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Several months of heavy resistance training reduces central arterial compliance in healthy men, an effect that reverses upon detraining.

Heavy resistance training (high intensity, high volume) can reduce the elasticity of your central arteries. However, this study used a very intense protocol (80% 1RM to failure) that exceeds standard health guidelines. If you lift weights moderately, this specific risk may not apply, but be aware that extreme heavy lifting has distinct cardiovascular trade-offs compared to aerobic exercise.

GoodRefutesHIGH confidence
In marked contrast to the beneficial effect of regular aerobic exercise, several months of resistance training 'reduces' central arterial compliance in healthy men.
Motohiko Miyachi et al. · Circulation · 2004

Why this rating

Randomized controlled trial with a detraining phase confirming causality, though sample size is small (n=28).

Source

Unfavorable Effects of Resistance Training on Central Arterial Compliance

Motohiko Miyachi et al. · Circulation · 2004

DOI 10.1161/01.cir.0000146380.08401.99

rct · n=28Cited 492×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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