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Int J Sports Med 2022; 43(01): 68-76
DOI: 10.1055/a-1502-6361
Training & Testing

Volume Reduction: Which Dose is Sufficient to Retain Resistance Training Adaptations in Older Women?

Melissa Antunes
1   Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Education and Sport Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
,
Witalo Kassiano 
1   Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Education and Sport Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
,
Analiza M. Silva
2   Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
,
Brad J. Schoenfeld
3   Exercise Science Program, Lehman College of CUNY Department of Health Sciences, Bronx, United States
,
Alex S. Ribeiro
4   University of Northern Paraná, Londrina, PR, Brazil.
,
Bruna Costa 
1   Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Education and Sport Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
,
Paolo M. Cunha 
1   Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Education and Sport Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
,
Paulo Sugihara Júnior
1   Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Education and Sport Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
,
Letícia T. Cyrino
1   Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Education and Sport Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
,
Denilson C. Teixeira
1   Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Education and Sport Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
,
Luís B. Sardinha
2   Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
,
Edilson S. Cyrino
1   Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise Laboratory, Physical Education and Sport Center, State University of Londrina, Londrina, PR, Brazil
› Author Affiliations Funding: This study was partially supported by the Ministry of Education (MEC/Brazil) and CNPq/Brazil (process number: 309455/2013-8).
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Abstract

We compared the effects of different resistance training (RT) volume reduction strategies on muscular strength and lean soft-tissue (LST) in older women. Fifty-seven physically independent women (>60 years) performed a 20-week pre-conditioning phase of a standardized whole-body RT program (eight exercises, three sets, 8–12 repetitions, three sessions a week), and were then randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: reduced volume for a single set (RV1, n=20) or two sets (RV2, n=19), or maintained volume of three sets (MV, n=18) for 8 weeks (specific training phase). Muscular strength in the chest press, leg extension, and preacher curl exercises was determined by one-repetition maximum tests. A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry device was used to estimate LST. An increase in muscular strength (16.3–32.1%) and LST (3.2–7.9%) was observed after the pre-conditioning phase. There was an increase in chest press for all groups (9.4–16.7%) after the specific training phase. In contrast, only MV increased significantly in the leg extension (4.4%). No between-group differences were revealed for LST in the specific training phase. Our results suggest that reduced RT volume from three to one set per exercise for 8 weeks seems sufficient to retain neuromuscular adaptations in older women.

Key words

strength training - dose-response - neuromuscular function - body composition - muscle hypertrophy - aging


Publication History

Received: 08 February 2021

Accepted: 26 April 2021

Article published online:
13 July 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
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