Effects of 6 mo of heavy-resistance training combined with explosive exercises on neural activation of the agonist and antagonist leg extensors, muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) of the quadriceps femoris, as well as maximal and explosive strength were examined in 10 middle-aged men (M40; 42 +/- 2 yr), 11 middle-aged women (W40; 39 +/- 3 yr), 11 elderly men (M70; 72 +/- 3 yr) and 10 elderly women (W70; 67 +/- 3 yr). Maximal and explosive strength remained unaltered during a 1-mo control period with no strength training. After the 6 mo of training, maximal isometric and dynamic leg-extension strength increased by 36 +/- 4 and 22 +/- 2% (P < 0. 001) in M40, by 36 +/- 3 and 21 +/- 3% (P < 0.001) in M70, by 66 +/- 9 and 34 +/- 4% (P < 0.001) in W40, and by 57 +/- 10 and 30 +/- 3% (P < 0.001) in W70, respectively. All groups showed large increases (P < 0.05-0.001) in the maximum integrated EMGs (iEMGs) of the agonist vastus lateralis and medialis. Significant (P < 0.05-0.001) increases occurred in the maximal rate of isometric force production and in a squat jump that were accompanied with increased (P < 0.05-0. 01) iEMGs of the leg extensors. The iEMG of the antagonist biceps femoris muscle during the maximal isometric leg extension decreased in both M70 (from 24 +/- 6 to 21 +/- 6%; P < 0.05) and in W70 (from 31 +/- 9 to 24 +/- 4%; P < 0.05) to the same level as recorded for M40 and W40. The CSA of the quadriceps femoris increased in M40 by 5% (P < 0.05), in W40 by 9% (P < 0.01), in W70 by 6% (P < 0.05), and in M70 by 2% (not significant). Great training-induced gains in maximal and explosive strength in both middle-aged and elderly subjects were accompanied by large increases in the voluntary activation of the agonists, with significant reductions in the antagonist coactivation in the elderly subjects. Because the enlargements in the muscle CSAs in both middle-aged and elderly subjects were much smaller in magnitude, neural adaptations seem to play a greater role in explaining strength and power gains during the present strength-training protocol.

Effects of a 24-week strength training performed twice weekly (24 ST) (combined with explosive exercises) followed by either a 3-week detraining (3 DT) and a 21-week re-strength-training (21 RST) (experiment A) or by a 24-week detraining (24 DT) (experiment B) on neural activation of the agonist and antagonist leg extensors, muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) of the quadriceps femoris, maximal isometric and one repetition maximum (1-RM) strength and jumping (J) and walking (W) performances were examined. A group of middle-aged (M, 37-44 years, n = 12) and elderly (E, 62-77, n = 10) and another group of M (35-45, n = 7) and E (63-78, n = 7) served as subjects. In experiment A, the 1-RM increased substantially during 24 ST in M (27%, P<0.001) and E (29%, P<0.001) and in experiment B in M (29%, P<0.001) and E (23%, P<0.01). During 21 RST the 1-RM was increased by 5% at week 48 (P<0.01) in M and 3% at week 41 in E (n.s., but P<0.05 at week 34). In experiment A the integrated electromyogram (IEMG) of the vastus muscles in the 1-RM increased during 24 ST in both M (P<0.05) and E (P<0.001) and during 21 RST in M for the right (P<0.05) and in E for both legs (P<0.05). The biceps femoris co-activation during the 1-RM leg extension decreased during the first 8-week training in M (from 29+/-5% to 25+/-3%, n.s.) and especially in E (from 41+/-11% to 32+/-9%, P<0.05). The CSA increased by 7% in M (P<0.05) and by 7% in E (P<0.001), and by 7% (n.s.) in M and by 3% in E (n.s.) during 24 ST periods. Increases of 18% (P<0.001) and 12% (P<0.05) in M and 22% (P<0.001) and 26% (P<0.05) in E occurred in J. W speed increased (P<0.05) in both age groups. The only decrease during 3 DT was in maximal isometric force in M by 6% (P<0.05) and by 4% (n.s.) in E. During 24 DT the CSA decreased in both age groups (P<0.01), the 1-RM decreased by 6% (P<0.05) in M and by 4% (P<0.05) in E and isometric force by 12% (P<0.001) in M and by 9% (P<0.05) in E, respectively, while J and W remained unaltered. The strength gains were accompanied by increased maximal voluntary neural activation of the agonists in both age groups with reduced antagonist co-activation in the elderly during the initial training phases. Neural adaptation seemed to play a greater role than muscle hypertrophy. Short-term detraining led to only minor changes, while prolonged detraining resulted in muscle atrophy and decreased voluntary strength, but explosive jumping and walking actions in both age groups appeared to remain elevated for quite a long time by compensatory types of physical activities when performed on a regular basis.

