Auto-regulated Resistance-training for Older Adults

Auto-regulated Resistance-training for Improving Strength in Older Adults

This research study is comparing the effect of traditional standardized, subjective auto-regulated, and objective auto-regulated resistance training on physiological adaptations and performance measures in adults aged 50 years or older. Traditional standardized resistance training involves prescribing resistance training as a percentage of an individual's one-repetition maximum (i.e., the maximal weight they can lift one time). Auto-regulated resistance training involves adjusting resistance training based on an individual's performance during the session. Subjective auto-regulation involves the resistance trainee providing a subjective rating of perceived exertion based on repetitions in reserve (on a scale from 1 - 10) to adjust the resistance training prescription. A rating of perceived exertion of 10 would mean that the resistance trainee believes that they have provided maximal effort and believes that they could not have performed an additional repetition during the set nor increased the load. Objective auto-regulation involves adjusting the resistance training prescription from a linear position transducer (a device that has a string that attaches to the barbell and provides a velocity value on each repetition). A slower velocity value means a higher perceived exertion and load used, whereas a faster velocity value means a lower perceived exertion and load used.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Sarcopenia
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Resistance training

Detailed Description

Auto-regulated resistance training has emerged as a resistance training paradigm to individualize programming; however, it remains to be elucidated whether auto-regulated resistance training provides a greater benefit than traditional standardized resistance training on physiological adaptations and performance outcomes in older adults. Traditional resistance training involves prescription of intensity as a percentage of the maximal amount of weight an individual can lift (for example, a resistance of 70% of maximal strength is a weight equal to 70% of the maximal weight a person can lift one time. An individual with this prescription would lift this weight for a number of repetitions to failure; i.e. usually 8-10 repetitions). Auto-regulation can be done two ways: "Subjective" auto-regulation involves lifting a weight for a number of repetitions until the individual reaches a certain "rating of perceived exertion". The rating of perceived exertion is on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most difficult or maximal exertion. For example, if one was prescribed a rating of perceived exertion of 8 they would lift a weight for a given number of repetitions until they believed they were at an 8/10 on the scale and had 2 repetitions left before failing. "Objective" auto-regulation involves lifting a weight for a given number of repetitions until a predetermined velocity of lifting is reached. For example, once someone starts to get fatigued while performing repeated lifting, the velocity of lifting will slow down. Once they have reached a critical slow velocity, the exercise would be stopped. There is some evidence that auto-regulation improves muscular strength to a greater extent than traditional resistance training in healthy populations.

The research design is a prospective randomized trial comparing three training protocols in 30 participants. Participants will be randomized into one of three groups (n = 10 each), with matching on baseline strength: traditional standardized, subjective auto-regulated, and objective auto-regulated. Training will be twice per week for 12 weeks. Measures include strength assessments, muscle size, and performance of functional tasks.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 36
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Saskatchewan
    • Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, S7N5B2
      • University of Saskatchewan

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Males and females 50 years of age or greater

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to safely perform squat and bench press exercises as determined by the Get Active Questionnaire

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Subjective auto-regulation training; Participants complete their resistance-training sets to termination based on rating of perceived exertion	Behavioral: Resistance training; 12 weeks of resistance-training performed two times per week
Experimental: Objective auto-regulation training; Participants complete their resistance-training sets to termination based on reaching a critical slow velocity	Behavioral: Resistance training; 12 weeks of resistance-training performed two times per week
Active Comparator: Traditional standardized training; Participants complete their resistance-training sets by lifting a prescribed percentage of their estimated one-repetition maximum (as determined from baseline four-repetition maximum strength testing)	Behavioral: Resistance training; 12 weeks of resistance-training performed two times per week

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change from baseline in bench press strength	baseline, 12 weeks
Change from baseline in squat strength	baseline, 12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in muscle thickness	Muscle thickness will be determined for the quadriceps, hamstrings, triceps, and pectoralis (males only)	Baseline, 12 weeks
Change from baseline in knee extension strength		Baseline, 12 weeks
Change from baseline for time to sit and stand from a chair five times		Baseline, 12 weeks
Change from baseline in time to complete the "timed up and go" (TUG) test	Time to stand from a chair, walk around a cone (3 meters) and sit back down in the chair	Baseline, 12 weeks
Change from baseline in time to climb 10 stairs		Baseline, 12 weeks
Change from baseline in time to walk 10 meters		Baseline, 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Saskatchewan

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 15, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 31, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): August 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 11, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 11, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): October 14, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 29, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 24, 2024
• Last Verified: May 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Neuromuscular Manifestations; Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Muscular Atrophy; Atrophy; Sarcopenia
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2972

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No