Rev Bras Fisiol Exerc 2020;19(3):180-91
ORIGINAL
ARTICLE
Effects
of bodyweight and traditional resistance training on the functionality of
elderly people: a randomized clinical trial
Efeitos
do treinamento com peso corporal e do treinamento resistido tradicional
sobre a funcionalidade de idosas: um ensaio clínico randomizado
Gabriel Vinicius dos
Santos1, Antônio Gomes de Resende-Neto1, Leury Max da Silva Chaves1, Letícia Correia de
Jesus1, Alan Bruno Silva Vasconcelos1,Yaira
Barranco-Ruiz2, Marcos Raphael Pereira Monteiro1, Danilo Sales
Bocalini3, Cauê V. La Scala Teixeira4, Marzo Edir Da Silva-Grigoletto1
1Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristovão, SE, Brazil
2Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
3Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória, ES, Brazil
4Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Received
on: November 16; 2019; accepted on: June 5; 2020.
Corresponding
author: Gabriel Vinicius dos Santos, Department of Physical Education, Center
for Biological and Health Sciences, Universidade
Federal de Sergipe, Av. Marechal Rondon, s/n, 49100-00, São Cristóvão SE
Gabriel Vinicius dos
Santos: gabrielviniciusufs@gmail.com
Antonio Gomes de Resende Neto:
neto.resende-edf@hotmail.com
Leticia Correia de
Jesus: lehcorreia18@gmail.com
Alan Bruno Silva
Vasconcelos: abs.vasconcelos@gmail.com
Yaira Barranco-Ruiz:
ybarranco@ugr.es
Marcos Raphael Pereira
Monteiro: raphael.fisio98@gmail.com
Leury Max da Silva Chaves:
leury_max@hotmail.com
Danilo Sales Bocalini: bocaliniht@hotmail.com
Cauê V. La Scala
Teixeira: contato@caueteixeira.com.br
Marzo Edir Da Silva-Grigoletto: medg@ufs.br
Abstract
Introduction: Bodyweight training is a method that aims to improve physical fitness
without the use of implements to generate overload, being an alternative to
traditional resistance training. However, there are still few studies analyzing
its effects on the functionality of active older women. Objective: To
compare the effects of body weight training with traditional resistance
training on functionality of active older women. Methods: Thirty-three
older women (64.42 ± 4.22 years) completed twelve weeks of intervention and
were randomized into three groups: Bodyweight Training (BWT: n = 13),
Traditional Resistance Training (TT: n = 13) and Control (CG: n = 7).
Functional responses were assessed using the Sit and Stand (SL), Gallon Jug
Shelf Transfer (GJST), Stand Up (LPDV), Time Up and Go (TUG), Six-Minute Walk
Test (6MWT), Isometric Dead Lift (IDL) and Hand Grip Test. Self-perception of
quality of life was assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Results:
After 12 weeks of intervention, TT demonstrated significant improvements in SL
(3.23%), TUG (-6.06%) and WHOQOL-BREF (7.62%) tests. The BWT provided
significant improvement in the IDL test (10.32%) and both experimental groups
showed significant improvements in GJST (TT = -7.59% and BWT = -7.62%) and LPDV
(TT = -9.28% and BWT = -12.25%) in relation to the initial values. Conclusion:
Both programs proved to be effective for improving the functionality of the
older women. Considering the similarity in the magnitude of the effects, BWT
may be a viable, practical and inexpensive alternative to TT for this
population.
Keywords: aging; functional training; body weight training; daily activities;
health; quality of life.
Resumo
Introdução: O treinamento com
peso corporal é um método que visa melhorar a aptidão física sem a necessidade
do uso de implementos para gerar sobrecarga, sendo alternativa ao treinamento
resistido tradicional. Porém ainda são poucos os estudos analisando seus
efeitos sobre a funcionalidade de idosas ativas. Objetivo: Comparar os
efeitos do treinamento com peso corporal com o treinamento tradicional na
funcionalidade de idosas. Métodos: Trinta e três idosas ativas (64,42 ±
4,22 anos) concluíram 12 semanas de intervenção, sendo randomizadas em três
grupos: Treinamento com peso corporal (TC: n=13), Treinamento resistido
tradicional (TT: n = 13) e Controle (GC: n = 7). Para a verificação das respostas
funcionais foram utilizados os testes de Sentar e
Levantar (SL), Gallon Jug Shelf Transfer (GJST),
Levantar-se da posição decúbito ventral (LPDV), Time Up
and Go (TUG), Caminhada de seis minutos, Isometric Dead Lift (IDL) e o HandGrip Test. A
autopercepção da qualidade de vida foi avaliada por meio do questionário WHOQOL-BREF. Resultados: Após as 12 semanas de
intervenção, o TT demonstrou melhoras significativas nos testes SL (3,23%) e
TUG (-6,06%), bem como no WHOQOL-BREF (7,62%). O TC proporcionou melhora
significativa no teste IDL (10,32%) e ambos os grupos experimentais
apresentaram melhoras significativas no GJST (TT = -7,59% e TC = -7,62%) e LPDV
(TT= -9,28% e TC= -12,25%) em relação aos valores iniciais. Conclusão:
Ambos os programas se mostraram eficazes para melhora da funcionalidade de
idosas. Considerando a semelhança na magnitude dos efeitos, o TC pode ser uma
alternativa viável, prática e de baixo custo ao TT para essa população.
