The purpose of this study was to verify the interruption effect of a muscle strengthening training program on muscle strength through one maximum repetition test in elderly women. Before interruption, eight healthy elderly women (x: 64.3 ± 7.6 yr.) were engaged in a muscle strengthening training program for 12 weeks, 3 times per week, 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 50% of one maximum repetition test (1-RM) in six exercises for both upper and lower limbs. The 1-RM test was performed immediately after the training period and subsequently every four weeks (4th, 8th and 12th week). Values showed a statistically significant decrease on muscle strength of lower and upper limbs, specially after 8 weeks. In the 12th week, lower and upper limb muscle strength decreased 27.5% to 35.1%, respectively; however, decrease was more remarkable in the upper limb. A greater capacity of muscle strength maintenance after training interruption was observed in the lower limb (22.9% to 71.9%) than in the upper limb (-14.8% to 16.1%) when the absolute values of the detraining period were compared to the values at the beginning of the training period. These data allowed the authors to conclude that the weight training program interruption leads to a negative impact on muscle strength of elderly women, specially after 8 weeks.
Aging; Detraining; Muscle strength; muscle strength training
