Older adults improved their aerobic capacity and endurance following six months of either low-intensity or high-intensity resistance exercise.

The study involved men and women aged 60 to 83 years. They performed one set each of 12 exercises 3 times a week for 24 weeks. One group worked out at half their normal repetition maximum; they were called the low-intensity group. The others, the high-intensity group, worked out at 80 percent of their maximum. Exercises included leg, chest and overhead presses, leg and biceps curls, leg extensions and others.

Both groups significantly improved their aerobic capacity - by 23.5 percent for the low-intensity group and 20.1 percent for the high-intensity group. Their treadmill time-to-exhaustion also increased, by 26.4 and 23.3 percent, respectively.

The investigators, from the University of Florida, suggest that resistance exercise increases strength, which accounts for these improvements in capacity.

Related information: Lifestyle changes - Exercise | Fitness channel - Basics

Source:  Vincent KR, Braith RW, Feldman RA, et al. Improved cardiorespiratory endurance following 6 months of resistance exercise in elderly men and women. Archives of Internal Medicine, March 25, 2002;162(6):673-678. (Abs.)