Speed-specific Training and Ultrasound

Resistance training has been shown to have a significant impact on strength, power, cognition, functionality, activities of daily living, and quality of life throughout the aging process(Hunter et al., 2004; Peterson et al., 2010; Wen et al., 2011). Specifically, power training is especially beneficial to older adults to combat the age-related slowing of movement that occurs. and changes in age-related cognitive decline. However, in evaluating these measures and prescribing a power training program, the deficit on either the load or velocity end of the power spectrum unique to these individuals is often overlooked. Therefore, the evaluation of these components coupled with a custom training program to fit their needs on either the load end or velocity end of the spectrum may provide significant benefit to the functionality of older adults. Additionally, sleep quality has been shown to have a significant impact on cognitive performance(Alhola \& Polo-Kantola, 2007) and may impact the changes in cognition that The investigators observe with a resistance training program. Further, muscle mass has been shown to decrease with aging as a result of a variety of physiological changes that occur in the body, including the reduction in motor units and muscle fibers and these changes have a significant impact on the mobility of older adults(Charlier et al., 2016; Evans \& Campbell, 1993). Resistance training has been shown to have an impact on the progression and development of sarcopenia and has been supported in the research with both the use of power and strength training programs(Balachandran et al., 2014; Roth et al., 2000). Ultrasonography evaluation of muscle quality can provide valuable information on the changes to the musculature that occur with training programs in older adults(Pardo et al., 2018). While the impact of power and strength training on muscle quality has been shown(Ivey et al., 2000; Nogueira et al., 2009), the impact of a unique load velocity design to target power deficits on muscle quality is prohibitive. Therefore, this research is designed to evaluate the impact of load training and velocity training on muscle quality in healthy, older adults as well as changes in functionality, cognition, and sleep.