Findings from the current investigation support use of resistance training for improving physical function among community-dwelling older adults.

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Safe and gentle exercise may be important for older adults overcoming a sedentary lifestyle. Sign Chi Do (SCD), a novel form of low impact exercise, has shown improved balance and endurance in healthy older adults, and there have been no SCD-related injuries reported. Sedentary older adults are known to have a greater cardiovascular (CV) response to physical activity than those who regularly exercise. However their CV response to SCD is unknown. This study explored the acute CV response of older adults to SCD. Cross-sectional study of 34 sedentary and moderately active adults over age 55 with no previous experience practicing SCD. Participants completed a 10 min session of SCD. CV outcomes of heart rate, blood pressure, rate pressure product were recorded at 0, 5, 10 min of SCD performance, and after 10 min of rest. HR was recorded every minute. There was no difference in CV scores of sedentary and moderately active older adults after a session of SCD-related activity. All CV scores increased at 5 min, were maintained at 10 min, and returned to baseline within 10 min post SCD (p < 0.05). SCD may be a safe way to increase participation in regular exercise by sedentary older adults.

No relationships reported)Not only aerobics but also resistance training is considered to improve the vascular endothelial function. Recently, it was reported that the training with blood flow reduction (BFR) performed with compressing the stem of upper or lower extremities induced muscle hypertrophy even at lower intensity workload, and increased the muscle strength of extremities at shorter training period. Although the hypoxic condition in tissue is known to increase the NO production from vascular endothelium, it is unclear whether or not the training with BFR increases the vascular endothelial function. PURPOSE:The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether long-term training with BFR improved the vascular endothelial function.METHODS:Seventeen healthy old male volunteers, 72±3 years old, performed the resistance training for the extremities with or without BFR by cuff compression: 9 subjects in BFR group and 8 in control group, respectively. The resistance training composed of 4 manners: leg extension, leg press, rowing and chest press was carried out 3 sets a day and 3 times a week for 4 weeks, while each manner was repeated 20 times by the 20%of 1 repetition maximum (1RM). The vascular endothelial function and muscle strength were assessed twice before and after the 4-week intervention of the resistance training. We measured reactive hyperaemic index (RHI) using Endo-PAT and blood concentrations of von willebrand factor (vWF) and thrombomodulin (TM) as indices of the vascular endothelial function. We also measured 1RM of leg extension, leg press, rowing and chest press as indices of muscle strength. RESULTS:The RHI, and 1RM of leg extension and leg press increased significantly from 1.7 ± 0.4, 45.1 ± 12.8kg and 130 ± 38.6kg before the intervention to 1.9 ± 0.3 (P <0.05), 59.4 ± 19.7kg (P <0.01) and 149 ± 39.5kg (P <0.05) after the intervention, respectively, in the BRF group. The 1RM of rowing increased significantly from 41.4 ± 7.5kg to 49.0 ± 5.8 in the BRF group (P <0.05) and from 44.0 ± 5.7kg to 49.3 ± 5.8kg in the control group (P <0.05). There were no significant differences between the vWF, TM or 1RM of chest press measured before and after the intervention in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS:We concluded that the low intensity resistance training with BFR elevated not only muscle strength but also the vascular endothelial function.Declines in functionality are commonly associated with aging. The decline of lean tissue mass (LTM) and bone mineral density (BMD) may have a direct relationship with the decline in peak power in older adults which in turn may lead to a decline in functionality. PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between peak power and various measures of total and regional body composition in older adults. The researchers hypothesized that peak power would be directly correlated with measures of lean tissue and bone, while inversely related with measures of fat. METHODS:Men and women over the age of 75 (n=34) completed a chair stand powe...