Effects of Aquatic and Dry Land Resistance Training Devices on Body Composition and Physical Capacity in Postmenopausal Women

• Published in: Journal of human kinetics Vol. 32; no. 2012; pp. 185 - 195
• Main Authors: Colado, Juan, Garcia-Masso, Xavier, Rogers, Michael, Tella, Victor, Benavent, Juan, Dantas, Estelio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Poland Versita 01.05.2012; Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego w Katowicach
• Subjects: aquatic training; elastic bands; fitness; weight machines; aquatic training; fitness; elastic bands; weight machines
• ISSN: 1640-5544; 1899-7562
• DOI: 10.2478/v10078-012-0035-3

To determine the effects of a supervised strength training program on body composition and physical capacity of older women using three different devices: weight machines, elastic bands, and aquatic devices that increase drag forces (ADIDF). Four groups were formed: control group, weight machine group (WMG), elastic band group (EBG) and a group that used ADIDF (ADIDFG). Body composition and physical capacity were assessed before and after the intervention period. The ADIDFG showed improvements in fat mass (FM), fat-free mass of the left arm (FFM-LA) and right arm (FFM-RA), knee push-up test (KPT), squat test (ST) and crunch test (CT) (p <0.05). Individuals in the EBG and WMG also improved their FM, fat free mass (FFM), FFM-LA, FFM-RA, KPU, ST and CT. ADIDF training improves body composition and physical capacity of postmenopausal women as does performing land-based training programs.