Acute and Chronic Catabolic Responses to <b>CrossFit^® and Resistance Training in Young Males</b>

• Main Authors: Emanuela Faelli, Ambra Bisio, Roberto Codella, Vittoria Ferrando, Luisa Perasso, Marco Panascì, Daniele Saverino, Piero Ruggeri
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: CrossFit; cortisol; interleukin 1-beta; uric acid; catabolic responses
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/19/7172

Given the wide variety of conditioning program trainings employed, the present study compared the catabolic effects induced by CrossFit^® and resistance training in moderately trained subjects. Twenty males joined either the CrossFit^® group (n = 10; 30 min/day of “workout of the day”) or the resistance training (RT) group (n = 10; 30 min/day of resistance exercises) thrice a week, for 8 weeks. Salivary levels of cortisol, interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β), and uric acid were assessed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays before (PRE) and 30-min after (POST) SESSION 1 and SESSION 24. Variables’ percentual changes were computed as (POST-PRE)/PRE*100 in each session (Δ%). CrossFit^® acutely increased cortisol levels in both sessions, with a significant decrease in Δ%cortisol from SESSION 1 to 24. In the RT group, cortisol values decreased in both sessions, only acutely. A significant decrease in IL-1β levels was registered acutely in both groups, in both sessions, whereas Δ%IL-1β was not different between the two groups. While uric acid levels increased in both groups acutely, a chronic downregulation of Δ%uric acid, from SESSION 1 to 24, was appreciated for the RT group only. Overall, CrossFit^® appeared to induce more intense effects than the RT program as to the investigated catabolic responses.