Elsevier

Experimental Gerontology

Volume 58, October 2014, Pages 51-57
Experimental Gerontology

High-speed resistance training is more effective than low-speed resistance training to increase functional capacity and muscle performance in older women

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2014.07.001Get rights and content

Highlights

  • RT improves muscle performance and quality of life of older women.

  • High-speed RT induces higher increase in functional performance and muscle power.

  • RT improves performance relevant to daily life activities of older women.

Abstract

Objective

To examine the effects of 12 weeks of high-speed resistance training (RT) versus low-speed RT on muscle strength [one repetition of maximum leg-press (1RMLP) and bench-press (1RMBP), plus dominant (HGd) and non-dominant maximum isometric handgrip], power [counter-movement jump (CMJ), ball throwing (BT) and 10-m walking sprint (S10)], functional performance [8-foot up-and-go test (UG) and sit-to-stand test (STS)], and perceived quality of life in older women.

Methods

45 older women were divided into a high-speed RT group [EG, n = 15, age = 66.3 ± 3.7 y], a low-speed 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 were submitted to a similar 12-week RT program [3 sets of 8 reps at 40–75% of the one-repetition maximum (1 < RM), CMJ and BT] using slow, controlled (3 s) concentric muscle actions for the SG and using fast, explosive (< 1 s) concentric muscle actions for the EG (20% less work per exercise without CMJ and BT).

Results

Over the 12-week training period, both RT groups showed small to large clinically significant improvements in the dependent variables; however, a significant difference was found between the EG and SG for the performance changes in BT, S10 and UG (20% vs. 11%, p < 0.05; 14% vs. 9%, p < 0.05; 18% vs. 10%, p < 0.01; respectively). No significant changes were observed for the CG.

Conclusion

Both RT interventions are effective in improving functional capacity, muscle performance and quality of life in older women, although a high-speed RT program induces greater improvements in muscle power and functional capacity.

Introduction

Maximal strength in older subjects is associated with the difficulty with which they perform activities of daily living (Ensrud et al., 1994), risk of all-cause mortality (Ruiz et al., 2008) and old-age disability (Rantanen et al., 1999). However, the performance of daily living activities and life-threatening risks, such as falling, that are particularly high in women (Eddy, 1972) may be more closely associated with muscle power than with muscle strength (Cadore and Izquierdo, 2013, Casas-Herrero et al., 2013, Foldvari et al., 2000, Hazell et al., 2007, Skelton et al., 2002, Suzuki et al., 2001), especially in this group (Suzuki et al., 2001). Further, muscle power declines at a faster rate with aging compared to muscle strength (Izquierdo et al., 1999) and older women exhibit lower muscle power levels when compared to older men (Caserotti et al., 2001), suggesting that, especially in older women, interventions with an impact on muscle power should be considered.

The impact of traditional low-speed RT interventions on muscle power has been questioned (Izquierdo et al., 2001), especially for functional tasks (Keysor and Jette, 2001, Latham et al., 2004). In fact, it has been recommended that resistance training (RT) interventions for older adults should be more focused on muscle power than maximal strength (Porter, 2006). Unconventional high-speed RT may be an interesting approach to muscle power development in older women (Sayers, 2007); however, a few studies have led to questions about the impact of this training strategy on muscle strength, power and functional task performance in this age group (Cadore et al., 2014, Marques et al., 2013). Also, although it is relatively well know that exercise has a positive relation to quality of life (Bize et al., 2007, Schuch et al., 2014), relative to menopausal women, the limited evidence precludes a definitive statement. Because a small number of researchers have compared the effects and efficiency of different RT strategies on these variables, with some indicating similar results after low-speed vs. high-speed RT (Henwood et al., 2008, Wallerstein et al., 2012) and others showing higher training-related adaptations with high-speed RT (Katula et al., 2008, Sayers and Gibson, 2010), it is therefore necessary to have a better understanding of muscular, functional and quality of life adaptations in older women submitted to different RT strategies. Thus, the goal of this study was to compare the effects of a 12-week high-speed RT vs. a low-speed traditional RT program on muscle strength, power, ability to perform functional tasks and quality of life. We hypothesized that high-speed RT could be more efficient than traditional low-speed RT in promoting significant changes in muscular capacity, functional capacity and quality of life in older women.

Section snippets

Subjects

Initially, 60 older women of Hispanic descent fulfilled the inclusion criteria to participate in the study. Subjects with similar physical activity levels (Celis-Morales et al., 2012) were recruited. Older women fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: (a) healthy by self-report (i.e. completion of the revised physical activity readiness questionnaire for older adults — Cardinal et al., 1996), (b) free of a history of heart disease, osteoarthritis, severe visual impairment, neurological

Results

No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed among the groups for the descriptive and dependent variables at baseline (Table 2, Table 3, Table 4).

No significant changes (p > 0.05) in height, body mass or BMI were observed (Table 2) between T1 and T2 in either group. Similarly, no significant changes (p > 0.05) in resting heart rate were observed between T1 and T2 in either group (Table 2).

From the pre- to post-training period, relative to muscle performance, the EG shows a clinically

Discussion

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of a 12-week high-speed RT vs. a low-speed traditional RT program on muscle strength, power, ability to perform functional tasks and quality in older women. This study indicated that 12 weeks of high-speed and low-speed RT induced significant and small-to-large improvements in 1RMLP, 1RMBP, HGd, HGnd, CMJ, BT, S10 walking test time and UG functional test and STS performances, together with clinically significant improvements in the psychosocial

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interests.

Acknowledgments

The present study was funded by the Universidad de Los Lagos, grant numbered FNI02/12.

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