Caserotti P, Aagaard P, Larsen JB, Puggaard L
This study investigated the effects of 12 weeks of explosive-type heavy-resistance training (75-80% of 1 repetition maximum) in old (60-65 years, TG60) and very old (80-89 years, TG80) community-dwelling women. Training was performed with maximal intentional acceleration of the training load during the concentric movement phase. Maximal isometric voluntary muscle strength (MVC), rapid force capacity, assessed as rate of force development (RFD), and impulse, maximal muscle power during a countermovement jump (CMJ) and during unilateral leg extension task (LEP) were evaluated.
The findings demonstrate that explosive-type heavy-resistance training seems to be safe and well tolerated in healthy women even in the eighth decade of life and elicits adaptive neuromuscular changes in selected physiological variables that are commonly associated with the risk of falls and disability in aged individuals.
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2008, 18(6), 773-82