Speed-power exercise was associated with significantly smaller cross-sectional rates of decline in body mass-adjusted VO2max compared to endurance running and no training.
Cross-Sectional (n=203)
Does speed-power exercise or endurance running improve age-related changes in aerobic capacity compared to being untrained in men aged 20-90 years?
Speed-power exercise, in addition to endurance training, is associated with elevated aerobic capacity and a slower age-related decline in older men.
We studied relationships between age and aerobic capacity in three groups of subjects adhering to different exercise modalities. A total of 203 men aged 20-90 years were examined: 52 speed-power track and field athletes (SP), 89 endurance runners (ER) and 62 untrained individuals (UT). Maximal exercise characteristics were obtained during a graded treadmill test until exhaustion: oxygen uptake (VO2max), heart rate (HRmax), oxygen pulse (O2 Pulsemax) and maximal distance (Distmax). Information about training history and weekly training amount was collected. A linear model of regression was adopted. VO2max in SP was lower than in ER, but significantly higher than in UT. The cross-sectional rates of decline in body mass-adjusted VO2max and Distmax were significantly smaller in SP than in ER and UT. About 80 years of age, the levels of VO2max and Distmax reached similar values in SP and ER. The decline in HRmax, but not in O2 Pulsemax was suggested as a cardiac adaptation accounting for between-group differences in VO2max loss. Weekly training volume was a significant positive predictor of age-related changes in aerobic capacity. In conclusion, not only endurance, but also speed-power exercise appears adequate to ensure an elevated aerobic capacity at old age.
Kusy et al. (Wed,) conducted a cross-sectional in Healthy individuals (athletes and untrained) (n=203). Speed-power exercise vs. Endurance running and untrained was evaluated on Age-related changes in aerobic capacity (VO2max, HRmax, O2 Pulsemax, Distmax). Speed-power exercise was associated with significantly smaller cross-sectional rates of decline in body mass-adjusted VO2max compared to endurance running and no training.