Exercise training using arms and legs versus legs along.

This study was undertaken to determine whether levels of conditioning associated with conventional leg work are comparable to those associated with both arm and leg work. Six healthy men conditioned for 6 weeks using both arms and legs while a similar group of 5 men conditioned using legs alone. The subjects trained 3 times per week on a bicycle ergometer, and covered a distance of 3 miles (4.83 km) per session using interval training techniques. Oxygen consumption (VO2) and heart rate (HR) were the primary comparative measures. There were no differences in improvement of maximal aerobic power between the 2 groups. However, the arm and leg subjects were able to do more work at a lower HR during the conditioning program. This implies considerably less physical stress on the heart and skeletal muscle, and indicates that the feeling of stress is related to metabolic rate per square area of working muscle rather than to total metabolism. Since this type of conditioning provides high levels of improvement in aerobic power wit less demands on the myocardium, it is suggested that arm and leg exercise be incorporated in the rehabilitation of cardiac patients.