Effects of Exercise Frequency on Physical Fitness and Mood States in elderly Men and Women

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of training frequency (0vs. 1vs. 2vs. 3 times exercises per week) on physical fitness and mood states for a well-rounded exercise program administered to older adults. Participants (N=48; 13 males and 35 females) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: 1 exercise session each week (7 males and 5 females), 2 exercise sessions each week (2 males and 10 females ), 3 exercise sessions each weeks (2 males and 10 females), or a waiting-list control group (2 males and 10 females). The exercise groups participated in a well-rounded exercise intervention for 12 weeks. The exercise program included 10 to 15 minutes of warm-up exercises, 30 minutes of combined endurance and resistance exercise, followed by 10 to 15 minutes of cool down exercise. Before and after the intervention, each participant's aerobic fitness, muscular strength, psychological mood states, and anxiety were assessed. Results indicated that the groups participating in exercise either 2 or 3 times a week showed improvements in mood states compared to the control group, while those who exercise 2 times a week reduced Trait-Anxiety levels. The group participating in only one session per week did not demonstrate any improvements. These results suggest that older adults should participate in exercise programs at least twice a week to gain psychological benefits