OBJECTIVE: To measure lumbar extensor strength in overweight (OVW) and nonoverweight (NOVW) elderly adults before and after resistance exercise training (RX). DESIGN: Descriptive, comparative study. SETTING: University-based wellness center and research facility. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-four adults (age range 60 to 83 y) were placed into 1 of 2 groups based on body mass index (BMI): control (NOVW; mean BMI, 22.5 kg/m2) or OVW (mean BMI 29.2 kg/m2). Subjects were then randomly assigned to either a resistance exercise (RX) or nonexercising group. INTERVENTION: Six months of total body RX and isolated lumbar extension exercise. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Body composition, isometric lumbar extension strength, and 1-repetition maximum for each of the training exercises. RESULTS: Upper-body strength increased by 18.3% and 17.2% for the NOVW-RX and OVW-RX groups, respectively. Lower-body strength increased by 12.7% and 19.5% for the NOVW-RX and OVW-RX groups, respectively. At baseline, the OVW participants had greater total lumbar extension strength (1067 Nm versus 714 Nm) compared with the NOVW participants (p < 0.05). When expressed per kilogram of fat-free mass, there were no differences in baseline total lumbar extension strength. After RX, lumbar extension strength increased by 58% and 34% for the NOVW-RX and OVW-RX groups, respectively (p < 0.05). No changes in lumbar extension, upper- or lower-body strength were noted for the nontraining groups. CONCLUSIONS: OVW subjects were found to have greater absolute and similar relative, upper-body, lower-body, and lumbar extension strength at baseline when compared with their NOVW counterparts. Also, isolated lumbar extension exercise was effective in improving lumbar extensor strength in OVW and NOVW persons.

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