SeniorsNCT07687316
Mental Effort During Low Load Resistance Training in Older Adults
A study testing Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental Effort and Low Intensity Resistance Training in people with Seniors and Old Age, run by Kennesaw State University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effect of maximal mental effort combined with low-intensity resistance training on strength and neuromuscular function in older adults. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 65 to 85 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Seniors, Old Age, Sarcopenia
- What is being tested?
- Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental Effort and Low Intensity Resistance Training
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 75 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 6 Jun 2026to Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 65 to 85 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Body mass index between 18.5 - 33 kg·m2
- No structured physical activity in past 2 years
- Any unstable condition contradicting exercise
- Independently walk with or without assistive device
- No significant cognitive impairment
Who cannot join
- Score of 22 or lower on Montreal Cognitive Assessment
- Missing more than 3 training sessions (training groups only)
- Pacemaker
- Unstable angina
- Symptomatic heart failure
- Uncontrolled arrythmias
Show all 21Show fewer
- Uncontrolled hypertension (greater or equal to 160/90)
- Myocardial infarction in the past 6 months
- Uncontrolled type 2 diabetes
- Type 1 diabetes
- Severe or unstable pulmonary conditions,
- Currently on supplemental oxygen therapy
- Severe hearing loss or visual impairment
- Alzheimer's Disease or significant cognitive impairment
- Stroke in the past 6 months or ongoing stroke-induced motor impairment
- Any neurological (e.g., Parkinson's) condition affecting motor control
- Undergoing chemotherapy
- Surgery in past 6 months
- Musculoskeletal injury in the past 6 months
- Terminal illness
- Stage 3 or greater chronic kidney disease
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, Georgia, 30144
Garrett Hester, 470-578-4267, ghester4@kennesaw.edu
About this study
Official title: The Effect of Maximal Mental Effort During Resistance Training on Physical Function and Motor Unit Behavior in Older Adults
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effect of maximal mental effort combined with low-intensity resistance training on strength and neuromuscular function in older adults. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does low-intensity resistance training in combination with maximal mental effort increase strength more than low intensity resistance training alone?
- Does low-intensity resistance training in combination with maximal mental effort improve neuromuscular function more than low intensity resistance training alone?
Read more
Participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups:
- Low intensity resistance training
- Low intensity resistance training with maximal mental effort
- Control Researchers will compare groups to determine differences in changes in strength, neuromuscular function, and body composition.
Read the detailed description
Participants in both training groups will perform 8 weeks of low intensity, whole-body resistance training. Participants in the control group will participate in all testing procedures but not perform any training. Participants from all groups will be instructed to otherwise maintain their normal physical activity levels and dietary habits.
All training sessions will be supervised by research personnel at a Kennesaw State University fitness center. Participants will complete 2 training sessions per week for 8 weeks. Each training session will last about 45-60 minutes and consist of 5 exercises, including both multi-joint (leg press, chest press, back row) and single-joint (knee extension, bicep curl) exercises. Participants will perform 2 sets of 15 repetitions for each exercise for the first 2 weeks, then volume will be increased by progressing to 3 sets for the remaining 6 weeks. There will be a 60-second rest interval between sets and a similar tempo will be used between groups.
Both training groups will perform the same training protocol, but participants in the maximal mental effort group will mentally urge their muscles to contract maximally during each repetition. That is, despite using a low intensity, participants will imagine the feeling of maximal muscle contraction of the primary muscles during each repetition.
Several measures of strength, neuromuscular function, physical function, and body composition will be measured before and after the training or control period.
- Conditions
- Seniors, Old Age, Sarcopenia
- Being tested
- Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental Effort, Low Intensity Resistance Training
- Keywords
- mobility, aging, balance, exercise, muscle
- Medical subject headings
- Sarcopenia, Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental EffortBehavioural
This training intervention will be 8 weeks of low intensity resistance training, including whole-body and isolated muscle exercises, where participants will perform maximal mental effort by imagining maximal muscle contraction during each exercise.
