OBJECTIVES: To compare high intensity strength training with weightlifting exercises or with elastic bands. SETTING: Outpatient unit of cardiac rehabilitation. TYPE: Prospective randomised clinical trial. POPULATION: Inclusion of coronary patients in phase II after medical or surgical treatment of a myocardiac infarction, without cardiac insufficiency; beta-blockers were accepted. METHOD: Evaluation of coronary patients at beginning and at the end of a 4 week cardiac rehabilitation program. It included progressive aerobic training according to Karvonen method for all the patients, associated with weightlifting exercises (Koch press) in the control group, or use of elastic bands in the experimental group. Cardiac rate, oxygen consumption at rest and at maximum power were the main criteria with also muscle strength of quadriceps, hamstrings, biceps brachii, latissimus dorsi and triceps brachii, body mass indexes, quality of life with SF-36, anxiety (stay T test) and perceived exertion with the Borg 10-point category-ratio scale, myotendinous injuries (Shaw scale). RESULTS: Twenty-six coronary patients, all male from 45 to 65 years old, all receiving beta-blockers, were included, 13 in each group. Control and experimental groups were initially similar. At the end of the 4 week program, all the two groups improved significantly their strength and power and there were no differences between the two groups. Perceived exertion was lower in the group using elastic bands and there were no myotendinous lesions. CONCLUSION: Strength training with elastic bands is a low-cost, attractive, playful technique, proposed to a group of coronary patients, which appears as effective in cardiac rehabilitation as individual weightlifting training.

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