Effect of Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Bone Mass

May 30, 2007

Hi folks:

The following, although conducted in females, will presumably be of

relevance to anyone planning to live to be over 100 years of age.

The full text appears to be available free, pdf:

" Effects of one year of resistance training on the relation between

muscular strength and bone density in elderly women. "

EC, AD, Taunton JE, Donnelly M, Warren J, Elliot J.

School of Human Kinetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver,

Canada.

OBJECTIVES: There is a paucity of long term studies on exercise

training in elderly women. The purpose of this study was to

investigate the effects of one year of progressive resistance

exercise (PRE) on dynamic muscular strength and the relations to bone

mineral density (BMD) in elderly women. METHODS: Forty four healthy

sedentary women (mean age 68.8 years) volunteered for this study and

were randomly assigned to either an exercise group or a control

group. The exercise group were involved in three one hour sessions a

week for 52 weeks of supervised PRE to strengthen the large muscle

groups of the body, while the control group were instructed to

continue their normal lifestyle. The exercise circuit included three

sets of eight repetitions at 75% of one repetition maximum focused on

the large muscle groups. BMD was measured by dual energy x ray

absoptiometry (Lunar DPX) at the lumbar spine and at three sites in

the proximal femur. Other selected parameters of physical fitness

were also measured. RESULTS: Statistical analyses (analysis of

covariance) showed significant strength gains (p < 0.01) in bilateral

bench press (> 29%), bilateral leg press (> 19%), and unilateral

biceps curl (> 20%). No significant difference between groups was

evident in body weight, grip strength, flexibility, waist to hip

ratio, or the sum of eight skinfolds. Significant relations (p <

0.05) were recorded between dynamic leg strength and the BMD of the

femoral neck, Ward's triangle, and the lumbar spine. CONCLUSIONS:

Significant strength changes, after one year of PRE, were evident in

elderly women, and the muscle increases may parallel changes in BMD;

however, correlation coefficients were moderate.

PMID: 10690445

Rodney.

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