Impact of Strength Training Program on Physical Fitness and Psychical Condition for Elderly Women

Abstract

Research background and hypothesis. There is a lot of research proving that physical activity improves psychical
condition when there are symptoms of psychical illness. There is also a wide range of studies carried out investigating
the impact of physical activity on physical abilities, but little is known how strength training program as a factor
improves psychical condition and, at the same time, body composition, strength and endurance for elderly woman.
Research aim was to study the impact of an 8-week strength training program on physical fitness and psychical
condition for elderly women.
Research methods were literature review, HADS to evaluate anxiety and depression symptoms, anthropometry,
strength and endurance testing, statistical analysis of physical fitness and psychical condition indices.
Research results. In the period of 8-week strength training program we found that it had a positive impact on the
indices in the experimental group compared to those in the control group. Psychical condition and strength results
in experimental group were statistically significant (p  < 0.05); a significantly different change in aerobic endurance
was measured during the 2 min step test. BMI and the body composition measures did not change statistically
significantly.
Discussion  and  conclusions. The  main  finding  is  that  an  8-week  strength  training  period  had  a  significant
impact on psychical condition for elderly women. Moreover, strength training exercises improved upper and lower
body muscle strength. Endurance improvement was observed during 2-min step test, but 6-min test results were
insignificant (p > 0.05). After the 8-week training period, no significant differences in BMI and body composition
were observed, although there was a slightly tendency of decrease in the experimental group.

Keywords: elderly women, physical fitness, psychical condition, 8-week strength training programme, HADS, BMI.