Effects of High-Intensity Progressive Resistance Training Combined With Self-Talk on Muscle Strength and Functional Performance in Older Adults

Abstract

Ferrando, V, Mirabelli, F, Panascì, M, Sofrà, D, Ruggeri, P, Faelli, E, and Bisio, A. Effects of high-intensity progressive resistance training combined with self-talk on muscle strength and functional performance in older adults. J Strength Cond Res 39(7): 736-744, 2025-In older people, muscle mass and functional capacity decline, affecting balance, and gait control. In this population, resistance training (RT) improves muscle strength, counteracting this physiological decline. In younger individuals, cognitive strategies like motivational self-talk have been successfully integrated with RT to enhance its effectiveness. This study aimed to compare the effects of a high-intensity progressive RT with positive motivational self-talk against RT alone on muscle strength and functional performance in older adults. Twenty-eight healthy older people were divided into resistance training self-talk (RT-ST) group and RT group. The RT-ST group mentally repeated positive motivational phrases during lower-limb exercises, whereas the other group performed RT alone. The 4-week protocol included biweekly sessions, consisting of warm-up, a high-intensity resistance exercise, and cooldown. Handgrip strength, 1 repetition maximum (1RM), 30-second chair stand (30 s-CS), and time up and go (TUG) tests were conducted before (PRE), immediately after (POST), and 2 weeks after follow-up (FU) of the intervention. One repetition maximum significantly increased from PRE to POST ( p ≤ 0.001) and FU ( p ≤ 0.05) in both groups. The 30 s-CS significantly improved only in the RT-ST group at FU ( p ≤ 0.001), with higher values compared with the RT group at POST ( p ≤ 0.05) and FU ( p ≤ 0.05). Time up and go test duration decreased in both groups ( p ≤ 0.001), with RT-ST completing the test faster than RT ( p ≤ 0.05). Incorporating positive motivational self-talk into a high-intensity progressive RT program led to significant improvements in functional performance, suggesting that its benefits go beyond improving muscle strength and may positively impact the activities of daily living in older adults.

Keywords: elderly; incremental load; mobility capacity; motivation; strategy.

Figure 1.

A) Subjects underwent a preliminary interview in which they received explanation about the training and signed the informed consent. Before (PRE), after (POST) intervention period and after 2 weeks (follow-up, FU), subjects underwent to 1 repetition maximum (1RM), handgrip strength (HGS), time up and go (TUG), and 30-seconds chair stand (30 s-CS) tests. B) Both resistance training self-talk (RT-ST) and resistance training (RT) intervention period lasted 4 weeks (2 times/week); each session consisted of: warm-up, resistance phase during which subjects performed exercises on leg press, leg extension and multipower machines, and cool-down. The table at the bottom of the figure shows the training load in each group.

Figure 2.

Results of the 30-second chair stand (30 s-CS) (A) and time up and go (TUG) (B) tests. Red and blue circles refer to single-data values of subjects in the RT-ST and RT group, respectively. In (A) the horizontal line indicates the median values, and the bars represent the inter-quartile ranges in 30 s-CS, whereas in (B) the horizontal line indicates mean values, and the bars show the standard error. *Indicates difference within group; ***p < 0.001. Differences between the groups are indicated by the ^#symbol; ^#p < 0.05; ^##p < 0.01.