power training is feasible for elderly persons and has a small advantage over strength training for functional outcomes .
OBJECTIVE to determine the effects of power training with high movement velocity compared with conventional resistance training with low movement velocity for older community-dwelling people .
Cycling as a novel approach to resistance training increases muscle strength, power, and selected functional abilities in healthy older women.
Cycling on a mechanically braked cycle ergometer was used as a novel approach to compare the effects of three different 16-wk resistance-training programs on isometric force , power output , and selected functional abilities in 31 healthy 65- to 74-yr-old women . Training was conducted three times per week . During each session , individuals of the speed group performed 8 sets of 16 pedal revolutions at 40 % of the maximal resistance to complete two revolutions ( 2 RM ) ; strength group performed 8 sets of 8 revolutions at 80 % of 2 RM ; and combination group performed 4 sets of 16 revolutions at 40 % and 4 sets of 8 revolutions at 80 % of 2 RM . During each set , all participants were required to pedal as fast as possible with a 2-min interval between sets . All training groups significantly increased force , power , and functional abilities ( maximal treadmill walking speed , vertical jumping , and box stepping ) at week 8 ( in the range from 6.5 to 20.8 % ) with no further improvement at week 16 ( except maximal treadmill walking speed ) , but no significant differences were observed between the three groups . The novel approach to performing both low- and high-resistance training , based on the use of a cycle ergometer , has been shown to be effective in improving strength , power , and functional abilities in a group of healthy women . Even fit older women can still improve in functional abilities . Interestingly , the " high-speed " and " low-speed " programs induced an increase in both power and strength of similar magnitude
power training is feasible for elderly persons and has a small advantage over strength training for functional outcomes .
OBJECTIVE to determine the effects of power training with high movement velocity compared with conventional resistance training with low movement velocity for older community-dwelling people .