EFFECTIVENESS OF INDIVIDUALIZED AEROBIC TRAINING AT THE VENTILATORY THRESHOLD IN THE ELDERLY

This study was designed to specify whether an individualized trainign program at the ventilatory threshold in elderly subjects produces grea ter training adaptations than a standardized training program performe d at 50% of heart rate reserve. Sixteen subjects participated in the s tudy. Maximal exercise tests were performed on a treadmill before and after the training program. Eight subjects trained at the ventilatory threshold (ITG) and eight trained at 50% of heart rate reserve (STG). The mean training heart rate was 129 +/- 14.2 bpm and 115 +/- 7.9 bpm in the individualized training group (ITG) and the standardized traini ng group (STG), respectively. The maximal O-2 uptake (<(V) over bar>O( 2)max) was improved significantly by 20% in TTG (within group p <.05), whereas no significant improvement was noted in STG. The improvement in ITG compared to the nonsignificant change in STG was significant (p <.05). In addition, submaximal ventilation and heart rate were more d ecreased in ITG than STG. We conclude that for elderly people an indiv idualized training program at the level of the ventilatory threshold i s significantly more effective in terms of <(V) over bar>O(2)max and s ubmaximal cardiorespiratory adaptations.