PRT had a large positive effect on strength ( 41 trials , 1955 participants ) , but there was statistical heterogeneity that was not explained by differences in study quality , participant characteristics or the exercise program .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS PRT appears to be an effective intervention to increase strength in older people and has a positive effect on some functional limitations .
However , the effect of this intervention on more substantive outcomes such as measures of disability or HRQOL remains unclear .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age , is associated with physical disability and an increased risk of falls .
Progressive resistance strength ( PRT ) training exercises ( i.e. movements performed against a specific external force that is regularly increased during training ) are design ed to increase strength in older people .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of PRT on measures of physical disability , functional limitation and impairment in older people  , and identify adverse events .
Strength training normalizes resting blood pressure in 65- to 73-year-old men and women with high normal blood pressure.
OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of heavy resistance strength training ( ST ) on resting blood pressure ( BP ) in older men and women . DESIGN Prospect i ve intervention study . SETTING University of Maryl and Exercise Science Laboratory . PARTICIPANTS Twenty-one sedentary , healthy older men ( 69 + /- 1 year , n = 11 ) and women ( 68 + /- 1 year , n = 10 ) served as subjects for the study . INTERVENTION Six months of progressive whole body ST performed 3 days per week using Keiser K-300 air-powered resistance machines . MEASUREMENTS One-repetition maximum ( 1 RM ) strength was measured for seven different exercises before and after the ST program .  Resting BP was measured on six separate occasions before and after ST for each subject . RESULTS Substantial increases in 1 RM strength were observed for upper body ( UB ) and lower body ( LB ) muscle groups for men ( UB : 215 vs 265 kg ; LB : 694 vs 838 kg ; P < .001 ) and women ( UB : 128 vs 154 kg ; LB : 441 vs 563 kg ; P < .001 ) . The ST program led to reductions in both systolic ( 131 + /- 2 vs 126 + /- 2 mm Hg , P < .010 ) and diastolic ( 79 + /- 2 vs 75 + /- 1 mm Hg , P < .010 ) BP . Systolic BP was reduced significantly in men ( 134 + /- 3 vs 127 + /- 2 mm Hg , P < .01 ) but not in women ( 128 + /- 3 vs 125 + /- 3 mm Hg , P < .01 ) , whereas diastolic BP was reduced following training in both men ( 81 + /- 3 vs 77 + /- 1 , mm Hg , P = .054 ) and women ( 78 + /- 2 vs 74 + /- 2 mm Hg , P = .055 ) . CONCLUSIONS Six months of heavy resistance ST may reduce resting BP  in older persons . According to the latest guidelines from the Joint National Committee for the Detection , Evaluation , and Treatment of Hypertension , the changes in resting BP noted in the present study represent a shift from the high normal to the normal category
PRT had a large positive effect on strength ( 41 trials , 1955 participants ) , but there was statistical heterogeneity that was not explained by differences in study quality , participant characteristics or the exercise program .
REVIEW ER 'S CONCLUSIONS PRT appears to be an effective intervention to increase strength in older people and has a positive effect on some functional limitations .
However , the effect of this intervention on more substantive outcomes such as measures of disability or HRQOL remains unclear .
BACKGROUND Muscle weakness in old age , is associated with physical disability and an increased risk of falls .
Progressive resistance strength ( PRT ) training exercises ( i.e. movements performed against a specific external force that is regularly increased during training ) are design ed to increase strength in older people .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effect of PRT on measures of physical disability , functional limitation and impairment in older people  , and identify adverse events .