Comparison of the effects of 6-week progressive bodyweight and barbell-back squat programs on lower limb muscle strength, muscle thickness, and body fat percentage among sedentary young women

Abstract

Abstract The study aimed to compare the effects of the progressive bodyweight and barbell-back squat training program (60–80% 1RM) on muscle strength, muscle thickness, and body fat percentage in sedentary young women. Thirteen sedentary young women (19.77 ± 0.83 years) were randomly divided into the progressive bodyweight (n = 6) or barbell squat (n = 7) group. Each program consisted of 2 weekly training sessions for 6 weeks. Muscle strength (isokinetic knee extensor and flexor muscle peak torque of each leg), muscle thickness (gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, and gastrocnemius muscles), along with body fat percentage were measured objectively at baseline and post-testing. For the muscle strength, both groups showed a significant increase in isometric peak torque of the knee extensor and flexor (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant be-tween-group differences in isometric peak torque of the knee extensor and flexor (p > 0.05), as well as the mean concentric peak torque of the knee H/Q ratio (p > 0.05). For the muscle thickness, significant increases were also found within the two groups (p < 0.05) and without significant differences between the two groups (p > 0.05). The percentage of body fat significantly improved in the barbell (pre. 28.66 ± 4.58%. vs post. 24.96 ± 5.91%, p = 0.044), but not in the bodyweight group (pre. 24.18 ± 4.63% vs post. 24.02 ± 4.48%, p = 0.679). Although all of the groups increased maximum strength and muscle mass, our results suggest that the barbell back squat training may optimize the gains for decreasing the body fat percentage.