Forty-two healthy men and women in two age groups (40 and 70 years) were examined for muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), maximal voluntary bilateral isometric force, force-time characteristics, maximal concentric 1 RM. and power performance of the leg extensors in a sitting position, squat jump, and standing long-jump. The results suggested that the decline in maximal strength with increasing age is related to the decline in muscle CSA; however, particularly in older women, the force/CSA ratio may also be lowered. Explosive force seems to decrease with increasing age even more than maximal strength. suggesting that muscle atrophy with aging is greater in fast-twitch fibers. The voluntary activation of the agonist and antagonist muscles seems to vary depending on the type of muscle action and/or velocity and time duration of the action in both age groups but to a greater extent in older people. There appears to be an age-related increase in antagonist co activation. especially in dynamic explosive movements.

Twelve middle-aged men and 12 middle-aged women in the 50-year-old age group (M50; range 44-57 years; W50; 43-57), and 12 elderly men and 12 elderly women in the 70-year-old age group (M70; 59-75; W70; 62-75) volunteered as subjects in order to examine effects of 12-week progressive heavy resistance strength training on electromyographic activity (EMG), muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) of the quadriceps femoris and maximal concentric force in a one repetition maximum (1 RM) test of the knee extensor muscles. One half of the subjects in each group performed the knee extension (and flexion) exercises only bilaterally (BIL), while another half performed the exercises only unilaterally (UNIL). None of the subject groups demonstrated statistically significant changes in any of the 1 RM values during the 2 week control period with no training (between week -2 and 0) preceding the actual experimental training. However, the 12-week training resulted in increases (P < 0.05-0.001) in 1 RM values in each group so that the average relative increase of 19 +/- 12% (P < 0.001) in bilateral 1 RM in all BIL trained subjects was greater (P < 0.05) than that of 13 +/- 8% (P < 0.001) recorded for all UNIL trained subjects. The average relative increases of 17 +/- 11% (P < 0.001) and 14 +/- 14% (P < 0.001) in unilateral 1 RM values of the right and left leg in all UNIL trained subjects were greater (P < 0.05) than those of 10 +/- 18% (P < 0.001) and 11 +/- 11% (P < 0.001) recorded for all BIL trained subjects, respectively. The relative average increase of 19 +/- 19% (P < 0.001) observed in the maximum averaged IEMG of both legs during the bilateral actions in all BIL trained subjects was greater (P < 0.05) than that of 10 +/- 17% (P < 0.05) recorded for all UNIL trained subjects. The relative increases of 14 +/- 12% (P < 0.001) and 11 +/- 6% (P < 0.001) recorded for the CSA in all BIL and UNIL trained subjects did not differ significantly from each others. The present findings suggest that progressive heavy resistance strength training leads to great increases in maximal dynamic strength of the trained subjects accompanied by both considerable neural adaptations and muscular hypertrophy not only in middle-aged but also in elderly men and women. Both bilateral and unilateral exercises are effective to produce functional and structural adaptations in the neuromuscular system, although the magnitude of functional strength increase seems to be specific to the type of exercise used, further supporting the principle of specificity in the design of strength programmes.

The separate effects of 18 weeks of intensive strength and endurance training on isometric knee extension (KE) and flexion (KF) strength and walking speed were studied in 76- to 78- year-old women. Maximal voluntary isometric force for both KE and KF was measured in a sitting position on a custom-made dynamometer chair at a knee angle of 60 degrees from full extension. Maximal walking speed was measured over a distance of 10 m. The endurance-trained women increased KE torque and KE torque/body mass after the first 9 weeks of training when compared with the controls. when comparing the baseline, 9 week and 18 week measurements within the groups separately, both the endurance- and strength-training groups increased KE torque, KE torque/body mass and walking speed. Individual changes in KE torque/body mass before and after 18 weeks of training averaged 19.1% in the strength group, 30.9% in the endurance group and 2.0% in the controls. This study indicates that in elderly women the effects of physical training on muscle strength and walking speed occur after endurance as well as strength training. The considerable interindividual variation in change of muscle performance is also worth noticing.