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Military personnel need physical fitness to effectively carry out operational military activities within their specific field of operation. This research investigates the effects of a 34-week training program on Angolan cadets' body composition, muscle strength, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Seventy-four volunteer recruits, aged 18 to 26 years, were monitored during their eight-month military service, following an exercise program protocol comprising 12 weeks of strength training followed by 24 weeks of endurance training. Anthropometric variables, including body mass, body mass index, and fat mass, were assessed, along with cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max), sprint performance, countermovement jump (CMJ), medicine ball throw, push-ups, and curl-ups. The physical training protocol encompassed running sessions, strength exercises, agility drills, and flexibility exercises. The initial assessment revealed gender differences in various parameters such as body mass, body fat percentage, VO2max, sprinting, countermovement jump (CMJ), medicine ball throw, and push-ups. Following the training program, changes were observed in all variables (effect size between 0.48 and 2.33, p < 0.01) for the participants. Significant interactions (sex × time) were found in body mass (F = 5.18, p = 0.03, ηp2 = 0.06), body fat percentage (F = 5.31, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.14), and medicine ball throw (F = 10.84, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.13). Specifically, males exhibited a greater reduction in body mass (females: 2.70%, males: 3.47%, p < 0.05) and a substantial improvement in ball throwing performance (females: 7.74%, males: 11.47%, p < 0.01), while females experienced a greater reduction in fat mass (females: 5.34%, males: 3.15%, p < 0.01). The physical training regimen effectively influenced body composition, particularly in enhancing strength performance among males. The integration of exercise programs with military service led to a notable reduction in fat tissue and an increase in lean tissue. Hence, the development of tailored training protocols is imperative to enhance the physical capacity and overall health of military recruits, considering sex-specific characteristics and physical attributes.

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BACKGROUND: Physical activity is essential in acquiring healthy lifestyle behaviors in the early years of maturational development and preventing various diseases. Resistance training (RT) is fundamental for improving body composition and is increasingly recommended for obese adolescents. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to synthesize and analyze data on the effects of RT programs in this population, seeking to develop useful recommendations for health and sports professionals. METHODS: A search was performed using four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and ScienceDirect). According to specific inclusion criteria, twenty-one studies were selected to evaluate the impact of RT on body mass index (BMI), body fat, waist circumference, muscle strength, insulin sensitivity, lean mass and cardiorespiratory fitness. RESULTS: After the RT programs, the adolescents improved their muscle strength (SMD, 1.44; 95% CI: 0.76-2.12), cardiorespiratory fitness (SMD, 1.09; 95% CI: 0.15-2.04), BMI (SMD, 0.21; 95% CI: 0.07-0.35), waist circumference (SMD, 0.27; 95% CI: 0.06-0.47) and body fat (SMD, 0.20; 95% CI: 0.05-0.34). However, insulin sensitivity (SMD, 0.32; 95% CI: - 0.47 to 1.10) and lean mass (SMD, 0.12; 95% CI: - 0.06 to 0.31) did not reveal any changes. Different RT programs were used but it seems that 2-3 times/week ∼60 min/session of RT for 12 weeks should be recommended for positive changes. CONCLUSIONS: RT seems to be effective when the objective is to improve muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness and can be an efficient strategy to reduce obesity in adolescents by reducing body fat, waist circumference and body mass index. PROSPERO Registration number: CRD42022333411.

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Aquatic exercise is being increasingly recommended for healthy individuals as well as people with some special health conditions. A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed to synthesize and analyze data on the effects of water-based training (WT) programs on health status and physical fitness of healthy adults and adults with diseases to develop useful recommendations for health and sports professionals. We searched three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) up to June 2021 for randomized trials that examined WT in adults. A total of 62 studies were included, of which 26 involved only healthy individuals and 36 focused on adults with chronic diseases. In the healthy group, the effects of WT on strength, balance, and cardiorespiratory fitness were beneficial, indicating the usefulness of performing WT for at least 12 weeks (2-3x/week, 46-65 min/session). Among adults with diseases, improvements were observed in patients with fibromyalgia (in balance and cardiorespiratory fitness), bone diseases (pain, balance, flexibility, and strength), coronary artery disease (strength and anthropometry), hypertension (quality of life), stroke (quality of life), diabetes (balance and quality of life), multiple sclerosis (quality of life and balance), and Parkinson's disease (pain, gait, cardiorespiratory fitness, and quality of life). Research is required to determine the effects of WT on patients with heart disease, especially coronary artery disease. In adults with chronic disease, benefits in physical fitness and/or other health-related measures were mainly observed after 8-16 weeks of training. WT is an effective physical activity when the intention is to enhance health and physical fitness in healthy adults and adults with chronic diseases.