Palavras-chave: envelhecimento;
treinamento funcional; atividades diárias; saúde; qualidade de vida.
Resistance training has been well recommended for the elderly population
to mitigate the physiological and functional declines resulting from the aging
process, so that it reduces fragility and preserves/increases functionality
[1]. In this perspective, traditional resistance training - with free weights
and machines - presents itself as the first intervention option due to the
effectiveness and safety shown in several publications [2]. However,
conventional gyms environment can be mainly focused on body aesthetics, in
addition to the risk of accidents, so that is sometimes not so attractive to
elderly people [3]. Thus, among the alternatives, bodyweight training (BWT) has
been widely used, proving to be a viable option for this population [4]. It is
a training that uses little or no implement [5] aiming to improve physical
abilities with the use of body weight as overload [6]. In fact, applying BWT,
Silva and Zácaro [7] found effects on knee flexion
strength, and Lord et al. [8] found positive results in balance, reaction time,
neuromuscular control and risk of falls, demonstrating the effectiveness of
this method in variables related to the functionality of the elderly.
However, there is a lack of a BWT model in the current scientific
literature, as well as a lack of investigations comparing this method with more
traditional ones, which makes it difficult to robustly compare the
characteristics of each protocol used and the results found. Thus, the aim of
the present study was to analyze the effects of BWT and traditional resistance
training on physical fitness associated with functionality in the daily
activities of active elderly women. The initial hypothesis was that the BWT
would improve physical fitness, reflecting positively on functionality, like
traditional training.
Study
design
This study is a controlled and randomized clinical trial lasting 12
weeks, composed of two experimental arms, in which physical fitness was
associated with improved functionality in the daily activities of active
elderly women. The present study complied with the model proposed by CONSORT
(http://www.consort-statement.org), was approved by the Research Ethics
Committee (nº 2.947.316) and by the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials
(RBR-89KCHG).
Sample
The sample consisted of physically active elderly women (≥ 60
years old), recruited through leafleting and social media ads. Volunteers who
presented a medical certificate with permission to practice high-intensity
physical exercises, considering orthopedic and cardiovascular conditions, were
included. Thus, thirty-three elderly women were allocated by stratified
randomization in blocks, in which the participants were equally distributed
according to the strength of the lower limbs, verified by the Sit and Stand
tests, in two experimental groups and one control: Bodyweight Training
(BWT=13), Traditional resistance training (TT=13) e control (GC=7) (Figure 1).
Figure
1 - Sample procedure flowchart
Anthropometry
Body mass was assessed using a scale (Lider®,
P150C, São Paulo, Brazil), height (cm) was determined using a stadiometer (Sanny, ES2030, São Paulo, Brazil) and body mass index (BMI)
was calculated using the equation "body mass/height²".
Quality
of life
To assess the perception of quality of life, the WHOQOL-BREF [9]
questionnaire was used, widely used in this population [10]. The instrument
consists of 26 questions, encompassing four domains of life: physical,
psychological, social and environmental. Each question was answered using a Likert
scale ranging from 0 to 5, generating a score between 0 and 130, the higher the
value, the better the perceived quality of life.
Functional
fitness
Functional fitness was assessed using the following tests, the details
and procedures of which are described in references [11–13]: Sit and Stand,
raise from the prone position, timed up and go, six-minutes’ walk test (6MWT),
Gallon jug shelf transfer (GJST), handgrip strength (Jamar Plus® Sammons Preston, Illinois,
United States), lumbar traction (Crown®, dorsal, Ribeirão
Preto, Brazil) and the isometric dead lift test.
Intervention
design
The intervention lasted 12 weeks, consisting of 36 training sessions,
with exercises progressions every 18 (for the TT group) and 12 (for the TC
group) sessions maintaining the total session time in both experimental groups.
Each session lasted 55 min and a minimum interval of 48 hours between sessions
was applied. After the initial evaluations, the sample was submitted to two
weeks of familiarization, in which 60% of the intensity predicted for the 1st
training session was applied. At the BWT, integrated and multiarticular
exercises were performed using body weight, while at the TT, resistance
exercises were performed on machines.
The CG did not perform any type of intervention, being instructed to
continue with their daily activities. To maintain this group, weekly calls were
made in order to monitor actions during the week and encourage them to remain
in the study until the final evaluation.
