2.2. Resistance Exercise Training
RET
HYPERTROPHIC
All participants engaged in programed RET twice per week for 8 wks. The exercise regimen involved 3 sets of 12 repetitions or until failure (whichever came first) for 5 major muscle groups in the upper and lower body (lat pull-down, seated row, biceps curl, leg press, calf raise). The training sessions were closely supervised by a member of the research team to ensure proper execution and minimize the risk of injury during the RET sessions. The exercise intensity was initially set at 50% of their one-repetition maximum (1 RM). Subsequently, the training load was increased to 70% of 1 RM in the second week and gradually raised (by 5% weekly if participants successfully completed the given workload) to promote an adaptive hypertrophic response. If a participant could not complete the assigned workload of 10 RM, the same workload was maintained for the following session. Each exercise session commenced with a warm-up involving stretching and one set of low-intensity exercise (30% of 1 RM, 10 RM). The details of each training session, including load increments, were meticulously recorded in a logbook.