Age and gender responses to strength training and detraining

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of age and ge nder on the strength response to strength training (ST and detraining. Meth ods: Eighteen young (20-30 yr) and 23 older (65-75 yr) men and women had th eir one-repetition maximum (1 RM) and isokinetic strength measured before a nd after 9 wk of unilateral knee extension ST (3 d.wk(-1)) and 31 wk of det raining. Results: The young subjects demonstrated a significantly greater ( P < 0.05) increase in 1 RM strength (34 +/- 3%; 73 +/- 5 vs 97 +/- 6 kg; P < 0.01) than the older subjects (28 +/- 3%; 60 +/- 4 vs 76 +/- 5 kg, P < 0. 01). There were no significant differences in strength gains between men an d women in either age group with 9 wk of ST or in strength losses with 31 w k of detraining. Young men and women experienced an 8 +/- 2% decline in 1 R M strength after 31 wk of detraining (97 +/- 6 vs 89 +/- 6 kg, P < 0.05). T his decline was significantly less than the 14 +/- 2% decline in the older men and women (76 +/- 5 vs 65 +/- 4 kg, P < 0.05). This strength loss occur red primarily between 12 and 31 wk of detraining with a 6 +/- 2% and 13 +/- 2% decrease in the young and older subjects, respectively, during this per iod. Discussion: These results demonstrate that changes in 1 RM strength in response to both ST and detraining are affected by age. However, ST-induce d increases in muscular strength appear to be maintained equally well in yo ung and older men and women during 12 wk of detraining and are maintained a bove baseline levels even after 31 wk of detraining in young men, young wom en, and older men.