Effects of combined training on functional fitness and blood pressure in older women
Original article - e245628 - Published 2025, Oct 25
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33233/rbfex.v24i1.5628Keywords:
cardiovascular health, aging, resistance training, daily activitiesAbstract
Objective: To evaluate the effects of combined training (CT) on functional fitness and blood pressure in older women. Methods: Sixty-seven elderly women were randomized into two groups: CT (n = 35; 67.03 ± 4.41 years) and control (CG; n = 32; 67.69 ± 6.53 years). The intervention lasted 12 weeks, with three weekly sessions of 50 minutes. The protocol included warm-up with walking and squats, 32 minutes of resistance exercises on machines, 12 minutes of walking/running and stretching. Functional fitness was assessed by the following tests: shirt-on-shirt-off test (SFT); 10-meter walk (C10m); time-up-and-go (TUG); standing-up from the floor (SF); sitting-up from a chair – 5rep (SFC5r); gallon-jug shelf-transfer (GJST); and 6-minute walk test (C6min). Blood pressure (BP) was measured with a sphygmomanometer before and after CT. Results: At the end of the intervention, CT showed statistically significant adaptations in all physical abilities and BP in relation to the initial values. When compared to the CG, CT promoted significant improvements in the C10m (∆%: 7.07; p ≤ 0.001); TUG (∆%: 9.62; p ≤ 0.001); C6min (∆%: 6.49; p = 0.002); SF (∆%: 19.6; p ≤ 0.001); SFC5r (∆%: 10.3; p ≤ 0.001); SFT (∆%: 11.9; p ≤ 0.001); GJST (∆%: 9.6; p ≤ 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (∆%: 6.0; p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: This protocol has been shown to be effective in reducing systolic blood pressure and improving functional fitness in independent older women.
References
1. Fragala MS, Cadore EL, Dorgo S, Izquierdo M, Kraemer WJ, Peterson MD, et al. Resistance training for older adults: Position statement from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. J Strength Cond Res. 2019;33(8):2019-52. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003230
2. Barroso WKS, Rodrigues CIS, Bortolotto LA, Mota-Gomes MA, Brandão AA, Feitosa ADM, et al. Diretrizes brasileiras de hipertensão arterial. Arq Bras Cardiol. 2021;116:516-658. doi: 10.36660/abc.20201238
3. Hajjar I, Lackland DT, Cupples LA, Lipsitz LA. Association between concurrent and remote blood pressure and disability in older adults. Hypertension. 2007;50(6):1026-32. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA. 107.097667
4. Bovolini A, Costa-Brito AR, Martins F, Furtado GE, Mendonça GV, Vila-Chã C. Impact of exercise on vascular function in middle-aged and older adults: A scoping review. Sports. 2022;10(12):208. doi: 10.3390/sports10120208
5. Campos YP, Oliveira CB, Silva TB, Pereira GM, Ferreira F. Effects of concurrent training on health aspects of elderly women. Rev Bras Cineantropom Desempenho Hum. 2013;15(4):437-45. doi: 10.5007/1980-0037.2013v15n4p437
6. Cornelissen VA, Smart NA. Exercise training for blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2013;2:e004473. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.112.004473
7. Liu S, Goodman J, Nolan R, Lacombe S, Thomas SG. Blood pressure responses to acute and chronic exercise are related in prehypertension. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2012;44(9):1644–52. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3182557bff
8. MacDonald HV, Johnson BT, Huedo-Medina TB, Livingston J, Forsyth KC, Kraemer WJ, et al. Dynamic resistance training as stand-alone antihypertensive lifestyle therapy: A meta-analysis. J Am Heart Assoc. 2016;5(10):e003231. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.116.003231
