Serious adverse events were rare , and no serious events were reported to be directly related to the exercise programme .
This review provides evidence that PRT is an effective intervention for improving physical functioning in  older people , including improving strength and the performance of some simple and complex activities .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age is associated with physical function decline .
Progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) exercises are design ed to increase strength .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of PRT on older people and identify adverse events .
Strength training in older women: early and late changes in whole muscle and single cells.
In order to examine the relative contribution of neural- and muscle-based adaptation to strength training , we studied early ( 2 weeks ) and later ( 12 weeks ) effects of strength training on muscle size and strength and type I single-fiber size and contractility in 14 elderly women ( aged 68 - 79 years ) and seven young controls . Older subjects were r and omized to training ( n = 7 ) or control ( n = 7 ) groups .  Strength did not change , but whole muscle size increased significantly after 2 weeks . After 12 weeks , strength , whole muscle size , and specific force all increased . No changes occurred in the control group . In single fibers , no changes in size and contractility were noted after 2 weeks , but specific force was higher in the training group after 12 weeks . Early adaptations to strength training in elderly women can not be attributed to changes at the cellular level and therefore occur primarily in the central nervous system . Later , cellular adaptations in specific force track closely whole muscle changes
Serious adverse events were rare , and no serious events were reported to be directly related to the exercise programme .
This review provides evidence that PRT is an effective intervention for improving physical functioning in  older people , including improving strength and the performance of some simple and complex activities .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age is associated with physical function decline .
Progressive resistance strength training ( PRT ) exercises are design ed to increase strength .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of PRT on older people and identify adverse events .