The effect of resistance training, detraining and retraining on muscle strength and power, myofibre size, satellite cells and myonuclei in older men

Ageing is associated with an attenuated hypertrophic response to resistance training and periods of training interruptions. Hence, elderly would benefit from the ‘muscle memory’ effects of resistance training on muscle strength and mass during detraining and retraining. As the underlying mechanisms are not yet clear, this study investigated the role of myonuclei during training, detraining and retraining by using PCM1 labelling in muscle cross-sections of six older men. Knee extension strength and power were measured in 30 older men and 10 controls before and after 12 weeks resistance training and after detraining and retraining of similar length. In a subset, muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis were taken for analysis of fibre size, fibre type distribution, Pax7+ satellite cell number and myonuclear domain size. Resistance training increased knee extension strength and power parameters (+10 to +36%, p