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Updated: May 14, 2026

Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
Published on: July 5, 2017
Effect of a periodized power training program on the functional performances and contractile properties of the
Sigitas Kamandulis1, Albertas Skurvydas, Marius Brazaitis
1Research Center for Fundamental and Clinical Movement Science, Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education, Kaunas. s.kamandulis@lkka.lt
Abstract:
Our purpose was to compare the effect of a periodized preparation consisting of power endurance training and high-intensity power training on the contractile properties of the quadriceps muscle and functional performances in well trained male sprinters (n = 7). After 4 weeks of high-intensity power training, 60-m sprint running time improved by an average of 1.83% (SD = 0.96; p < .05). This improvement was inversely related to an increase in maximal voluntary contraction torque (r = -.89, p < .05) and poorly correlated with changes in the contractile kinetics of the quadriceps muscle (r range from .36 to -.46). These findings suggest that sprint performance is poorly predicted by muscle intrinsic properties and that a neural adaptation appears to explain most of the observed functional adaptations.