9. Zhou WS, Zheng TT, Mao SJ, Xu H, Wang XF, Zhang SK. Comparing the effects of different exercises on blood pressure and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Exp Gerontol. 2023;171:111990. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2022.111990
10. Gravelle BT, Blessing DL. Physiological adaptation in women concurrently training for strength and endurance. J Strength Cond Res. 2000;14:5-13. doi: 10.1519/00124278-200002000-00002
11. Sardeli AV, Gaspari AF, Santos W, Araújo AA, Angelis K, Mariano LO, et al. Comprehensive time-course effects of combined training on hypertensive older adults: a randomized control trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(17):11042. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191711042
12. Stanghelle B, Bentzen B, Giangregorio L, Pripp AH, Skelton DA, Bergland A, et al. Effects of a resistance and balance exercise programme on physical fitness, health-related quality of life and fear of falling in older women with osteoporosis and vertebral fracture: a randomized controlled trial. Osteoporos Int. 2020;31(6):1069-78. doi: 10.1007/s00198-020-05317-w
13. Resende-Neto AG, Silva-Grigoletto ME, Lima VP, Lima LCJ, Lima MO, Farinatti PTV. Effects of multicomponent training on functional fitness and quality of life in older women: A randomized controlled trial. Int J Sports Exerc Med. 2019;5(4):1–7. doi: 10.23937/2469-5718/1510126
14. Resende-Neto AG, Silva-Grigoletto ME, Lima VP, Lima LCJ, Lima MO, Farinatti PTV. Impacto do treinamento concorrente na aptidão funcional de idosas no cenário pós-pandêmico. Rev Bras Fisiol Exerc. 2024;23(2):e235574. doi: 10.33233/rbfex.v23i2.5574
15. Tombaugh TN, McIntyre NJ. The mini-mental state examination: A comprehensive review. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1992;40(9):922-935. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1992.tb01992.x
16. Genner KM, Weston M. A comparison of workload quantification methods in relation to physiological responses to resistance exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2014;28(9):2621-7. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000432
17. Watson MJ. Refining the ten-metre walking test for use with neurologically impaired people. Physiotherapy. 2002;88(7):386-397. doi: 10.1016/S0031-9406(05)61203-4
18. Novaes RD, Miranda AS, Dourado VZ. Usual gait speed assessment in middle-aged and elderly Brazilian subjects. Rev Bras Fisioter. 2011; 15(2):117-22. doi: 10.1590/s1413-35552011000200006
19. Podsiadlo D, Richardson S. The timed “Up & Go”: A test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 1991; 39(2):142–8. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1991.tb01616.x.
20. Britto RR, Sousa LAP. Teste de caminhada de seis minutos: uma normatização brasileira. Fisioter Mov. 2006;19(4):49-54. doi: 10.1590/fm.v19i4.18789
21. Dantas EHM, Vale RGS. Protocolo GDLAM de avaliação da autonomia funcional. Fitness & Performance Journal. 2004;3(3):175-82. doi: 10.3900/fpj.3.3.175.p
22. Goldberg A, Chavis M, Watkins J, Wilson T. The five-times-sit-to-stand test: validity, reliability and detectable change in older females. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2012;24(4):339-44. doi: 10.1007/BF03325265
23. Signorile JF, Sandler D, Ma F, Bamel S, Stanziano D, Smith W, et al. The gallon-jug shelf-transfer test: an instrument to evaluate deteriorating function in older adults. J Aging Phys Act. 2007;15(1):56- 74. doi: 10.1123/japa.15.1.56. Erratum in: J Aging Phys Act. 2007;15(2):237.
24. Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 2. ed. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988.
