Traditional and pyramidal resistance training systems improve muscle quality and metabolic biomarkers in older women: A randomized crossover study

• Adaptations induced by resistance training do not seem to be dependent of the training system in older women.
• Resistance training increases muscle quality in older women.
• Resistance training improves metabolic biomarkers in older women.
• Impairments induced by detraining do not seem to be influenced by resistance training systems in older women.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of RT performed in a pyramid (PR) and traditional (TD) straight set training system on muscle quality and metabolic biomarkers in older women. Twenty-five physically independent older women (67.6 ± 5.1 years, 65.9 ± 11.1 kg, 154.7 ± 5.8 cm) performed a RT program in TD and PR training systems in a balanced crossover design. Measurements of muscle quality, serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose (GLU), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) were obtained at different moments. The TD program consisted of 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions maximum (RM) with a constant weight for the 3 sets, whereas the PR training consisted of 3 sets of 12/10/8 RM with incremental weight for each set. The training was performed in 2 phases of 8 weeks each, with a 12-week washout period between phases. Significant (P < 0.05) improvements were observed in both groups for muscle quality (TD = + 8.6% vs. PR = + 6.8%), GLU (TD = − 4.5% vs. PR = − 1.9%), TG (TD = − 18.0% vs. PR = − 11.7%), HDL-C (TD = + 10.6 vs. PR = + 7.8%), LDL-C (TD = − 23.3% vs. PR = − 21.0%), and CRP (TD = − 19.4% vs. PR = − 14.3%) with no differences between training systems. These results suggest that RT improves muscle quality and metabolic biomarkers of older women independently of the training system.