The Brain Power resis­tance train­ing study pub­lished ear­lier this year showed that 12 months of once-weekly or twice-weekly strength train­ing improved exec­u­tive cog­ni­tive func­tions (selec­tive atten­tion and con­flict resolution).

The study included 155 women aged 65– to 75– years-old. Resis­tance train­ing was done in 60mn-classes using a leg press and free weights. It was com­pared to a con­trol, bal­ance and tone train­ing group who used stretch­ing, range-of-motion, basic core-strength, and bal­ance exer­cises as well as relax­ation techniques.

A few days ago the results of the one-year follow-up study were released: Seniors who par­tic­i­pated in a strength train­ing exer­cise pro­gram shows sus­tained cog­ni­tive ben­e­fits as well as sav­ings for the health­care system.

Sur­pris­ingly, the group that showed sus­tained cog­ni­tive ben­e­fits was the once-weekly strength train­ing group rather than the twice-weekly train­ing group. The authors of the study spec­u­late that this group was prob­a­bly more suc­cess­ful at main­tain­ing the same level of phys­i­cal activ­ity achieved in the orig­i­nal study.

On top of the cog­ni­tive ben­e­fits, eco­nomic ben­e­fits of once-weekly strength train­ing were also sus­tained 12 months after the orig­i­nal study: The once-weekly strength group incurred fewer health care resource uti­liza­tion costs and had fewer falls than the twice-weekly bal­ance and tone group.

This study shows once again how phys­i­cal fit­ness is directly related to men­tal fit­ness. At all age, exer­cis­ing the body ben­e­fits the brain. Inter­est­ingly, aer­o­bic train­ing is usu­ally related to bet­ter cog­ni­tive per­for­mance. This new study shows that resis­tance train­ing can be added to our list of exer­cise to do.

Related posts:

• Phys­i­cal exer­cise: why aer­o­bic exer­cise enhances neu­ro­ge­n­e­sis and neuroplasticity

• Walk­ing increases brain vol­ume and reduces risks of decline

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