The investigators raised the hypothesis that exercise training would be associated with improvement in exercise tolerance and VO2 kinetics in hemodialysis patients.

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with several hemodynamic and peripheral muscle abnormalities which could slow the kinetics of O2 uptake(VO2)and diminished tolerance to incremental exercise. Although previous studies have shown that aerobic training is able to accelerate VO2 kinetics in several disease populations, little is known if these positive findings are also applicable to hemodialysis patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

The sample included end stage renal disease patients undergoing hemodialysis, three times per week totaling 12h weekly, for at least 6 months in the Nephrology Unit at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. No patient had been involved in any kind of exercise training in the preceding 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• unstable angina;
• uncontrolled arrhythmia;
• uncompensated heart failure;
• uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥ 200 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 120 mmHg);
• diabetes mellitus;
• severe respiratory diseases;
• acute infection;
• severe renal osteodystrophy;
• neurological or musculoskeletal disturbances