Enzymatic Adaptations Consequent to Long-Term Strength Training*

The muscle enzymatic changes subsequent to 6 months of strength training followed by 3 months of detraining were examined in 21 physically active men. They were assigned either to a heavy-resistance (HR) or an explosive strength (EX) training program. Muscle biopsies were obtained from m. vastus lateralis for the assessment of activities of the enzymes hexokinase (HK), myofibrillar ATPase (ATPase), citrate synthase (CS), phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), myokinase (MK) and creatine kinase (CK). The activities were measured on freeze-dried tissue samples using fluorometrical assays. Both groups displayed increased (P less than 0.01-0.001) fast-twitch (FT) fiber area consequent to training with no concomitant hypertrophy of slow-twitch (ST) fiber area. Mean fiber area increased by 16% (P less than 0.001) in HR and 9% (NS) in EX. Following detraining, mean fiber area returned to pretraining value only in EX. HK decreased in both groups (P less than 0.01-0.001) and CK decreased in HR (P less than 0.05). When the two groups were treated together, all enzymes, except for LDH, decreased their activity (P less than 0.05-0.001). It is concluded that 6 months of strength training performed either as heavy-resistance or explosive training is not associated with any increased activities of enzymes reflecting phosphagen, glycolytic, or oxidative metabolism. Instead, the present results suggest that exercise-induced hypertrophy is accompanied by attenuation of certain enzyme activities of importance for ATP regeneration.