Low Intensity Resistance TrainingBehavioural
This training intervention will be 8 weeks of low intensity resistance training, including whole-body and isolated muscle exercises.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Low Intensity Resistance Training | Experimental | This group will perform low intensity, whole-body resistance training. Receives: Behavioral: Low Intensity Resistance Training |
| Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental Effort | Experimental | This group will perform low intensity, whole-body resistance training with maximal mental effort during muscle contraction. Receives: Behavioral: Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental Effort |
| Control | No intervention | This group will not perform any training and maintain their regular level of physical activity. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in isokinetic strength of the knee extensors at 60 degrees per second
Dynamic strength of the knee extensors contracting at a constant velocity
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Secondary outcomes (16)
Change in isokinetic knee extensor muscle activation as measured by electromyography amplitude
Electromyography root mean square during isokinetic contraction divided by root mean square during isometric contraction
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in isometric knee extensor strength as measured by newton-meters of torque
Isometric strength of a muscle
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in knee extensor muscle activation as measured by electromyography amplitude
A measure of the capacity at which the muscle is activated by the nervous system
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in motor unit firing rate as measured relative to the motor unit recruitment threshold
A measure of how nervous system input produces force output during an isometric contraction
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in motor unit action potential size as measured relative to the motor unit recruitment threshold
A measure of how nervous system input produces force output during an isometric contraction
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in handgrip strength as measured in kilograms of force
Upper-body strength as measured by a handgrip dynamometer
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in walking speed as measured by time taken to walk 4 meters
Measure of lower-body physical function
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in chair rise performance as measured by number of chair rises performed in 30 seconds
Measure of lower-body physical function
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in bicep curl strength as measured by load lifted in pounds
Maximum dumbbell load lifted successfully throughout the range of motion of a bicep curl
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in dynamic strength of the lower body muscles during the leg press as measured by load lifted in pounds for 5 repetitions
Measure of dynamic strength during the leg press exercise
Measured: Baseline, Week 5, Week 8
Change in muscle composition as measured by ultrasound-derived grey-scale analysis
Echo-intensity value derived from grey-scale analysis is indicative of amount of non-contractile tissue in muscle
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in skeletal muscle size as measured by ultrasound-derived cross-sectional area
Size of a muscle
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in fat mass as measured by kilograms
Amount of fat tissue a person possesses estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in fat-free mass as measured by kilograms
Amount of non-fat tissue a person possesses estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in body fat percentage as measured by fat tissue relative to fat-free tissue
Relative amount of body fat a person possesses estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Change in cognitive function as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment
Assessment of cognitive function where 0 is the lowest score and 30 is the highest score and a higher score represents higher cognitive function.
Measured: Baseline, Week 8
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Jul 2026
- Study start6 Jun 2026
- Primary completionDec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for SeniorsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Two intervention groups will perform different types of low intensity resistance training, and a control group will not perform any resistance training.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 75 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Kennesaw State University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Garrett Hester, Kennesaw State University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07687316
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2026-Hester
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 30 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 8 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effect of Maximal Mental Effort During Resistance Training on Physical Function and Motor Unit Behavior in Older Adults
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07687316
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2026-Hester
- Conditions
- Seniors, Old Age, Sarcopenia
- Keywords
- mobility, aging, balance, exercise, muscle
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 75 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Kennesaw State UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 6 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 7 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effect of maximal mental effort combined with low-intensity resistance training on strength and neuromuscular function in older adults. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does low-intensity resistance training in combination with maximal mental effort increase strength more than low intensity resistance training alone?
- Does low-intensity resistance training in combination with maximal mental effort improve neuromuscular function more than low intensity resistance training alone?
Participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups:
- Low intensity resistance training
- Low intensity resistance training with maximal mental effort
- Control Researchers will compare groups to determine differences in changes in strength, neuromuscular function, and body composition.
Detailed description
Participants in both training groups will perform 8 weeks of low intensity, whole-body resistance training. Participants in the control group will participate in all testing procedures but not perform any training. Participants from all groups will be instructed to otherwise maintain their normal physical activity levels and dietary habits.