25. Aragão-Santos JC, Vasconcelos ABS, Resende-Neto AG, Rodrigues LS, Schimieguel DM, Corrêa CB, et al. Functional and concurrent training do not impair immune function and improve functional fitness in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Exp Gerontol. 2021;153:111504. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2021.111504
26. Vasconcelos ABS, Aragão-Santos JC, Resende-Neto AG, Rodrigues LS, Corrêa CB, Schimieguel DM, et al. Effects of functional and combined training on subsets of memory T cells and functional fitness of postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Exp Gerontol. 2022;167:111898. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2022.111898
27. Borde R, Hortobágyi T, Granacher U. Dose-response relationships of resistance training in healthy old adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2015;45(12):1693-720. doi: 10.1007/s40279-015-0385-9
28. Zhang W, Liu X, Liu H, Zhang X, Song T, Gao B, Ding D, Li H, Yan Z. Effects of aerobic and combined aerobic-resistance exercise on motor function in sedentary older adults: A randomized clinical trial. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2024;37(1):25-36. doi: 10.3233/BMR-220414. PMID: 37661865
29. Sherrington C, Fairhall NJ, Wallbank GK, Tiedemann A, Michaleff ZA, Howard K, et al. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;(1). doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012424.pub2
30. Marques EA, Figueiredo P, Harris TB, Wanderley FA, Carvalho J. Combined resistance and aerobic exercise to improve physical function and body composition in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Age Ageing. 2017;46(3):324–32. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afw242
31. Gambassi BB, Cadore EL, Chaves LFC, Sousa TMS, Mostarda CT, Siqueira AFL, et al. Effects of combined muscle power and endurance training with different volumes on functional and hemodynamic parameters in previously trained older adults. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2023;35;2623–31. doi: 10.1007/s40520-023-02572-y
32. Souza RS, Mesquita FWP, Santos FF, Viana JA, Boaventura ABCF, et al. Efeitos causados pelo treinamento intervalado de alta intensidade em idosos sarcopenicos. Research, Society and Development, 2024;13(12). doi: 10.33448/rsd-v13i12.47699
33. Braga BF. Análise do treinamento de força para idosos e a melhoria em suas qualidades de vida (TCC). Goiás: PUC Goiás; 2022.
34. Brum PC, Forjaz CLM, Tinucci T, Negrão CE. Adaptações agudas e crônicas do exercício físico no sistema cardiovascular. Rev Paul Educ Fís. 2004;18(n.esp):21-31
35. Li Z, Lv M, Li Z, Gao W, Li M. Physiological characteristics of blood pressure responses after combined exercise in elderly hypertensive patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2024;11:1404127. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1404127
36. Beltran Valls MR, Dimauro I, Brunelli A, Tranchita E, Ciminelli E, Caserotti P, Caporossi D. Explosive type of moderate-resistance training induces functional, cardiovascular, and molecular adaptations in the elderly. Age. 2014;36(2):759–72. doi: 10.1007/s11357-013-9584-1
37. Schroeder EC, Frank WD, Sharp RL, Lee DC. Comparative effectiveness of aerobic, resistance, and combined training on cardiovascular disease risk factors: A randomized controlled trial. PloS One. 2019;14(1):e0210292. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210292.
38. Cho YI, Cho DJ, Rosenson RS. Endothelial shear stress and blood viscosity in peripheral arterial disease. Current Atherosclerosis Reports. 2014;16(4). doi: 10.1007/s11883-014-0404-6
39. Rebelo ACS, Brito LC, Fecchio RY, Peçanha T, Lima AHRA, Halliwill JR, et al. Combined training and autonomic modulation in hypertensive women: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2020;120(7):1603-12. doi: 10.1007/s00421-020-04396-6
40. Moraes MR, Bacurau RFP, Simões HG, Campbell CSG, Pudo MA, Wasinski F, et al. Effect of 12 weeks of resistance exercise on post-exercise hypotension in stage 1 hypertensive individuals. J Hum Hypertens. 2012;26(9):533-9. doi: 10.1038/jhh.2011.67
41. Loaiza-Betancur AF. Loaiza-Betancur, I. Chulvi-Medrano, V.A. Díaz-López, C. Gómez-Tomás. The effect of exercise training on blood pressure in menopause and postmenopausal women: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials Maturitas. 2021;149:40-55, doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2021.05.005
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Laíza Ellen Santana Santos, Antonio Gomes de Resende Neto, Cleide Ane Barbosa da Cruz, Márcio Getirana-Mota, Marzo Edir Da Silva-Grigoletto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms: Authors retain the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which allows the sharing of work with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this magazine; Authors are authorized to assume additional contracts separately, for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (eg, publish in an institutional repository or as a book chapter), with acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal; Authors are allowed and encouraged to publish and distribute their work online (eg, in institutional repositories or on their personal page) at any point before or during the editorial process, as this can generate productive changes as well as increase impact and citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
