‘I have a renewed enthusiasm for going to the gym’: what keeps resistance-trained older adults coming back to the gym?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that were responsible for the feelings of satisfaction and the behaviours of adherence to an intense exercise intervention recently completed by resistance-trained older adults. A total of 21 healthy, high functioning, resistance-trained older adults (aged 60–77 years) participated in one of four focus group discussions where qualitative data were collected. Our study utilised a convenience sample of participants who had just completed an eight-week very heavy load resistance training study. As a result of our small focus groups, we found that our cohort of older adults enjoyed training with an expert, enthusiastic trainer who provided a challenging programme and appropriate, timely fitness assessments in a small group setting of like-minded peers. Our findings suggest that high-intensity resistance training is well tolerated and enjoyed by healthy older adults, while also impacting positively on subjective markers of health including improved feelings of strength and functional capacity.

Keywords:

• High functioning
• ageing
• exercise
• resistance training
• adherence