Aerobic capacity of older adults: a training study

The effects of a four month aerobic conditioning program on heart rate, blood pressure, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), and physical work capacity of 55-70 year old sedentary individuals were evaluated. Twenty-eight men and women participated in either 4 months of supervised fast walking or jogging at a prescribed target heart rate or stretching exercises for one hour, three days per week. Gains in VO2max (ml/kg/min) obtained during a Balke maximal treadmill test in aerobic and exercise control subjects were 27% and 9%, respectively. At posttesting subjects in both groups demonstrated improved maximal work rate, increased treadmill time, and experienced lower resting and recovery heart rates, lower resting systolic blood pressure, and fewer premature ventricular depolarizations during exercise testing. In 67 physician-supervised maximal exercise tests, only one subject did not achieve VO2max due to exercise induced arrhythmias. No events of morbidity or mortality occurred as a result of the exercise testing and training. Subjects were contacted 4 years after study participation to determine if they were adhering to an exercise program. Sixty-four percent reported exercising at least 3 days per week in large muscle activities. We conclude that four months of supervised aerobic and nonaerobic exercise training is sufficient to improve aerobic capacity and other indicators of fitness in older, sedentary men and women, and that these previously sedentary people are likely to continue exercising on an individual basis once they have experienced improved physical capacity.