Effect of running versus isometric training programs on healthy elderly at rest.
Left ventricular function and hemodynamic alterations at rest were measured echocardiographically following running or isometric training in 40 healthy elderly. They were randomly assigned into two groups. Twenty (67 +/- 4 years) were engaged in running and 20 (67.8 +/- 3.8 years) in isometric training programs. All subjects underwent a 12-week program, 3 times a week 30 min each session. The running exercise (REX) group had an aerobic exercise conditioning program at 70% of their VO2max. The program for the isometric exercise (IEX) group included weight lifting utilizing large muscle mass at 30% of their maximal voluntary contraction. After training, the REX group increased significantly (p less than 0.05) their VO2max from 2.08 +/- 0.37 to 2.36 +/- 0.41 liter/min and ejection fraction 56 +/- 5.9 to 62 +/- 6.1%. They decreased significantly their heart rate, from 73 +/- 7 to 65 +/- 7 beats/min. No change occurred in the IEX group in left ventricular function and hemodynamic parameters. These data suggest that left ventricular responses at rest differ between the two groups following a short-term training with a favorable response after REX training. In addition, this study demonstrated that a controlled aerobic training program is a better way to improve physical capacity than is a weight lifting program for trained healthy elderly.
Sagiv
M
M
Life Sciences and Sports Medicine Department, Zinman College, Wingate Institute, Israel.
Fisher
N
N
Yaniv
A
A
Rudoy
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010806:Physical Education and Training; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology; D012420:Running; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D014891:Weight Lifting