Effects of eight weeks of aerobic interval training and of isoinertial resistance training on risk factors of cardiometabolic diseases and exercise capacity in healthy elderly subjects

// Paolo Bruseghini 1 , Elisa Calabria 1 , Enrico Tam 1 , Chiara Milanese 1 , Eugenio Oliboni 3 , Andrea Pezzato 3 , Silvia Pogliaghi 1 , Gian Luca Salvagno 2 , Federico Schena 1 , Roberto Pozzi Mucelli 3 , Carlo Capelli 1 1 School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy 2 Section of Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine Policlinico “GB Rossi”, Department of Life and Reproduction Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy 3 Institute of Radiology, School of Medicine, Policlinico “GB Rossi”, Department of Pathology and Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy 4 Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Department of Physical Performances, Sognsveien, Oslo, Norway Correspondence to: Carlo Capelli, e-mail: carlo.capelli@univr.it , carlo.capelli@mac.com Keywords: Gerotarget, high intensity interval training, isoinertial resistance training, aging, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular fitness Received: May 06, 2015      Accepted: May 14, 2015      Published: May 28, 2015 ABSTRACT We investigated the effect of 8 weeks of high intensity interval training (HIT) and isoinertial resistance training (IRT) on cardiovascular fitness, muscle mass-strength and risk factors of metabolic syndrome in 12 healthy older adults (68 yy ± 4). HIT consisted in 7 two-minute repetitions at 80%–90% of V˙O2max, 3 times/w. After 4 months of recovery, subjects were treated with IRT, which included 4 sets of 7 maximal, bilateral knee extensions/flexions 3 times/w on a leg-press flywheel ergometer. HIT elicited significant: i) modifications of selected anthropometrical features; ii) improvements of cardiovascular fitness and; iii) decrease of systolic pressure. HIT and IRT induced hypertrophy of the quadriceps muscle, which, however, was paralleled by significant increases in strength only after IRT. Neither HIT nor IRT induced relevant changes in blood lipid profile, with the exception of a decrease of LDL and CHO after IRT. Physiological parameters related with aerobic fitness and selected body composition values predicting cardiovascular risk remained stable during detraining and, after IRT, they were complemented by substantial increase of muscle strength, leading to further improvements of quality of life of the subjects.