The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a resistance training program (RTP) in older overweight women (OOW) using two different types of elastic devices. Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial with pre- and postintervention measures. Participants included OOW, aged 60–85 years, with no medical history of disease that would preclude them from engaging in physical exercise. Participants were randomly divided into the following groups: elastic tubes with handles group (ETG; n = 22), traditional elastic bands group (n = 21), and control group (CG; n = 20). Exercise groups (EGs) performed the following supervised RTP: 8 weeks, twice weekly, six overall body exercises, and 3–4 sets of 10 repetitions at a rate of perceived exertion (RPE) of 7–9 on the OMNI-Resistance Exercise Scale of perceived exertion. The controls did not change their usual lifestyle. Outcome measures included body composition (BC; total and regional percentage of fat mass [FM] and fat-free mass [FFM]) and physical performance (PP; dynamic and isometric strength, flexibility, agility/dynamic balance, and endurance). Results: Both EGs exhibited significantly reduced FM in the upper limbs (ULs) and trunk and increased FFM in the UL, while the ETG exhibited a significantly increased trunk FFM. Both EGs improved in PP, and there were no intergroup differences. Trunk FM and FFM and meters walked differed significantly between the ETG and CG. The CG did not exhibit any significant changes. Conclusion: Training with elastic devices at a moderate–high RPE produces short-term improvements in BC and PP in OOW.

Physical inactivity is a major health concern, associated with the development of several non-communicable diseases and with an increased mortality rate. Therefore, promoting active lifestyles has become a crucial public health necessity for enhancing overall health and quality of life. The WHO guidelines for physical activity (PA) present valuable contributions in this respect; however, we believe that greater specificity should be added or complemented towards physical exercise (PE) testing, prescription and programming in future recommendations. In this review article, we suggest simple and practical tools accessible to the entire population to improve the specificity of this approach, highlighting aspects of PE programming used by trained subjects. By adopting these suggestions, exercise professionals, clinicians and physical trainers can optimise the current general PA recommendations towards PE prescription to improve fitness status and encourage PE adherence in the general population.

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of Xbox Kinect Sports (XKS) regarding Nintendo Switch Sports (NSS) and an inactive control group (CG) on body composition (body fat percentage, BFP; and fat-free mass) and physical performance (maximal isometric handgrip strength, MIHS; 30-s chair stand, 30-S; timed up-and-go, TUG; sit-and-reach; and 2-min step) in physically inactive older females. Methods: A randomized controlled trial study was conducted with three parallel groups: XKS (n = 13), NSS (n = 14), and CG (n = 16) considering three weekly 60-min sessions for 12 weeks with pre- and post-assessments. Results: A two-factor mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) model with repeated measures was performed to measure the time × group effect. Multiple comparisons revealed significant differences in BFP (F_(2,18) = 6.12; p = 0.005; ηp² = 0.226, large effect), 30-S (F_(2,18) = 20.7; p = 0.000; ηp² = 0.496, large effect), TUG (F_(2,18) = 10.0; p = 0.000; ηp² = 0.323, large effect), sit-and-reach (F_(2,18) = 37.3; p = 0.000; ηp² = 0.640, large effect), and 2-min step (F_(2,18) = 9.85; p = 0.000; ηp² = 0.319, large effect) in favor of XKS regarding NSS and CG. The intragroup results only present in XKS a significant decrease in BFP (p = 0.02; d = 0.98) and significant improvements in the 30-S (p = 0.000; d = 1.88), TUG (p < 0.01; d = 2.00), sit-and-reach (p = 0.003; d = 2.58), and 2-min step (p = 0.004; d = 1.05). Conclusions: training using XKS significantly decreases BFP and improves 30-S, TUG, sit-and-reach, and 2-min step in physically inactive older females.

Background: There is a wide interindividual variability in the response to a period of exercise training. The science have reported that a minimum of participants could be non-responders for improving different health-related outcomes after training. Aim: To compare the effects of a 6 -weeks exercise program on body composition, cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Material and Methods: Data from 23 trained subjects were used in a secondary analysis of the response to exercise. Of these, 14 were considered adherent to training and nine as non-adherent. Body mass, height, waist circumference, four skinfolds and their sum, blood pressure and plasma triglyceride levels were assessed before and after the training period. Results: Among adherent participants, significant reductions were observed in the sum of four skinfolds (30 +/- 7 to 27 +/- 6 mm, p <= 0.05), systolic blood pressure (133 +/- 18 to 127 +/- 20 mmHg; p <= 0.05) and plasma triglycerides (125 +/- 58 to 102 +/- 34 mg/dL; p <= 0.05). No changes were observed in weight or diastolic blood pressure. Among non-adherent participants, no changes of measured parameters were observed. Among adherent participants, 57% were considered as non-responders for waist circumference, 7% for the sum of skinfold thickness, 50% for systolic blood pressure, 64% for diastolic blood pressure and 57% for plasma triglycerides. Conclusions: Participants with a good adherence to a 6-weeks exercise training program experienced overall improvement in body composition, blood pressure and plasma triglycerides. The prevalence of non-responders varied considerably among measured outcomes.

Background and Objectives: This systematic review aimed to analyze published peer-reviewed studies on the effects of exergaming (EXG) compared to conventional physical exercise (CPE) interventions on health status in older people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) according to training dose. Materials and Methods: Using six generic databases: PubMed, EBSCO, Medline, CINAHL Complete, Scopus, and Web of Science, the PRISMA, TESTEX, RoB 2, and GRADE tools assessed methodological quality and certainty. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (code: CRD42024575969). Results: Out of 805 records, 14 randomized controlled trials with 406 older people with PD were included. Seven overall meta-analyses showed significant improvements (p < 0.01) in favor of EXG in the Berg Balance Scale (BBS, ES = 0.90), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI, ES = 0.77) and quality of life questionnaire (PDQ-39, ES = 0.52), without significant improvements (p > 0.05) in the Unified PD Rating Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Timed Up-and-Go and Falls Efficacy Scale-International. Four subgroup meta-analyses, according to training schedules, showed that there were significant improvements (p < 0.05) in BBS in favor of EXG at >8 weeks of training (ES = 1.38), >3 weeks per week (ES = 1.18), 20 total sessions (ES = 1.31). Both weeks and total sessions were predictors of BBS performance in EXG interventions in older people with PD. Conclusions: EXG is an innovative alternative to improve the health status in balance, gait, and quality of life variables in older people with PD, with a high potential for clinical practice in this population. The training dose is a determinant (weeks and total sessions) that varies the response to intervention in the BBS.