Effects of concurrent training on health aspects of elderly women

Abstract

Training programs that include aerobics and strength exercises, either at the same session or alternate days are defined as concurrent training (CT). The objective of this study was to verify the effects of a CT program on biochemical parameters,cardiovascular fitness, body composition and neuromuscular aspects. Twenty two elderly women physically active were randomly allocated to one of the five groups: AS (aerobic exercises followed by strength training; n=5), SA (strength activities followed by aerobics exercises; n=5), AG (aerobics exercise only;n=5), SG (strength activities only; n=4), CG (control group; n=3). The program lasted 12 weeks. Tests of dynamic and static strength, flexibility, aerobic power, body composition and biochemical parameters were conducted. In the aerobics power test, AS and SA groups showed differences in the post-test compared to the CG. In dynamic strength test of upper limbs, the groups S, SA, AS showed statistical differences from the CG in the post-test (p=0.009, 0.006 and 0.002 respectively). Only the AS group presented some difference from the pre to post-tests (P=003). AG, SG, SA, AS showed differences in the post-test inrelation to the CG for the lower limbs strength test (p<0.001). From pre to post-test within the same group, the groups SG, SA and AS showed differences (p=0.001, 0.03, 0.02). Stretching, static strength, biochemical factors and body composition showed no association with any of the groups. We concluded that CT was equivalent to the strength and aerobics exercises performed exclusively.