Evidence has shown that maintaining a healthy physically active lifestyle can reduce the losses associated with the aging process. Among the recommended exercises for elderly people, weight training (WT) has received highlights, revealing benefits related to their performance of daily living activities and quality of life, among others. Thus, programs for elderly people should describe their experiences in an attempt to boost and to refine the activities related to WT. Thus this paper aims to describe the operation of the WT, which is one of the modes of the Physical Activity Program for Third Age (PROFIT). Currently the WT program has 45 participants, of which 80% are women and 20% are men. Most participants (84%) are aged 60 years, whereas 16% are aged between 54 and 59 years. Classes are held three times a week on nonconsecutive days, lasting 45 minutes. The participants perform eight exercises by alternating body segments, and are held three sets of each exercise. Accordingly, the WT program seeks to provide improvements in quality of life of the elderly population, as well as assist in undergraduate and graduate students formation and thus deepen the understanding of the effects of physical activity in older people.
Life Style; Health of the Elderly; Motor Activity; Aging; Health Promotion; Resistance training