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The aim of this study was to compare bilateral propulsive forces and coordination while exercising at static and dynamic conditions in the water. A total of 27 older women (age: 65.1 ± 6.7 years old) performed the following exercises: (i) horizontal upper-limbs adduction (HA; static condition) and (ii) rocking horse (RH; dynamic condition) through an incremental protocol with music cadences from 105 up to 150 b·min-1. The duration of each trial was set at 30 second (sec). Propulsive peak force (in Newton, N) of dominant (PFD) and nondominant (PFND) upper limbs was retrieved using hand sensors coupled to a differential pressure system. Significant differences in force production were found between static and dynamic exercises at higher cadences (120, 135, and 150 b·min-1). The static condition elicited higher bilateral propulsive forces and a more symmetric pattern. The in-water static exercise with bilateral action from the upper limbs proved to be the most appropriate strategy for older women to work strength and to reduce asymmetries.

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OBJECTIVE: To analyze the acute effects of low or high-volume resistance training (RT) on hemodynamic, metabolic and neuromuscular parameters in institutionalized older adults. METHODS: Thirty-one subjects (78.9 ±â€¯7.2 years old) performed two RT protocols (low versus high-volume), separated by one-week rest. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR) and blood lactate concentration ([La-]) were evaluated before and immediately after both RT protocols. The seated medicine ball throw (SMBT) was evaluated before and 5 min after both sessions, the countermovement jump (CMJ) height was evaluated before and 6 min after both RT protocols and the absolute handgrip strength (HGS) was evaluated before and 7 min after both RT protocols. RESULTS: At baseline, no significant differences between RT protocols were found in all variables. After training session, both RT protocols induced significant increases in SBP (low versus high-volume: 5.3% vs 10.7%), DBP (5.9% vs 6.8%), HR (6.8% vs 17.9%) and [La-] (86.1% vs 200.0%). Moreover, the high-volume protocol induced significant decreases in SMBT (-2.5%) and CMJ (-8.3%), whilst the low-volume protocol significantly increased the HGS (3.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Both RT protocols induced significant acute responses on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters, as well as on neuromuscular function in institutionalized older adults. However, a greater acute response after the high-volume RT protocol was found, thus reflecting greater hemodynamic, metabolic and neuromuscular stress than low-volume RT. Moreover, low-volume RT showed an acute increase in general strength.

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The main purpose of the present study was to verify the effects of a 12-week water aerobics program in a real-life context on health indicators and physical fitness in adults and older adults. Fifteen volunteers (58.80 ± 14.32 years old) were part of an experimental group (Exercise), and eight volunteers (59.00 ± 12.26 years old) were part of the control group (Control). The Exercise performed 45 min of water aerobics twice a week for 12 weeks; no physical exercise was permitted for the Control during the same period. The evaluations were performed the week before (pre-training) and after the training program (post-training). The primary outcomes were the strength and cardiorespiratory fitness variables and the secondary outcomes included body anthropometry, lipid profile and blood pressure. Adjusted analysis for age and baseline values showed no differences between Exercise and Control in post-training moment. However, there was a moderated tendency for increased explosive strength of the upper limbs (ηp2 = 0.17), reduced body fat (ηp2 = 0.17), reduced systolic blood pressure (ηp2 = 0.14) and triglycerides (ηp2 = 0.19) in Exercise. Within groups changes showed that the training program caused an increase mainly in explosive strength in the upper limbs (0.26 m, 95% CI, 0.03, 0.49; ES = 0.63) In addition, there was a significant decrease in fat mass (-0.89%, 95% CI, -1.74, -0.03; ES = 0.61) and in the systolic blood pressure (-0.83 mmHg, -1.46, -0.19; ES = 0.71). Nonetheless, no significant changes were observed for the lipid profile. These results suggest that 12 weeks of water aerobics performed twice a week in a real-life context seem to benefit the explosive strength, body composition, and blood pressure of adults and older adults but is insufficient to alter cardiorespiratory fitness and lipid profiles.

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