Overall , home-based resistance exercise  can improve both strength and functional ability , but the improvements are generally small .
The intensity of the exercises might not progress sufficiently enough to produce large improvements in strength as a result of less supervision or a lack of motivation to increase the intensity further
Home-based resistance exercise is commonly used for individuals who might not have access or the ability to use traditional resistance exercise .
However , the extent to which home-based resistance exercise can improve both strength and functional ability has not been investigated in healthy older individuals using a systematic analysis .
Physical activity and leg strength predict decline in mobility performance in older persons.
OBJECTIVES To assess the extent to which physical activity and leg strength are associated with change in mobility  in older persons . DESIGN Prospect i ve , observational cohort study . SETTING Retirement communities across the Chicago metropolitan area participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project . PARTICIPANTS Eight hundred eighty-six ambulatory older persons without dementia . MEASUREMENT Rate of change in mobility . RESULTS In a linear mixed-effects model that controlled for age , sex , education , and a term for baseline physical activity , a higher level of physical activity was associated with a slower rate of mobility decline ( estimate=0.006 , st and ard error (SE)=0.003 , P=.03 ) ; each additional hour of physical activity at baseline was associated with an approximately 3 % decrease in the rate of mobility decline . In a similar model , a higher level of baseline leg strength was associated with a slower rate of mobility decline ( estimate=0.031 , SE=0.132 , P=.02 ) ; each additional unit of leg strength at baseline was associated with an approximately 20 % decrease in the rate of mobility decline . In a final model , which included terms for physical activity and leg strength together , both were associated with decline in mobility . Furthermore , both remained associated with mobility even after controlling for body composition , balance , pulmonary function , cognition , history of joint pain , cardiovascular diseases and risk factors , and medications . CONCLUSION Physical activity and leg strength are relatively independent predictors of mobility decline  in older persons . Although physical activity may improve strength , the beneficial effect of physical activity on mobility is likely to involve other pathways
Overall , home-based resistance exercise  can improve both strength and functional ability , but the improvements are generally small .
The intensity of the exercises might not progress sufficiently enough to produce large improvements in strength as a result of less supervision or a lack of motivation to increase the intensity further
Home-based resistance exercise is commonly used for individuals who might not have access or the ability to use traditional resistance exercise .
However , the extent to which home-based resistance exercise can improve both strength and functional ability has not been investigated in healthy older individuals using a systematic analysis .