There Are No Nonresponders to Resistance-Type Exercise Training in Older Men and Women

Abstract Objective To assess the proposed prevalence of unresponsiveness of older men and women to augment lean body mass, muscle fiber size, muscle strength, and/or physical function following prolonged resistance-type exercise training. Design/Setting/Participants A retrospective analysis of the adaptive response to 12 (n = 110) and 24 (n = 85) weeks of supervised resistance-type exercise training in older (>65 years) men and women. Measurements Lean body mass (DXA), type I and type II muscle fiber size (biopsy), leg strength (1-RM on leg press and leg extension), and physical function (chair-rise time) were assessed at baseline, and after 12 and 24 weeks of resistance-type exercise training. Results Lean body mass increased by 0.9 ± 0.1 kg (range: −3.3 to +5.4 kg; P