The objective of this study was to analyze the flexibility behavior of different articulations after 10 weeks of resistance training (RT). That is why, 16 inactive men (23.0 ± 2.1 years; 68.0 ± 7.0 kg; 178.8 ± 8.7 cm) apparently healthy were randomly divided into training group (TG, n = 8) and control group (CG, n = 8). The group TG was submitted to 10 consecutive weeks of RT (three weekly sessions in alternated days), whereas for group CG, no systematized program of physical activities was developed in this period. The 11 exercised that composed the RT program were performed in three series of 8-12 RM. The shoulder flexion and extension, trunk flexion, lateral flexion and extension, hip extension and flexion, elbow extension and flexion and knee flexion were used for the analysis of the flexibility behavior. The ANOVA and ANCOVA for repeated measures, followed by the Tukey post hoc test for P < 0.05 were used for data treatment. Significant increase on flexibility between pre and post experiment were found in TG in shoulder flexion movements (right hemisphere, P < 0.05), hip extension (left hemisphere, P < 0.05), trunk extension (P < 0.05), trunk flexion (P < 0.05) and trunk lateral flexion (right hemisphere, P < 0.05; left hemisphere, P < 0.01). Although, the effect of the interaction group vs time was only identified in elbow flexion movements (right and left hemisphere, P < 0.05), hip extension (left hemisphere, P < 0.05) and trunk lateral flexion (left hemisphere, P < 0.01). Thus, the results of the present study suggest that the 10 first weeks of RT practice may contribute effectively for the maintenance or improvement of the flexibility levels observed in the pre-training period, in different articulations.
Flexibility; Resistance training; Physical fitness; Fleximeter
