What is the effect of resistance exercise on cardiac output at rest?

Resistance exercise typically leads to minimal changes in cardiac output at rest. Cardiac output is defined as the volume of blood the heart pumps per minute and is a function of heart rate and stroke volume. During resistance training, the body primarily engages muscle groups, which increases local muscle blood flow. This can lead to a redistribution of blood flow rather than a large increase in overall cardiac output at rest.

At rest, the cardiovascular system is in a relatively stable state, and while resistance exercises cause temporary spikes in heart rate and cardiac output during the activity itself, these do not translate into sustained changes when at rest. The body has efficient mechanisms in place that maintain homeostasis, which include adjusting heart rate and stroke volume to accommodate exercise demands while returning to baseline after the exertion.

In contrast to aerobic exercise, which typically produces a more significant and consistent increase in cardiac output at rest due to its nature in elevating metabolic demands across multiple muscle groups, resistance training tends to be more localized. Therefore, the correct assessment recognizes that while resistance training does influence cardiovascular dynamics during exercise, at rest, it generally results in minimal, if any, change to cardiac output.