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USC reveals research into exercise for elderly
New findings into the most effective exercise programs for elderly people will be revealed by a University of the Sunshine Coast academic at a series of workshops across Australia over the next two months.
Dr Mark McKean, who is head of USC’s innovative Australian Institute of Fitness Research, is travelling to capital cities to present details about research conducted by USC Honours student Tim Stockwell.
This research has been supervised by Dr McKean and conducted in conjunction with the Australian Institute of Fitness (AIF) as a funding research partner.
Dr McKean will be in Adelaide tomorrow (Friday 14 October) for the second of six presentations being offered to AIF graduates and fitness professionals.
“Those who attend the seminars will be getting an update on the some of the results and some of the information that we’ve gleaned from our research before it’s actually published,” he said.
Dr McKean said Mr Stockwell’s project included the testing of 16 participants, with an average age of 67 years, at USC’s campus, to assess and compare their responses to aerobic exercise and interval training.
“The research findings have the potential to change the way trainers formulate exercise programs for seniors,” he said.
“What we found was that interval training for elderly people offered no physical benefits over constant aerobic exercise.
“This is different to other studies, which have shown that interval training is more effective for younger populations because it produces more energy expenditure and is better for things like fat loss and fitness.”
Dr McKean will present the workshops over two half days, with the second part of the program focusing on aspects like muscle function, balance and structure.
The USC academic has recently returned from China where he presented the National Certification Fitness Instructors Conference in Beijing for the second year in a row.
— Michelle Widdicombe