The experimental protocols were structured in four blocks, the first and
the last block being carried out jointly by the groups in the same space, as
described in detail in figures 2, 3 and table I.
Figure
2 - Description of the exercises performed in block
2 and their respective progressions during Body Weight Training
Figure
3 - Description of the exercises performed in block
3 and their respective progressions during Body Weight Training
Table
I - General description of the exercises performed
in block 3 of Traditional Training and their respective progressions
Bodyweight
training protocol
The BWT exercises used body weight as an overload, so the strategy used
to increase the number of stimuli and intensity was the combination of
exercises within the same movement pattern, stimulating the musculature at
different angles, increasing the neuromotor component and complexity
activities.
In block 2 of the BWT, a circuit was performed with 5 stations, 3
passages, with a density of 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest (1:1
work-recovery ratio). From the 6th week on, 40 seconds of work and 20 seconds
of rest (2:1 work-recovery ratio) were applied and the standardized intensity
was between 6 and 7 on the OMNI-GSE scale [14]. The elderly women were
encouraged to perform all the patterns at maximum concentric speed. In block 3,
a circuit with 8 stations was performed, two passes at a fixed density of 30
seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest (1:1 work-recovery ratio), with the
intensity between 7 and 9 in the OMNI-GSE.
Traditional
training protocol
In block 2, an intermittent activity was performed, in which the elderly
alternated walking every 20 meters with the run for 15 min at an intensity
between 6 and 7 on the OMNI-GSE scale. In block 3, they performed circuit
exercises on weight training machines, focusing on functional movement
patterns, consisting of 8 stations, two passes at a density of 30 seconds of
work for 30 seconds of rest and intensity between 7 and 9 on the OMNI-GSE
scale. In order to maintain an adequate progression of the load, a range
between 8 to 12 repetitions was established for each exercise, which when
exceeded, suffered an increase of 5 to 10% in the external load.
Statistical
analysis
The sample size was calculated in the G*Power program (Erdfelder, Faul and Buchner,
1996; Kiel, Germany - version 3.1.9.2) in the Senior Fitness Test battery
variables from the results obtained by Resende-Neto et
al. [15] expecting an average increase of 15% in the performance of the
participants. Thus, we consider a power of 0.80 for the analysis performed for
the sample size of this study.
The data were expressed as mean, standard deviation and percentage
delta. The reproducibility of the measurements was assessed based on the
analysis of the Interclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), adopting ≥ 0.90
as the acceptance criterion. The homogeneity of the data was confirmed using
the Levene test. They were analyzed using a
Repeated-measures ANOVA (3x2) followed by Bonferroni post hoc into the
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS - version 22) software,
adopting a significance level of 5%. The effect size was calculated using the
equation proposed by Cohen [16], as well as the classification of each result
(small effect: 0.2-0.4; moderate: 0.5-0.7; large: 0.8-1.33; and very large: >
1.33).
Table II presents the sample characterization and shows that there were
no statistically significant differences between the groups before the
intervention with physical exercises. Table III shows the intra and intergroup
comparisons, being possible to observe significant differences of the experimental
groups in the tests of Raising from the prone position, Sitting and Stand and
Gallon Jug Shelf Transfer, when compared to the pre protocol values. In Time up
and go test, only TT showed a significant difference from pre to post. The BWT
showed a significant improvement in the Sit and Stand tests in relation to the
TT, as well as in the 6-minute walk and Gallon Jug Shelf Transfer tests in
relation to the CG.
Table
II - Characteristics of participants of Bodyweight
training (BWT), Traditional training (TT) and Control (CG) groups. Values
presented in mean ± standard deviation
No
significant difference was found (p < 0.05) for any of the variables
analyzed in the pre-test. M = meters; kg = kilogram; BMI = Body mass index
Table
III - Effects of 12 weeks of Bodyweight training
(BWT), traditional training (TT) and control (CG) on the functionality of
physically active elderly women. Values expressed as mean ± standard deviation
The main finding of the present study was that both training protocols
proved to be effective in maintaining or improving all the variables analyzed,
being able to positively contribute to independence and security during daily
activities.
The ability to transfer objects is often used in the elderly daily lives,
being an important functional activity for autonomy [1,17]. Regarding Gallon
jug shelf transfer test, we noticed that both methods were efficient in
improving this functional action, corroborating Buskard
et al. [18], who also showed significant increases after 12 weeks of
intervention. This response is expected when analyzing the effectiveness of
multi-component training that stimulates power, muscle strength and the ability
to transfer to daily activities in the elderly [18].
BWT favors neuromuscular coordination and postural control due to not
using external loads and exercises commonly applied in a closed kinetic chain.
