Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
Aging is associated with decline in physical function and so regular physical activity is recommended for older adults. In particular there is significant loss of strength and muscle mass and so 'muscle strengthening activities' such as resistance training are often recommended. An important factor in determining the success of resistance training programs might be the intensity of effort during training. However, this can be difficult for many individuals to accomplish, particularly if unsupervised. The aim of this study is to look at the effectiveness of a supervised resistance training program hat progressively introduces higher effort training over a period of 6 months in older adults.
Who can participate?
Adults aged 60 years and over who are in good health and have not previously engaged in resistance training.
What does the study involve?
All participants take part in supervised resistance training sessions twice a week for six months. In these sessions, participants perform a 10 minute warm up, followed by completing exercises using gym equipment such as a keg press or chest press. The number of reps and load (weight) is gradually increased over the course of the program. At the start of the study, after the program (six months) and then again six months later, participants have their strength, body composition, wellbeing and function assessed using a range of assessment tasks.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants benefit from being able to take part in supervised resistance training intervention, free for six months, which may results in improvements in strength, body composition, wellbeing, and function. The potential risks include injury or other complications as a result of the exercise program.
Where is the study run from?
University of Koblenz-Landau (Germany)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
June 2012 to January 2014
Who is funding the study?
University of Koblenz-Landau (Germany)
Who is the main contact?
1. Dr James Steele (scientific)
james.steele@solent.ac.uk
2. Dr Jürgen Giessing (scientific)
giessing@uni-landau.de
Trial website
Contact information
Type
Scientific
Primary contact
Dr James Steele
ORCID ID
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6013-8402
Contact details
Southampton Solent University
E Park Terrace
Southampton
SO14 0YN
United Kingdom
+44 2382 016465
james.steele@solent.ac.uk
Type
Scientific
Additional contact
Dr Jürgen Giessing
ORCID ID
Contact details
Institute of Sport Science
University of Koblenz-Landau
Rhabanusstraße 3
Mainz
76829
Germany
+49 6341 280-31289
giessing@uni-landau.de
Additional identifiers
EudraCT number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
SportsMedLandau2012-12-001
Study information
Scientific title
In elderly adults does a progressive high effort resistance training intervention produce improvements in strength, body composition, function, and wellbeing, and are these maintained over a 6 month follow-up?
Acronym
Study hypothesis
A six month supervised progressive high effort resistance training intervention will significantly improve strength, body composition, function, and wellbeing of elderly adults, and these improvements will be maintained in those continuing with unsupervised training during a six month follow up compared with those ceasing training.
Ethics approval
Institute of Sport Science, University of Koblenz-Landau, Germany, 25/04/2012
Study design
Prospective non-randomised study
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Non randomised study
Trial setting
Other
Trial type
Other
Patient information sheet
Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Condition
Exercise
Intervention
All participants take part in supervised training sessions conducted twice a week (at least 48 hours between sessions) for six months (25 weeks).
Participants all perform a general warm-up using either treadmill, cross-trainer, upright cycle ergometer, or recumbent cycle ergometer depending on preference for 10 minutes followed by a single set of moderate load leg press, chest press, and seated row for 15 repetitions prior to each training session. In each training session participants perform leg press, chest press, seated row, knee extension, knee flexion, trunk extension, and trunk flexion. The order of exercises is not fixed and depends upon preference and availability of equipment in the gym where training is conducted. Rest between exercises lasts for 2-4 minutes. Participants are instructed to perform the exercises using a relatively long repetition duration of at least 2 seconds concentric, 1 second pause at the top of the range of motion, and 2 seconds eccentric, and to not exceed 4 seconds concentric, 1 second pause at the top of the range of motion, and 4 seconds eccentric.
The first two weeks of the intervention is a familiarisation phase whereby participants trained using a single set of each exercise using a moderate load and performing 15-18 repetitions i.e. nRM. After this period participants progress for a further 2 weeks to perform each exercise to a set end of point of sdRM defined as cessation at the point where participants predict they would reach momentary failure if the next repetition was attempted. After this period participants progress to perform each exercise to a set end point of MF and continued training in this manner until week 18.
For the final 6 weeks of the intervention participants progress to perform each exercise to set end point of MF followed by a drop set whereby the load was reduced by ~5 kg and an additional set continued to the point of MF was performed immediately upon completion of the first. Load is progressed for each group by 2-10% in the next session if participants could achieve greater than 12 repetitions before reaching the defined set end point for their current period of training (in the case of the final 6 weeks this applied to the first set performed to momentary failure).
After the 25-week intervention participants wishing to continue performing resistance training unsupervised are given access to the training facility and allowed to train without direct supervision.
Intervention type
Other
Phase
Drug names
Primary outcome measure
Strength (5 repetition maximum) is measured using leg press, chest press, and seated row exercises at baseline, 6 months (post-intervention) and 12 months (6 months follow up).
Secondary outcome measures
1. Body composition is measured using bioelectrical impedance at baseline, 6 months (post-intervention) and 12 months (6 months follow up)
2. Wellbeing is measured using the WHO-% Wellbeing Index at baseline, 6 months (post-intervention) and 12 months (6 months follow up)
3. Function is measured using a stair climb, carrying task, chair rise and grip strength at baseline and 6 months (post-intervention)
Overall trial start date
01/06/2012
Overall trial end date
24/01/2014
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Eligibility
Participant inclusion criteria
1. At least 60 years of age
2. Present with a medical certificate verifying their otherwise good health
3. Not previously engaged in resistance training (RT)
4. No contraindication to participation in RT
Participant type
Healthy volunteer
Age group
Senior
Gender
Both
Target number of participants
28
Participant exclusion criteria
Participants were excluded if they had a pacemaker (due to the use of bioelectrical impedance analysis), failed to attend >4 training sessions, or did not meet the above criteria.
Recruitment start date
10/12/2012
Recruitment end date
21/12/2012
Locations
Countries of recruitment
Germany
Trial participating centre
University of Koblenz-Landau
Institute of Sport Science
Rhabanusstraße 3
Mainz
55118
Germany
Sponsor information
Organisation
University of Koblenz-Landau
Sponsor details
Rhabanusstraße 3
Mainz
55118
Germany
+49 6131 374600
unicms-support@uni-koblenz-landau.de
Sponsor type
University/education
Website
https://www.uni-koblenz-landau.de/en/university-of-koblenz-landau
Funders
Funder type
University/education
Funder name
University of Koblenz-Landau
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Planned publication in a peer reviewed journal.
IPD Sharing plan:
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are/will be available upon request from Dr James Steele (James.steele@solent.ac.uk)
Intention to publish date
30/04/2017
Participant level data
Available on request
Basic results (scientific)
Publication list
2017 results in https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/aip/2541090/