Weaker older women gain more lower body strength than their stronger counterparts, but not muscle mass, following 12 weeks of resistance training.

We compared the magnitude of strength and muscle mass changes in response to resistance training (RT) between stronger older women and their weaker counterparts. Older women (n = 207) were grouped into tertiles according to their baseline muscular strength index. The upper and lower tertiles participants were categorized as stronger (STR, n = 69) and weaker (WKR, n = 69), respectively. Both groups engaged in a 12-week whole-body RT program. Outcomes included one-repetition maximum (1RM) tests in the three lifts and assessment of segmental lean soft tissue (LST) and skeletal muscle mass (SMM). The 1RM increase was similar between groups for the chest press [between-groups effect size of the differences (ESdiff) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 0.10 (95%CI: -0.52, 0.31), P = 0.617] and preacher curl [ESdiff = 0.08 (95%CI: -0.48, 0.32), P = 0.681]. Changes were greater in WKR than STR for 1RM leg extension [ESdiff = -0.45 (95%CI: -0.86, -0.04), P = 0.030]. The increases of segmental LST and SMM were similar between-groups (ESdiff contains zero, P ≥ 0.434). We conclude that stronger and weaker older women benefit similarly for muscle mass and upper-limb strength gains. Notably, weaker older women may experience greater lower-limbs strength gains.

Effects of Photobiomodulation/Laser Therapy Combined With Resistance Training on Quadriceps Hypertrophy and Strength, and Postural Balance in Older Women: A Randomized, Triple-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Physical and therapeutic strategies to maintain and rehabilitate skeletal muscle mass, strength, and postural balance are clinically relevant to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life of older adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of photobiomodulation (PBM)/laser therapy combined with a resistance training (RT) program on quadriceps hypertrophy and strength, and postural balance in older women. METHODS: In a randomized, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled design, twenty-two older women (age 66.6 ± 5.2 years) were engaged in a supervised 10-wk RT program (2 times per week) involving unilateral leg extension exercise, in which each leg of the same participant was randomly assigned to receive active (λ = 808 nm, optical output = 100 mW, total energy = 42 J) or placebo laser PBM immediately before the RT sessions. Maximal dynamic strength by unilateral knee extension 1-repetition maximum (1RM), muscle hypertrophy by vastus lateralis muscle thickness, and postural balance by one-legged stance test on a force platform were assessed before and after the training program. RESULTS: Significance statistical analysis revealed a similar improvement (time P = .003) from pre- to posttraining for muscle hypertrophy and strength, and postural balance between active and placebo laser conditions. However, clinical interpretation for muscle hypertrophy showed a moderate effect (effect size [ES] = 0.58) for the active laser and a small effect (ES = 0.38) for the placebo laser. Clinical difference was not noticed between conditions for other analyzed variables. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that RT alone can be clinically important for counteracting the deleterious effects of aging on muscle size, strength, and balance, and that applying laser PBM therapy before the RT sessions may further improve gains in muscle hypertrophy.

A Comparison of Increases in Volume Load Over 8 Weeks of Low-Versus High-Load Resistance Training.

BACKGROUND: It has been hypothesized that the ability to increase volume load (VL) via a progressive increase in the magnitude of load for a given exercise within a given repetition range could enhance the adaptive response to resistance training. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare changes in volume load (VL) over eight weeks of resistance training (RT) in high-versus low-load protocols. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen well-trained men were matched according to baseline strength were randomly assigned to either a low-load RT (LOW, n = 9) where 25 - 35 repetitions were performed per exercise, or a high-load RT (HIGH, n = 9) where 8 - 12 repetitions were performed per exercise. Both groups performed three sets of seven exercises for all major muscles three times per week on non-consecutive days. RESULTS: After adjusting for the pre-test scores, there was a significant difference between the two intervention groups on post-intervention total VL with a very large effect size (F (1, 15) = 16.598, P = .001, ηp(2) = .525). There was a significant relationship between pre-intervention and post-intervention total VL (F (1, 15) = 32.048, P < .0001, ηp(2) = .681) in which the pre-test scores explained 68% of the variance in the post-test scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that low-load RT results in greater accumulations in VL compared to high-load RT over the course of 8 weeks of training.