Effects of a 6-Week Resistance-Training Program on Functional Fitness of Older Adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 6 weeks of stretching and moderate-intensity resistance training on older adults’ functional fitness. Twenty-two older adults (69 ± 1 year) participated in a resistance-training program, and 15 (70 ± 4 years) participated in a control group. Training involved 3 sessions per week, each consisting of 1 set of 12–15 repetitions of lower and upper body exercises on resistance machines. Before sessions, participants performed 20 min of stretching exercises. A recently developed test battery (Rikli & Jones, 1999) to assess the physical parameters associated with independent functioning in older adults was performed before and after training. The combined stretching and resistance exercise resulted in significant ( p ≤ .008) improvements on all the functional tests except the 6-min walk. The results indicate that moderate-intensity resistance training in conjunction with stretching can improve functional fitness in older adults, enabling them to more easily perform activities of daily living.