Effects of a 16-week high-speed resistance training program on heart rate variability indices in community-dwelling independent older adults: A clinical trial

Alexandre Duarte Martins, Orlando Fernandes, João Paulo Brito, Bruno Gonçalves, Rafael Oliveira, Nuno Batalha

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study explored the impact of a 16-week high-speed resistance training (HSRT) program on heart rate variability (HRV) indices in independent older adults. The participants were divided into either an intervention group (IG, N = 40) or a control group (CG, N = 39). The IG participated in supervised HSRT sessions three times weekly, comprising 5–6 exercises with 2–3 sets and 6–10 repetitions, which lasted 60–70 min. The CG did not engage in any exercise program. HRV indices, encompassing time, frequency, and non-linear, were recorded over a six-minute period. The ANCOVA results revealed significant improvements favoring the IG for mean RR (η2p = 0.050), systolic blood pressure (η2p = 0.126), and pulse pressure (η2p = 0.157). Additionally, within-group analyses revealed significant increases in stress index (dunb = 0.52), sample entropy (dunb = 0.38), and DFA α1 (dunb = 0.38) exclusively in the CG. This study highlights the significant potential of the HSRT to induce favorable changes in parasympathetic activity and reduce arterial stiffness.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Applied Gerontology
DOIs
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2025
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • autonomic nervous system
  • exercise
  • non-linear analysis
  • velocity-based training

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