Effects of Short-Duration Cycling After Resistance Exercise on Aortic Stiffness and Next-Day Recovery in Strength-Trained Men

Vondrasek, JD, Brown, JE, Grosicki, GJ, and Flatt, AA. Effects of short-duration cycling after resistance exercise on aortic stiffness and next-day recovery in strength-trained men. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2026-We aimed to determine whether 10 minutes of cycling after resistance exercise (RE) mitigates acute aortic stiffening and affects next-day recovery markers in trained men. Twelve men (age: 23 ± 4 years, BMI: 26.7 ± 3.4 kg/m2, RE experience: 4 ± 2 years) completed identical upper-body RE sessions on separate days, with and without post-RE cycling (70% age-predicted maximal heart rate). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was assessed pre-RE, 5 minutes post-RE, and again 15-, 25-, and 40-minute postcycling intervention or time-matched control. Heart rate variability and maximal mean concentric barbell bench press velocity (MCV) were assessed pre-RE and 24 h post-RE. Perceived recovery and soreness were assessed 24 hours post-RE. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. No condition × time interaction (p = 0.16) was found for cfPWV. Irrespective of condition, 5-minute post-RE cfPWV (6.0 ± 0.7m/s) was higher than all other time points (5.5 ± 0.6-5.6 ± 0.6 m/s; ps < 0.0001). Greater cfPWV reductions at 40 minutes post-RE, relative to immediately post-RE, correlated with lower fitness (i.e., lower relative cycling power output, [W/kg]; r = 0.732, p < 0.01) even after adjusting for increases in cfPWV 5 minutes post-RE. Heart rate variability and MCV were not different from pre-RE at 24 hours (ps > 0.05). Similarly, perceptual measures did not differ between conditions at 24 hours (ps > 0.05). A 10-minute cycling bout post-RE did not alter aortic stiffness or next-day recovery responses but was more effective in reducing cfPWV in subjects with lower aerobic fitness.