Effects of a 16-week high-speed resistance training program on heart rate variability indices in community-dwelling independent older adults: A clinical trial

This study explored the impact of a 16-week high-speed resistance training (HSRT) program on heart rate variability (HRV) indices in independent older adults. The participants were divided into either an intervention group (IG, N = 40) or a control group (CG, N = 39). The IG participated in supervised HSRT sessions three times weekly, comprising 5–6 exercises with 2–3 sets and 6–10 repetitions, which lasted 60–70 min. The CG did not engage in any exercise program. HRV indices, encompassing time, frequency, and non-linear, were recorded over a six-minute period. The ANCOVA results revealed significant improvements favoring the IG for mean RR (η 2 p = 0.050), systolic blood pressure (η 2 p = 0.126), and pulse pressure (η 2 p = 0.157). Additionally, within-group analyses revealed significant increases in stress index ( d unb = 0.52), sample entropy ( d unb = 0.38), and DFA α1 ( d unb = 0.38) exclusively in the CG. This study highlights the significant potential of the HSRT to induce favorable changes in parasympathetic activity and reduce arterial stiffness.