Effects of a short‐term heavy resistance training in young and older adults for strength and body composition (1028.1)

Abstract

We examined changes in strength and body composition (BC) between healthy young (18‐30 y) and older (60+ y) adults in response to a short‐term, 8‐week, high‐intensity strength training (ST) program. 52 subjects, 31 young males (YM15), and females (YF16), and 21 older males (OM11) and females (OF10) completed 24 ST sessions (3 times per week) on Cybex pin selected machines. Exercises included leg extension (LE), chest press (CP), knee extension (KE), seated row (SR), and knee flexion (KF). All subjects performed three sets of six repetitions to failure at 80% of their 1 repetition max (1RM) on alternating days. Strength increased (%∆) for all exercises (P<0.05), with trends for LE (P=0.084) for OM. In OF, the KF and KE were not significant (P=0.244, P=0.219) respectively. No significant differences in strength %∆ were observed between genders. Significant gains in fat free mass were seen in YM (P<0.001), YF (P=0.039), and OM (P=0.039), but not in OF (P=0.839). Fat mass did not change significantly with ST. No adverse events occurred due to exercise. In conclusion, short‐term, high‐intensity ST results in parallel gains in strength and FFM independent of gender. However, body composition changes in older adults were not as pronounced as in young participants. The hormonal milieu may be a contributing factor and should be investigated further. Support: Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research.Grant Funding Source: Supported by Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research