INFLUENCE OF LONG-TREM TAl CHI PRATICE AND JOGGING EXERCISE ON MUSCLE STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE IN ELDERLY PEOPLE

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of regular Tai Chi (TC) practice and jogging exercise on muscle strength and endurance of the lower extremities in older people. Twenty-one long-term older TC practitioners were compared with 18 regular older joggers and 22 sedentary counterparts. The strengths of knee extensors and flexors in the control group at the higher velocity were significantly lower than those in the jogging group and marginally lower than those in the TC group. The sUbjects in both the TC group and the jogging group generated more torque ,in their ankle dorsiflexors. In addition, the muscle endurance of knee extensors was more pronounced in TC practitioners than the controls.