Resistance Training Prevents Age-related Decline in Exercise Tolerance but not in VO2MAX of Older Runners: Preliminary Results of the Sao Silvestre Older Runners Cohort Study

Abstract

PURPOSE: The purpose of present study was to investigate the effects of resistance training on maximal and submaximal parameters of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of older runners. METHODS: Twenty-four elderly male runners (age 69±0.9 years; time of training 21±7.2 years; training frequency 4.5±0.6 days·wk-1; training volume 57.5±10.9 km·wk-1) performed a graded exercise test before (T1) and after (T2) 8.9±0.2 years of follow-up. The subjects were divided into two different groups: resistance trained older runners (REG, subjects that continued endurance training and initiated a resistance training program 3.1±0.6 years before T2; n=11) and control older runners (CG, subjects that continued endurance training but did not performed resistance training; n=13). Submaximal and maximal parameters of CRF were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Data are displayed in Table 1. Both groups reduced similarly maximal oxygen consumption (VO2MAX) after follow-up (REG = 17.7±2.6%; CG = 23.1±4.9%), but the reduction of VO2 at respiratory compensation point (VO2RCP) was lower in REG than CG (13.8±3.4% vs. 22.1±5.1%; p<0.05). Tolerance time to reach respiratory compensation point (TTRCP) and TTMAX were reduced in CG after follow-up, but did not change significantly in REG. Maximal heart rate (HR) reduced similar in both groups, but lower reduction of HRRCP was observed in REG than CG (4.4±2.6% vs 10.9±1.4%, p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Lower reductions of VO2RCP, TTRCP, TTMAX and HRRCP (but not VO2MAX and HRMAX) were found in REG than CR. These results suggest that regular resistance training may have important implications for reducing age-related decline in CRF of older runners. Table 1. Graded exercise test parameters Resistance Trained Runners Control Runners Variable Before After Before After HRRCP (bpm) 151.9±5.9 144.0±3.5* 156.0±4.2 139.0±4.1* HRMAX (bpm) 170.7±3.9 163.7±3.2* 172.5±5.4 161.8±3.4* TTRCP (min) 10.9±0.9 10.1±0.5 9.5±0.5 7.5±0.5*† TT2MAX (min) 15.5±0.8 14.9±0.6 13.8±0.7† 12.2±0.5*† VO2RCP (ml·kg·min-1) 38.1±1.4 32.8±1.7* 35.3±1.3 26.5±1.5*† VO2MAX (ml·kg·min-1) 45.6±1.5 37.4±1.4* 42.8±1.4 32.4±1.5*† RER 1.15±0.02 1.17±0.02 1.13±0.01 1.17±0.02* Different from before follow-up at same group (p<0.05). ? Different from resistance trained runners at same period (p<0.05). HR, heart rate; TT, tolerance time; VO2, oxygen uptake; RCP, respiratory compensation point; MAX, maximal.