Optimizing Strength Training in Older Adults (LOAD)

The objective of the current study is to determine whether lifting lighter loads close to failure improves strength training adaptations and function in older adults. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. The effect of light loads on physical function
2. The effect of light loads on muscle mass, power, and strength

Researchers will compare a light-load, high-repetition program to a standard strength training program. Participants will perform supervised strength training twice per week for 20 weeks.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Aging
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Strength training; Behavioral: Strength training

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 68
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Anoop T Balachandran, PhD; Phone Number: 718-997-2729; Email: athozhuthungalba@qc.cuny.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • Flushing, New York, United States, 11367
      • Recruiting
      • Exercise & Aging Lab, Queens College
      • Contact: Anoop T Balachandran; Phone Number: 718-570-0639; Email: athozhuthungalba@qc.cuny.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Males and females aged 65 years and above
• Inactive lifestyle (< 150 min per week of moderate intensity physical activity) and not regularly participating in a structured strength training program
• Planning to reside in the area for the duration of the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severe cardiac disease, including Class III or IV congestive heart failure, clinically significant aortic stenosis, history of cardiac arrest, use of a cardiac defibrillator, or uncontrolled angina
• Lung disease requiring either oral or injected steroids, or the use of supplemental oxygen
• Short, portable mental status questionnaire with 3 or more errors
• Severe arthritis (either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis)
• Cancer requiring treatment in the past 1 year (melanomas excluded)
• Development of chest pain or severe shortness of breath during the 6 min self-paced walk test
• Parkinson's disease or other serious neurological disorders
• Renal disease requiring dialysis
• Current diagnosis of schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, or bipolar disorder
• Current consumption of more than 14 alcoholic drinks per week
• Severe lower back or shoulder pain that may worsen with weightlifting exercises
• Undergoing physical therapy involving the lower extremities
• Living in nursing homes, assisted living facilities or other similar institutions
• Currently enrolled in another randomized trial involving a pharmaceutical or lifestyle intervention
• Weight change (intentional or not) over the last 6 months of > 5% of body weight, or plan to lose or gain weight during the study
• Any other cardiovascular, pulmonary, orthopedic, neurologic, or other conditions that would preclude participation and successful completion of the protocol

Temporary Exclusion Criteria

A person meeting any of the following temporary exclusion criteria at the time of screening will not be enrolled but may be re-screened later.

• Severe hypertension, e.g., SBP > 200 mm Hg, DBP > 110 mm Hg
• Major surgery or fracture or hip/knee replacement within the last 6 months
• Hospitalization within the last 6 months (excluding ER visits)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Light Load, High Repetition (LLHR); The LLHR group will perform a full-body routine with lighter weights, performing 16-20 repetitions per set, close to failure.	Behavioral: Strength training; This intervention involves strength training with lighter loads and higher repetitions.; Other Names: Resistance training; Weight training; Behavioral: Strength training; This intervention involves conventional strength training with higher loads and moderate repetitions.; Other Names: Weight training; Resistance trainig
Active Comparator: Strength Training (ST); The ST group will perform a full-body routine with higher weights, performing 8-12 repetitions per set, close to failure.	Behavioral: Strength training; This intervention involves strength training with lighter loads and higher repetitions.; Other Names: Resistance training; Weight training; Behavioral: Strength training; This intervention involves conventional strength training with higher loads and moderate repetitions.; Other Names: Weight training; Resistance trainig

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
6-minute walk test	Change in the total distance walked in 6 minutes. The 6-minute walk test is an objective, well-validated, and clinically meaningful measure of physical function in older adults.	Baseline and week 21

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Lower body muscle power	Lower body muscle peak power (W) will be assessed using a pneumatic leg press machine.	Baseline and week 21
Lean body mass (LBM)	Change in total lean body mass (kg) will be assessed using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan	Baseline and week 21
Self-reported physical function	Self-reported physical function will be assessed using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) physical function questionnaire. PROMIS measures are scored on the T-score metric. High scores mean more of the concept being measured.	Baseline and week 21
Get-up & go test	Change in the time (in seconds) taken to complete the get up and go test. The get up & go test will be used to assess lower body dynamic balance and fall risk	Baseline and week 21
30-second chair stand test	Change in the number of repetitions completed during the 30-Second chair stand test. This test assesses lower body functional strength and power.	Baseline and week 21
Number of participants with adverse events	Number of participants experiencing adverse events that are possibly or definitely related to the intervention,	From enrollment to the end of 20-week intervention period
Exercise session attendance	The total number of supervised exercise sessions attended by participants over the 20-week intervention period.	From enrollment to the end of 20-week intervention period
Lower body maximal muscle strength	Change in lower body maximum muscle strength will be assessed using a one-repetition maximum (1RM) test on a leg press machine.	Baseline and week 21.
Physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES)	Participants will complete the 18-item Physical activity enjoyment scale (PACES) to assess their level of physical activity enjoyment. Scores range from 18 to 126 and higher scores indicate greater enjoyment.	Week 21
Exercise self-efficacy questionnaire	Participants will complete the exercise self-efficacy scale to assess their belief in their ability to continue strength training twice per week at the prescribed intensity in the future. Scores range from 0 to 100 and higher scores indicate greater self-efficacy.	Week 21

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Queens College, The City University of New York
• Collaborators: National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• T Balachandran A, Wang Y, Szabo F, Watts-Battey C, Schoenfeld BJ, Zenko Z, Quiles N. Comparison of traditional vs. lighter load strength training on fat-free mass, strength, power and affective responses in middle and older-aged adults: A pilot randomized trial. Exp Gerontol. 2023 Jul;178:112219. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2023.112219. Epub 2023 May 30.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 5, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 25, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 25, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 31, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 31, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): February 6, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 30, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 28, 2025
• Last Verified: February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Older adults; physical function; Strength training
• Other Study ID Numbers: R15AG085170 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract); 1R15AG085170-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; SAP; ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No