Effects of a 16-week high-speed resistance training program on physical and cognitive function in community-dwelling independent older adults: a clinical trial

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of a 16-week high-speed resistance training (HSRT) program on physical and cognitive function in independent older adults. Methods: Seventy-nine participants were assigned to an intervention group (IG, N= 40, 68.50 ± 3.54 years) or a control group (CG, N = 39, 72.08 ± 5.89 years). The IG completed 60–70 min of supervised HSRT three times weekly for 16 weeks. All concentric actions were continuously monitored with a BEAST^™ sensor. Physical function was evaluated by five tests: chair‐stand, timed up and go (TUG), seated medicine ball throw (SMBT), six-minute walk (6MWT), and handgrip strength. General cognitive function was assessed with the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). Results: The intervention could induce significant improvements in favor of the IG (p < 0.001) for chair-stand (ηp2 = 0.736), TUG test (ηp2 = 0.635), SMBT (ηp2 = 0.331), 6MWT (ηp2 = 0.386), and handgrip strength test for dominant (ηp2 = 0.448) and non-dominant side(ηp2 = 0.388), as well as in general cognitive function (MMSE, p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.146). Conclusions: The 16-week HSRT program led to substantial enhancements in both physical and cognitive function. Interestingly, the HSRT program, tailored to general velocity zones, proved to be a safe and motivational approach to physical exercise within this population.