: lead
• China institute of sport science: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Beijing sport University

Beijing, 100091, China

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
• Masking Details: Participants and trainers could not be blinded to group allocation given the nature of the exercise interventions. All autonomic, neuromuscular and reflex outcome data were acquired, processed and statistically analyzed by investigators blinded to group allocation, using coded, de-identified records until analyses were complete.
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: In the concurrent training arm, resistance exercise was always performed before endurance exercise within each session (a strength-priority sequence).

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 22, 2026
• First Posted: July 2, 2026
• Study Start: August 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 12, 2024
• Study Completion: December 13, 2024
• Last Updated: July 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2024-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

CN (1)