With millions of Europeans engaged in fitness club, strength training (ST) represents a widespread physical activity. At heart level, ST induces a concentric myocardial hypertrophy generally associated with a normal resting myocardial function. However, effect of ST have been described in men only, and whether women have similar cardiac responses to ST compared to men remains to be elucidated.

To assess the gender-specific adaptations of ST on left ventricular (LV) morphology and myocardial function.

Twelve healthy young men (26±4y) and 12 age-matched women (29±7y) took part in a supervised 4-months ST program at 70% of their repetition maximum. Resting echocardiographies were performed at the beginning of the training program and after each month. LV morphology, systolic and diastolic functions were assessed using two-dimensional, Doppler and 2D-strain. Myocardial regional function was evaluated from LV longitudinal (LS), circumferential strains (CS), and LV rotations and twist.

At baseline, women exhibited lower interventricular septum and lateral wall thicknesses, LV volumes and LV mass compared to men. They exhibited higher LV global LS (GLS) and CS and lower diastolic function (E wave and E′ wave from tissue Doppler). However, no-gender effect of ST were observed on LV morphology. LV mass progressively increased, due to an increase of LV wall thicknesses, of LV end-diastolic volume and of the relative wall thicknesses (after the second month). LV diastolic function increased progressively whereas GLS and longitudinal diastolic strain rates decreased progressively. Apical rotation increased (P=0.06) whereas basal rotation remained unchanged.

Despite women had specific cardiac morphology and myocardial function compared to men at baseline, no-gender-specific adaptation were observed during 4-months of supervised ST. Women elicit a similar concentric cardiac remodeling compared to men.