Resistance Training for Elderly: An Introduction

Fragala, MS, Cadore, EL, Dorgo, S, Izquierdo, M, Kraemer, WJ, Peterson, MD, and Ryan, ED. Resistance training for older adults: position statement from the national strength and conditioning association. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2019-Aging, even in the absence of chronic disease, is associated with a variety of biological changes that can contribute to decreases in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function. Such losses decrease physiologic resilience and increase vulnerability to catastrophic events. As such, strategies for both prevention and treatment are necessary for the health and well-being of older adults. The purpose of this Position Statement is to provide an overview of the current and relevant literature and provide evidence-based recommendations for resistance training for older adults. As presented in this Position Statement, current research has demonstrated that countering muscle disuse through resistance training is a powerful intervention to combat the loss of muscle strength and muscle mass, physiological vulnerability, and their debilitating consequences on physical functioning, mobility, independence, chronic disease management, psychological well-being, quality of life, and healthy life expectancy. This Position Statement provides evidence to support recommendations for successful resistance training in older adults related to 4 parts: (a) program design variables, (b) physiological adaptations, (c) functional benefits, and (d) considerations for frailty, sarcopenia, and other chronic conditions. The goal of this Position Statement is to a) help foster a more unified and holistic approach to resistance training for older adults, b) promote the health and functional benefits of resistance training for older adults, and c) prevent or minimize fears and other barriers to implementation of resistance training programs for older adults.

International Journal of Sport and Health Science, 2006

Journal of Health Sciences, 2019

Resistance exercise has been widely recommended for elderly population, since this type of exercise induces important health benefits, especially to improve functional capacity and preserve muscle mass, thus reflecting on the quality of life of older individuals. Among the several components of the resistance exercises the selection of movements to be performed is one of the most important and must be carefully analyzed. Although there may be a wide range of options, the most important recommendations do not specifically indicate the movements that should be included and muscle groups that should be prioritized when prescribing resistance exercise for the elderly. Therefore, considering that there is a lack of information for the Physical Education professional about the topic, this study was developed to support the choices of the movements that will compose the resistance exercise program for the elderly. The study was carried out by compiling and analyzing assumptions and scienti...

a b s t r a c t Q15 1 7 Objective: To examine the effects of 12 weeks of high-speed resistance training (RT) versus low-speed RT on 32 muscle strength [one repetition of maximum leg-press (1RM LP ) and bench-press (1RM BP ), plus dominant 33 (HGd) and non-dominant maximum isometric handgrip], power [counter-movement jump (CMJ), ball throwing 34 (BT) and 10-m walking sprint (S10)], functional performance [8-foot up-and-go test (UG) and sit-to-stand test 35 (STS)], and perceived quality of life in older women. 36 Methods: 45 older women were divided into a high-speed RT group [EG, n = 15, age = 66.3 ± 3.7 y], a low-speed 37 RT group [SG, n = 15, age = 68.7 ± 6.4 y] and a control group [CG, n = 15, age = 66.7 ± 4.9 y]. The SG and EG 38 were submitted to a similar 12-week RT program [3 sets of 8 reps at 40-75% of the one-repetition maximum 39 (1 b RM), CMJ and BT] using slow, controlled (3 s) concentric muscle actions for the SG and using fast, ex-40 plosive (b1 s) concentric muscle actions for the EG (20% less work per exercise without CMJ and BT). 41 Results: Over the 12-week training period, both RT groups showed small to large clinically significant im-42 provements in the dependent variables; however, a significant difference was found between the EG and 43 SG for the performance changes in BT, S10 and UG (20% vs. 11%, p b 0.05; 14% vs. 9%, p b 0.05; 18% vs. 44 10%, p b 0.01; respectively). No significant changes were observed for the CG. 45 Conclusion: Both RT interventions are effective in improving functional capacity, muscle performance and 46 quality of life in older women, although a high-speed RT program induces greater improvements in muscle 47 power and functional capacity. 48

Sports Medicine, 2001

Although there are well documented protective health benefits conferred by regular physical activity, most individuals of all ages are not physically active at a level for sufficient maintenance of health. Consequently, a major public health goal is to improve the collective health and fitness levels of all individuals. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and other international organisations have established guidelines for comprehensive exercise programmes composed of aerobic, flexibility and resistance-exercise training. Resistance training is the most effective method available for maintaining and increasing lean body mass and improving muscular strength and endurance.

