Effects of Different Weekly Sets-Equated Resistance Training Frequencies on Muscular Strength, Muscle Mass, and Body Fat in Older Women

Abstract

Pina, FLC, Nunes, JP, Schoenfeld, BJ, Nascimento, MA, Gerage, AM, Januário, RSB, Carneiro, NH, Cyrino, ES, and Oliveira, AR. Effects of different weekly sets-equated resistance training frequencies on muscular strength, muscle mass and body fat in older women. J Strength Cond Res 34(10): 2990–2995, 2020—The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of different resistance training (RT) frequencies (2 vs. 3 times per week) with an equivalent number of weekly sets performed between conditions on muscular strength and body composition in older women. Forty-seven older women (65 ± 4 years) were divided into 2 groups that performed a 12-week RT program either 2 (G2x and 3 sets) or 3 (G3x and 2 sets) times per week. The groups were evaluated before and after study on measures of body composition through dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and muscular strength through one repetition maximum (1RM) testing. Lean soft tissue was significantly increased in both groups (G2x = +1.7%, G3x = +1.7%), while only G3x reduced body fat after the intervention period (G2x = −0.7%, G3x = −2.9%). Similarly, significant increases were noted between conditions for 1RM scores in bench press (G2x = +11.8%, G3x = +11.9%) and knee extension (G2x = +17.4%, G3x = +10.8%). The results indicate that performing 2 or 3 RT sessions per week promotes similar improvements in muscular outcomes, while training more frequently may reduce body fat after 12 weeks of weekly sets-equated RT in untrained older women.

Effects of Three Resistance Exercise Orders on Muscular Function and Body Composition in Older Women

“…However, the hypothesis that these occurred due to possible overtraining should not be dismissed. Although we opted for using a relatively high volume in the 24 weeks of RT because we had observed that this seems to be ideal for inducing optimal adaptations in the outcomes studied herein for this population [12,[23][24][25][26][27][28], the use of such training protocol might have exceeded the ideal training dose for some participants. Moreover, the presence of the ALT group, which performed the same EO throughout the 24 weeks of RT, allows us to believe that simply changing the EO after a 12-week training period does not influence the responses to training.…”

Effects of Pyramid Resistance-Training System with Different Repetition Zones on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Older Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Strategies to reduce regional body fat are then deemed necessary. Previous RT interventions with durations of 12 and 24 weeks showed reductions in android fat of −3% [ 28 ] and −12% [ 29 ] in untrained older women, indicating a benefit for the RT, and that training effects may be dose-response [ 24 , 30 ]. In parallel, we observed a reduction in android fat of 8% and 4% for WPR and NPR, respectively.…”

The effect of resistance training programs on lean body mass in postmenopausal and elderly women: a meta-analysis of observational studies

“…Of the different body regions exposed to RT, 23 studies implemented full-body RT [32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54][55], and 3 implemented lower body RT [9, 31,42]. Thus, only the areas of the body which underwent the RT intervention have been examined by the afore mentioned screening tools.…”