Improving Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk With Resistance Exercise in African Americans

After the participant meets all inclusion and exclusion criteria, they will be randomized equally to either the Resistance Training group (RT) or Aerobic Training group (AT). Both groups will participate in an 8 week initial control period, followed by 8 weeks of supervised exercise training, followed by 8 weeks of deconditioning. All participants will undergo the same assessments and procedures one time prior to the initial 8 week control period, and at each of the three periods. Assessments include: blood draws; arterial stiffness testing; ultrasounds of the brachial artery to measure flow-mediated dilation (FMD); gluteal adipose tissue biopsies; exercise testing to determine VO2 max; body composition analysis via DEXA scans; ambulatory blood pressure measurement; diet analysis via food journals; medical history questionnaires; urine analysis for pregnancy; and activity monitoring via accelerometer. Total participation will be 24-26 weeks.

Inclusion Criteria: * Sedentary * Body Mass Index of 18.5-40 kg/m² * Born in the United States of either two African-American or two non-Hispanic Caucasian parents * Blood pressure of at least 120/80 mmHg Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to give informed consent * History of cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular events * Hypertension (systolic \>159 mmHg and diastolic \>99 mmHg) or on more than one anti-hypertensive medication * Diabetes Type I\& II * Hyperlipidemia, with an LDL-C \>159 mg/dL and /or total-C \>229 mg/dL * Pregnancy (or intend to become pregnant while participating in study) or nursing * Tobacco use in the past 6 months (including, but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookah, Nicorette, SNUs and chewing tobacco) * Chronic inflammatory disease such as, but not limited to, cancer * Chronic autoimmune diseases such as, but not limited to: lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis * Adverse reaction to nitroglycerin * Anemia with a hemoglobin \< 8 * Head injury within last 6 months * Seizure disorder * Presence of renal disease with a creatinine \> 1.5mg/dL * Presence of liver disease with liver enzymes \> 3x the upper limits of normal * Currently abusing alcohol or illicit drugs * Unreliability as a study subject, in the opinion of the Investigator * Lidocaine allergy * Amenorrhea * Postmenopausal women