The steadiness of muscle contractions is reduced in both the upper and lower extremities of old compared with young adults. Strength training of a hand muscle, however, decreases the fluctuations in force during submaximal contractions in older adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of strength or steadiness training on the steadiness of muscle contractions in the knee extensors of older adults. Healthy adults (65 - 80 yrs) underwent 16 weeks of heavy-load strength training (H, 73 ± 1.5 yrs, N = 11), heavy-load steadiness training (HLS, 70 ± 1.5 yrs, N = 6), light-load steadiness training (LLS, 70 ± 1 yrs, N = 16), or no training (CON, 76 ± 1 yrs, N = 6). Heavy-load training was performed at 80% IRM, and light-load at 30% IRM. Steadiness training involved matching angular displacement about the knee to a constant-velocity template on an oscilloscope screen. Maximum force during an MVC and force fluctuations during constant-force tasks at 2, 5, 10, and 50% MVC were measured at 0, 2, 8, and 16 weeks. For the constant-force task, subjects were asked to match a target force with visual feedback for 10 seconds. Steadiness was expressed as the coefficient of variation (CV) for the force. CV was calculated by dividing the standard deviation of the force by the average force. MVC force increased by 26 ± 3% in H, 22 ± 5% in HLS, 8 ± 2% in LLS, and −0.95 ± 3% in CON. The CV for force during the submaximal contractions, which ranged from 1.8 - 3.5%, did not change with training in any of the experimental groups. Therefore, impaired isometric steadiness in the knee extensors of healthy older adults compared with young adults was not improved with strength training or steadiness training. Supported by NIH AG13929 to RME and F32 AG05878 to BLT