Mixed
Long-term exclusive muscular strength training (minimum 12 months, no aerobic component) is associated with lower whole-body arterial compliance and higher pulse pressure compared to sedentary controls, indicating increased arterial stiffness.
If you exclusively perform heavy resistance training without any aerobic activity, your arteries may become stiffer and your pulse pressure higher compared to someone who is sedentary. This does not mean you should stop lifting, but it suggests that adding aerobic exercise may be necessary to maintain optimal arterial elasticity and reduce cardiovascular risk markers associated with stiffness.
These data indicate that both the proximal aorta and the leg arteries are stiffer in strength-trained individuals and contribute to a higher cardiac afterload.
Why this rating
The study uses a rigorous cross-sectional design with well-matched controls, non-steroid users, and multiple direct measures of arterial mechanics, though it cannot prove causality due to the observational nature.
Source
Muscular Strength Training Is Associated With Low Arterial Compliance and High Pulse Pressure
David A. Bertovic et al. · Hypertension · 1999
DOI 10.1161/01.hyp.33.6.1385
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