All training sessions will be supervised by research personnel at a Kennesaw State University fitness center. Participants will complete 2 training sessions per week for 8 weeks. Each training session will last about 45-60 minutes and consist of 5 exercises, including both multi-joint (leg press, chest press, back row) and single-joint (knee extension, bicep curl) exercises. Participants will perform 2 sets of 15 repetitions for each exercise for the first 2 weeks, then volume will be increased by progressing to 3 sets for the remaining 6 weeks. There will be a 60-second rest interval between sets and a similar tempo will be used between groups.
Both training groups will perform the same training protocol, but participants in the maximal mental effort group will mentally urge their muscles to contract maximally during each repetition. That is, despite using a low intensity, participants will imagine the feeling of maximal muscle contraction of the primary muscles during each repetition.
Several measures of strength, neuromuscular function, physical function, and body composition will be measured before and after the training or control period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Two intervention groups will perform different types of low intensity resistance training, and a control group will not perform any resistance training.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Low Intensity Resistance Training | Experimental | Behavioral: Low Intensity Resistance TrainingThis group will perform low intensity, whole-body resistance training. |
| Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental Effort | Experimental | Behavioral: Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental EffortThis group will perform low intensity, whole-body resistance training with maximal mental effort during muscle contraction. |
| Control | No intervention | –This group will not perform any training and maintain their regular level of physical activity. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 65 to 85 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Body mass index between 18.5 - 33 kg·m2
- No structured physical activity in past 2 years
- Any unstable condition contradicting exercise
- Independently walk with or without assistive device
- No significant cognitive impairment
Key exclusion criteria (21 listed)
- Score of 22 or lower on Montreal Cognitive Assessment
- Missing more than 3 training sessions (training groups only)
- Pacemaker
- Unstable angina
- Symptomatic heart failure
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental EffortThis training intervention will be 8 weeks of low intensity resistance training, including whole-body and isolated muscle exercises, where participants will perform maximal mental effort by imagining maximal muscle contraction during each exercise. | Behavioural | Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental Effort |
| Low Intensity Resistance TrainingThis training intervention will be 8 weeks of low intensity resistance training, including whole-body and isolated muscle exercises. | Behavioural | Low Intensity Resistance Training |
Primary outcome
Change in isokinetic strength of the knee extensors at 60 degrees per second
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Dynamic strength of the knee extensors contracting at a constant velocity
16 secondary outcomes
Change in isokinetic knee extensor muscle activation as measured by electromyography amplitude
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in isometric knee extensor strength as measured by newton-meters of torque
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in knee extensor muscle activation as measured by electromyography amplitude
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in motor unit firing rate as measured relative to the motor unit recruitment threshold
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in motor unit action potential size as measured relative to the motor unit recruitment threshold
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in handgrip strength as measured in kilograms of force
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in walking speed as measured by time taken to walk 4 meters
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in chair rise performance as measured by number of chair rises performed in 30 seconds
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in bicep curl strength as measured by load lifted in pounds
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in dynamic strength of the lower body muscles during the leg press as measured by load lifted in pounds for 5 repetitions
Time frame: Baseline, Week 5, Week 8
Change in muscle composition as measured by ultrasound-derived grey-scale analysis
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in skeletal muscle size as measured by ultrasound-derived cross-sectional area
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in fat mass as measured by kilograms
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in fat-free mass as measured by kilograms
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in body fat percentage as measured by fat tissue relative to fat-free tissue
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Change in cognitive function as measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment
Time frame: Baseline, Week 8
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Low Intensity Resistance Training with Maximal Mental Effort and Low Intensity Resistance Training in people with Seniors and Old Age, run by Kennesaw State University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 21 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Garrett Hester Professor of Exercise Science (470-578-4267, ghester4@kennesaw.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in isokinetic strength of the knee extensors at 60 degrees per second (time frame: Baseline, Week 8). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Jul 2026.