Effect of one- and two-leg training on arm and two-leg maximum aerobic power.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of one- and two-leg training on arm and two-leg maximum aerobic power. Seven subjects cycle-trained both legs simultaneously for 30 min.day-1, 4 days.week-1 for 4 weeks. Nine subjects cycle-trained each leg 15 min.day-1, 4 days.week-1 for 4 weeks. Both groups trained at a heart rate equal to that measured at 75% of their two-leg maximum aerobic power. Thus, during each training session the groups performed 30 min of work at the same heart rate intensity. Five subjects served as a non-training control group. Arm and leg maximum oxygen uptake tests were conducted before and after training. Only two-leg training induced significant gains in arm aerobic power (P < 0.0003), whereas both modes of training resulted in significant increases in two-leg aerobic power (P < 0.0008). The data demonstrate that improvements in arm aerobic power were dependent on the quantity of leg muscle mass involved in the training, whereas gains in two-leg aerobic power occurred regardless of whether the legs were trained separately or simultaneously.