Effects of 12-week resistance exercise and interval training on the skeletal muscle area, physical fitness, and mental health in old women

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effects of resistance exercise and interval training on the visceral fat to skeletal muscle area, physical fitness, cognitive functions, and mental health in old women. The study was conducted among 30 older women enrolled in the National Fitness Center in Seoul. They were randomly sampled into the resistance exercise and interval training group (RI group: n= 10, aged 64.10± 3.35), the resistance and aerobic exercise group (RA group: n= 10, aged 65.20± 5.10), and the control group (n= 10, aged 63.20± 2.62). Twelve weeks of exercise involving 30-min resistance exercise followed by 30-min interval training or aerobic exercise, 3 times a week, were performed by each group. A computed topography was used to the measure visceral fat area and the thigh skeletal muscle area. For physical fitness, maximum oxygen uptake, knee isokinetics muscle functions, ankle range of motion, and functional fitness of the elderly (muscle strength, cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, balance, and agility) were measured. For blood test, the metabolic syndrome risk factors, growth hormone, testosterone, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were measured. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure cognitive functions and quality of sleep. The 12-week RA and RI groups were effective in changing the thigh skeletal muscle area, IGF-1, knee joint extension and flexion, ankle range of motion, functional fitness, and quality of sleep. In conclusion, resistance exercise, followed by interval training or aerobic exercise, was effective in improving the skeletal muscle function indexes, physical fitness, and quality of sleep for the elderly. However, no difference was found between the two types of exercise.

Sarcopenia during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions: long-term health effects of short-term muscle loss

“…Resistance exercise has also been shown to improve markers of cardiovascular health (e.g., LDL cholesterol and blood pressure) [278,279], glycemic control (lower HbA1c and improved insulin sensitivity) [280,281], functional capacity [282,283], bone mineral density [284,285], body composition [283,286], sleep [287], and cognitive performance [288]. It should also be noted that regular exercise is known to improve immune function, a faculty that is particularly important in times of pandemic [126][127][128].…”

Decreases in the number of repetitions between sets is indicative of concentric failure in strength training with trained men

“…In moreover, several studies using submaximal sets did not report a decrease in NR between sets(Carrasco-Poyatos, Ramos-Campo, & Rubio-Arias, 2019, J. Fisher, Steele, Bruce-Low, & Smith, 2011, Yan et al, 2019, Yoon, Ha, Kang, & Ko, 2019.This knowledge can clarify the role of CF occurrence or not in a training session, allowing the use and control of this parameter in the various contexts of ST prescription. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the response of the NR between sets as indicative of CF within a session of ST.…”

Current Studies and Future Directions of Exercise Therapy for Muscle Atrophy Induced by Heart Failure

“…Exercise can inhibit the expression of FOXO3a and its downstream targets, and reduce the activity of protein degradation system, thus promoting the recovery of muscular atrophy (27). Resistance training is the movement against resistance, such as weightlifting (28). Thirty-two patients with muscle atrophy were randomly divided into resistance training group (18 cases) and control group (14 cases) and a single blind crossover design was used to study a period of 16 weeks.…”