Resistance training has a number of health benefits. These include a general improvement in physical fitness, as well as specific adaptations that include increased muscle mass, improvements in cardiovascular fitness and reductions in stress levels. Studies have investigated the effects of resistance training on older individuals and found that the benefits of such training also manifest in the elderly. For example, in one study researchers administered a 10 week resistance training protocol to young and old male subjects and then monitored the response of the subjects to the activity. The results of the study showed that muscle strength increased in all subjects as would be expected. Whilst the young subjects demonstrated the greatest levels of testosterone, the training significantly elevated the testosterone of the older subjects. In addition the older subjects experienced significant reductions in resting cortisol, suggesting that they were adapting to the exercise stress by becoming more resistant to general stress.
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