British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2008

Numerous research studies performed in "lab-gyms" with supervised training have demonstrated that simple, brief (20-30 min) resistance training protocols performed 2-3/week following the American College of Sports Medicine's guidelines positively affect risk factors associated with heart disease, cancers, diabetes, sarcopenia and other disabilities. For more than a decade, resistance training has been recommended for adults, particularly older adults, as a prime preventive intervention, and increasing the prevalence of resistance training is an objective of Healthy People 2010. However, the prevalence rate for resistance training is only estimated at 10-15% for older adults, despite the leisure time of older adults and access to facilities in developed countries. The reasons that the prevalence rate remains low include public health policy not emphasising resistance training, misinformation, and the lack of theoretically driven approaches demonstrating effective transfer and maintenance of training to minimally supervised settings once initial, generally successful, supervised training is completed. Social cognitive theory (SCT) has been applied to physical activity and aerobic training with some success, but there are aspects of resistance training that are unique including its intensity, progression, precision, and time and place specificity. Social cognitive theory, particularly with a focus on self-regulation and response expectancy and affect within an ecological context, can be directly applied to these unique aspects of resistance training for long-term maintenance. A decade ago, reviews of research on the health benefits of resistance (strength) training indicated that it was a prime preventive intervention for people over 55 and the elderly. 1 Studies had shown that brief, whole body resistance training protocols consistent with current American College of Sports Medicine guidelines 2 performed two to three times per week could increase strength and muscle mass and, hence, decrease the risk of sarcopenia, normalise blood pressure in high normal people, reduce insulin resistance, marginally reduce intraabdominal fat, marginally increase resting metabolic rate in men, reduce age-associated loss of bone mineral density, and improve work capacity. 3, 4 Dramatically, it was noted that about 2 decades of age-associated loss of strength and muscle mass could be regained in about 2 months of resistance training. 3 However, reviews at that point also stressed that resistance training had minimal effects on other coronary heart disease risk factors 3 more positively affected by aerobic training. In

To examine the effectiveness of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) resistance training (RT) guidelines to improve physical function and functional classification in older adults with reduced physical abilities. Methods: Twenty-five at-risk older adults were randomized to a control (CON = 13) or 8-week resistance training intervention arm (RT = 12). Progressive RT included 8 exercises for 1 set of 10 repetitions at a perceived exertion of 5-6 performed twice a week. Individuals were assessed for physical function and functional classification change (low, moderate or high) by the short physical performance battery (SPPB) and muscle strength measures. Results: Postintervention, significant differences were found between groups for SPPB-Chair Stand [F(1,22) = 9.14, P < .01, η = .29] and SPPB-Total Score [F(1,22) = 7.40, P < .05, η = .25]. Functional classification was improved as a result of the intervention with 83% of participants in the RT group improving from low to moderate functioning or moderate to high functioning. Strength significantly improved on all exercises in the RT compared with the CON group. Conclusions: A RT program congruent with the current ASCM and AHA guidelines is effective to improve overall physical function, functional classification, and muscle strength for older adults with reduced physical abilities.

Journal of Exercise Science &amp; Fitness, 2012

Resistance training is an effective way to achieve optimal gains in muscle mass and strength and has also been well documented in attenuating various forms of skeletal muscle wasting (e.g., sarcopenia). Moreover, it has been demonstrated that with appropriate training, older adults can reverse strength and muscle mass deficits to younger levels. To attain maximal benefits, careful manipulation of training variables, such as intensity, volume and frequency, is required. Although training intensity and training volume have been extensively studied, there is only scarce information available on the adaptive responses to frequency manipulations in older populations. Thus, we compared the effects of shortterm (8 weeks) resistance training programs performed either 2 days/week (n ¼ 15, 7 males, 8 females) or 3 days/week (n ¼ 14, 4 males, 10 females) on muscle mass, upper-and lower-body strength and functional abilities in individuals aged > 60 years. Chest press strength increased in both the 2 times/week and 3 times/week groups over the 8-week training period by 20.84% and 20.18%, respectively. Lower-body (leg press) strength also showed improvements in both groups: 22.34% in the 2 times/week group and 28.12% in the 3 times/week group. There was a slight, but nevertheless significant gain of lean body mass from pre-to post-training (2.4% and 1.9% for the 2 days and 3 days groups, respectively). However, functional performance remained unchanged in the groups. We found that short-term resistance training 2 times/week or 3 times/week elicited comparable muscle strength and lean body mass adaptations in older adults.

Disability and Rehabilitation, 2013

Purpose: To examine the effect and feasibility of a 12-week programme of progressive resistance exercise on a group of nonagenarian (!90 years) community-dwelling women. Method: An A-B single-subject experimental design was applied. Visual analyses were used for estimating the effect of the intervention. Outcome measurements were: Timed Up and Go (TUG), comfortable walking speed and 30-s chair stands. The programme comprised four exercises, following the principle of overload, aiming at improving strength in the main muscle groups. Feasibility of the progressive resistance intervention was assessed by recording the recruitment of participants, adherence to the intervention and adverse events. Results: Twentyseven women were invited; eight women aged 90 and above agreed to participate and six completed the study. They suffered from one to 10 chronic medical conditions. All improved their performance in the TUG test. Five of the six participants achieved a higher walking speed (11-59%) and four of them improved on the 30-s chair-stand test with five to 10 stands. No major adverse events were reported. Conclusion: Progressive resistance training was a safe and efficient method to enhance mobility and increase lower body strength in this heterogeneous group of nonagenarian community-dwelling women.

Clinical Nutrition, 2017