Effects of different resistance training frequencies on flexibility in older women

Nelson H Carneiro,1,2 Alex S Ribeiro,1 Matheus A Nascimento,1 Luís A Gobbo,3 Brad J Schoenfeld,4 Abdallah Achour Júnior,1 Sebastião Gobbi,5 Arli R Oliveira,1 Edilson S Cyrino1 1Study and Research Group in Metabolism, Nutrition, and Exercise, Physical Education Department, Londrina State University, Londrina, 2Physical Education Department, Oeste Paulista University, Presidente Prudente, 3Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Faculdade de Ciência e Tecnologia/Departamento de Educação Física, Presidente Prudente, Brazil; 4Exercise Science Department, The City University of New York Lehman College, Bronx, New York, USA; 5Universidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Institudo de Biociências/Departamento de Educação Física, Laboratory of Aging and Physical Activity (LAFE), Rio Carlo, São Paulo, Brazil Objective: The main purpose of the investigation reported here was to analyze the effect of resistance training (RT) performed at different weekly frequencies on flexibility in older women.Participants and methods: Fifty-three older women (≥60 years old) were randomly assigned to perform RT either two (n=28; group “G2x”), or three (n=25; group “G3x”) times per week. The RT program comprised eight exercises in which the participants performed one set of 10–15 repetitions maximum for a period of 12 weeks. Anthropometric, body-composition, and flexibility measurements were made at baseline and post-study. The flexibility measurements were obtained by a fleximeter.Results: A significant group-by-time interaction (P<0.01) was observed for frontal hip flexion, in which G3x showed a higher increase than G2x (+12.8% and +3.0%, respectively). Both groups increased flexibility in cervical extension (G2x=+19.1%, G3x=+20.0%), right hip flexion (G2x=+14.6%, G3x=+15.9%), and left hip flexion (G2x=+25.7%, G3x=+19.2%), with no statistical difference between groups. No statistically significant differences were noted for the increase in skeletal muscle mass between training three versus two times a week (+7.4% vs +4.4%, respectively).Conclusion: Twelve weeks of RT improves the flexibility of different joint movements in older women, and the higher frequency induces greater increases for frontal hip flexion. Keywords: elderly, muscle mass, physical fitness, range of motion, strength trainin