Powering Through Daily Activities in Older Age—Will Power Training Replace Strength Training in Later Life?

conducted a rigorous systematic review and meta-analysis of power vs strength training in community-dwelling older adults. The investigators focused on published randomized clinical trials that compared traditional resistance training protocols (eg, 3 sets of 10 repetitions of several exercises performed against a resistance equal to a specific percentage of 1-repetition maximum strength for 8 weeks) in which participants were randomized to perform the muscleshortening contraction at comfortable speed (traditional strength training) or as fast as possible (power training). They excluded trials that combined this type of power training with other interventions, as well as other forms of power training, such as plyometric exercise. Primary outcomes included both clinical tests and self-reports of physical function. Secondary outcomes included measures of muscle power, strength, and mass. Twenty clinical trials comprising 566 community-dwelling older adults met all review criteria and were included in the analysis.