The strategy of combining different movement patterns, as well as exercises of
progressive motor complexity, both in activities aimed at muscle power (Block
2) and strength (Block 3) justify the significant improvement in the sit and
stand tests, Gallon jug shelf transfer, rise from the prone position and
isometric dead lift, since such tests evaluate components related to neuromuscular
strength and coordination. Furthermore, the literature demonstrates that free
movements generate neuromuscular readjustments and increases in coordinative
capacity [19]. On the other hand, the TT used basic actions of pushing, pulling
and squatting, with high speed and overload in all exercises, contributing with
the increase of the muscular strength and power, and consequently, with the
increase of the functionality [20,21].
Regarding the lower limbs functional capacity,
both protocols were effective in improving the sitting and standing action,
which represents an important movement pattern for functional independence
[22]. Corroborating our study, Yamauchi et al. [4] showed improvements
in strength (15%) and muscle power (13%) of lower limbs after 10 months of BWT
in untrained elderly. In addition, Watanabe et al. [23] showed similar
results after 16 weeks of intervention. We emphasize that the present
investigation had a shorter intervention period than the studies mentioned;
however, it demonstrated a similar improvement. This can be attributed to the
fact that training consists of 60% of exercises for lower limbs, thus
highlighting the importance of greater volume of exercises for this body
segment in training programs for the elderly [2].
Only TT provided significant improvement in Time Up and Go. This effect
on agility and dynamic balance can be justified by the fact that TT used
exercises with progressive external load in functional actions that provide
power gains, in addition to alternating walking with running (block 2), which
requires acceleration, deceleration and gait variability that favors speed
gains. On the BWT group, this test did not show any significant change, a
result that differs Kaya et al. [24], who performed a longer intervention (24
weeks).
In the 6MWT, the experimental groups did not show significant
improvements compared to the initial moment. The absence of adaptations in
cardiorespiratory resistance may be related to the physically active condition
of the participants, since Marin et al. [25] found significant
improvements in the distance walked after BWT in elderly people with peripheral
arterial obstructive disease, and Langoni et al.
[26] stated that the 6MWT has good applicability only in the elderly with
limited physical condition. It is noteworthy that the average expected
performance in this test is 500 meters [27] and the distance covered in the
initial moment by the experimental groups of the present was greater than that.
Also, BWT showed significant improvements in isometric strength of the
posterior chain when compared to TT. In this sense, the use of machines may
have disadvantaged the work of the muscles of the posterior trunk chain in the
TT, which did not occur in the BWT, since the exercises explored characteristics
that favor the intense activation of this muscle group [28]. However, for
handgrip strength, no significant results were found in the experimental groups
after 12 weeks, possibly due to the lack of specific stimuli. However, because
this variable presents a gradual and expressive decline after the age of 45, we
consider the percentage improvement found in the present study to be clinically
important for physically active elderly women [29].
Regarding the ability to raise from the ground, the experimental groups
showed significant improvements after the intervention. These results can be
explained due to the application of multicomponent, multisegmental
and multiplanar exercises in both training protocols, which favor intrinsic
elements of this functional action, such as dynamic balance, flexibility,
stability, coordination, power and the muscular strength necessary for total
extension of the body [30].
In the perception of quality of life, only the TT showed significant
improvement in relation to the initial values. However, the BWT started the
intervention with relatively high scores (104 points), which may have hindered
the increments in this variable over time, while the TT had a lower average
score in the initial moment (93 points). As indicated by Pereira et al., [31]
the maintenance of this score throughout the intervention is indicative of
training effectiveness, which leads us to believe that CT can be effective in
this regard.
Among the limitations of the present study, we highlight the lack of
studies in the scientific literature that proposed intervention protocols with
bodyweight training so that there would be a deeper discussion and comparisons.
However, this fact highlights the unprecedented proposal of our training program
that can represent a usual and ecological way of how the method is practiced.
The learning time of the exercises in the BWT group must also be considered
since due to the cognitive and coordinating characteristics of the protocol,
the elderly women took time to get used to the exercises to perform them
properly, even with the weeks of familiarization. In addition, we highlight the
need for further progression of bodyweight training to be able to match the
adaptations of traditional training. However, we emphasize that the total
session time and the work and recovery ratio remained the same in both
experimental protocols.
From the professional practice point of view, bodyweight training has
great versatility, since it can be applied in different environments. In
addition to having an excellent benefit-cost ratio, since it does not need
implements to be performed. Thus, this training method seems to be a feasible
public policy strategy for maintaining the health and functionality of the
elderly, with protocols that can be applied in their own homes and/or
neighborhoods, as long as safe and effective
strategies are used for the monitoring and progression of activities.
The results of the present study confirm the efficacy of traditional
resistance training for improving the functionality of active elderly women. In
addition, considering that the bodyweight training provided results with
similar magnitude of effect, it presents itself as an alternative to the
traditional resistance training model.