ABSTRACT
<b>Purpose:</b> The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of non-instrumental resistance training on exercise capacity of patients with chronic heart disease. <b>Methods:</b> Nineteen elderly male patients (66.2±5.7 years) participated in the study. All had experienced coronary artery bypass surgery, coronary artery intervention, or aortic valve replacement [left ventricular ejection fraction (EF): 54.0±15.8 %]. Patients were divided into two groups. T group (N=9) performed combined aerobic and non-instrumental resistance training; and C group (N=10) performed only aerobic exercise. Resistance training involved 10 to 15 repetitions (maximum)(RM) of squats, push ups, calf raises and trunk curls. Each exercise included 3 sets of 10 repetitions repeated 3 times a week. Aerobic exercise was prescribed at the intensity of the aerobic threshold (AT) level 3 times a week. There was no significant base line for either T group or C group. <b>Results:</b> After three months of exercise, peak torque, peak VO<sub>2</sub>, and peak watts were significantly greater in T group, compared to those of C group. However, there was no significant correlation (r = .49) between the improvement of peak VO<sub>2</sub> and peak torque. <b>Conclusion:</b> It was concluded that combined aerobic and non-instrumental resistance training is more effective than aerobic exercise alone for exercise capacity of patients with chronic heart disease. Home-based non-instrumental resistance training is usually highly significant from the perspective of the exercise capacity of patients with chronic heart disease.