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Instability resistance training

Instability resistance training has been studied in 5 papers since 2019: 4 trials in people, 1 review; 1 in the past year. The newest story, Nov 7, 2026: “Unstable-surface strength training aided some thinking skills”.

Intervention

5 papers study it15 findingsUpdated

1 new paper in 30 daysSee all 5 papers on instability resistance training

At a glance

The findings reach people, from one lab or study. 5 independent labs in 4 countries.

“At 24-week, the IRT group demonstrated significant improvements in executive function performance”
Efficacy of 24-week instability resistance training on cognitive function of older adults with probable mild cognitive impairment: A randomized, assessor-blinded, sham-controlled trialThe journal of nutrition, health & aging2026doi:10.1016/j.jnha.2026.101030

1 of its findings points the other way.

Humans: a single group. Cells, worms or flies and mice: nothing yet.

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

Against: findings that point the other way from most findings on the same outcome.

  • 5 independent labs in 4 countries
  • 1 finding against
  • Funders: Central China Normal University and 6 more
  • Human trial4

Studies in people

4 studies gave instability resistance training to people and measured what changed.

What changedDesignPeopleSource

up: Improves executive functionVerbal Fluency – Letter A: +1.2 letters (95% CI 0.2–2.2); Digit Span Forward: +0.7 points (95% CI 0.1–1.3)

no change: Has no effect on remaining cognitive outcomes

Randomized trial24 weeks162 people≥65 years; mean 70.4 ± 4.3 yearsOlder adults; probable mild cognitive impairmentThe journal of nutrition, health & aging, Nov 7, 2026

up: Improves walking ability

up: Improves muscle strength

Randomized trial8 weeks36 peoplewomenaged 60 and aboveElderly women aged 60 and aboveScientific reports, Oct 30, 2024

up: Improves executive functions11% vs 0%, d = 0.32

up: Improves processing speed19% vs 4.5%, d = 0.73

up: Improves response inhibition8% vs <3%, d = 0.55

Randomized trial10 weeks82 peoplerange: 65–80 yearsOlder adultsScientific reports, Feb 13, 2020

up: Increases lower-limb kinematic synergy during walking

no change: Has no effect on lower-limb kinematic synergy during walking

Randomized trial10 weeks68 people65–80 yearsOlder adults; uneven surface walkingFrontiers in aging neuroscience, Feb 27, 2019

What did studies of instability resistance training find?

11

Studies of instability resistance training measured 11 outcomes; the most studied are muscle strength (1 study), walking ability (1) and executive functions (1).

Muscle strength

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training improves muscle strength in humans.

    “Leg muscle strength, measured by the 30-second chair stand test, exhibited a significant main effect of time (F(1, 32) = 130.10, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.803), indicating increased strength post-intervention, with no significant interaction effect (F(1, 32) = 1.801, p = 0.189, ηp2 = 0.053, Table ).”

    Human trial8 weeksfemalesn = 36

    Comparative effects of cognitive and instability resistance training versus instability resistance training on balance and cognition in elderly women

    Scientific reports

  2. Instability resistance training improves muscle strength in humans (p < 0.001).

    “and leg muscle strength via 30-Second Chair (p < 0.001 for time main effect).”

    Human trialfemalesn = 36

    Comparative effects of cognitive and instability resistance training versus instability resistance training on balance and cognition in elderly women

    Scientific reports

Walking ability

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training improves walking ability in humans.

    “In addition, the stride length test time revealed a significant main effect (F(1,32) = 12.57, p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.295), with post-hoc tests indicating a significantly longer stride length post-experiment compared to pre-experiment (p < 0.001).”

    Human trial8 weeksfemalesn = 36

    Comparative effects of cognitive and instability resistance training versus instability resistance training on balance and cognition in elderly women

    Scientific reports

  2. Instability resistance training improves walking ability in humans (p < 0.05).

    “Both groups demonstrated enhancements in walking abilities as shown on selective markers of the gait performance test (p < 0.05)”

    Human trialfemalesn = 36

    Comparative effects of cognitive and instability resistance training versus instability resistance training on balance and cognition in elderly women

    Scientific reports

Executive functions

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training improves executive functions in humans (11% vs 0%, d = 0.32).

    “The planned contrasts revealed that the condition “unstable” improved working memory significantly by 11% compared to the “stable” condition (d = 0.32), which did not change at all (0%).”

    Human trial10 weeksn = 82

    Instability Resistance Training improves Working Memory, Processing Speed and Response Inhibition in Healthy Older Adults: A Double-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial

    Scientific reports

  2. Instability resistance training improves executive functions in humans.

    “Our results demonstrate that 10 weeks of instability resistance training suffice to improve executive functions in older adults.”

    Human trialfree-weight10 weeks, twice a weekn = 68

    Instability Resistance Training improves Working Memory, Processing Speed and Response Inhibition in Healthy Older Adults: A Double-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial

    Scientific reports

Lower-limb kinematic synergy during walking

no changein humans1upin humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training showed no clear effect on lower-limb kinematic synergy during walking in humans (even lab floor walking).

    “there was no effect of RT on the synergy index when walking across the even lab floor”

    Human trialeven lab floor walking10 weeks

    Instability Resistance Training Decreases Motor Noise During Challenging Walking Tasks in Older Adults: A 10-Week Double-Blinded RCT

    Frontiers in aging neuroscience

  2. Instability resistance training increases lower-limb kinematic synergy during walking in humans (uneven surface walking).

    “the synergy index during the two uneven surface conditions was stronger after I-FRT but was not affected by the other RT modalities”

    Human trialuneven surface walking10 weeks

    Instability Resistance Training Decreases Motor Noise During Challenging Walking Tasks in Older Adults: A 10-Week Double-Blinded RCT

    Frontiers in aging neuroscience

Remaining cognitive outcomes

no changein humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training showed no clear effect on remaining cognitive outcomes in humans (probable mild cognitive impairment; compared with active control exercises).

    “No significant between-group differences were observed in the remaining cognitive outcomes.”

    Human trialprobable mild cognitive impairment; compared with active control exercisesresistance exercises on unstable surfacestwice weekly24 weeksn = 162

    Unstable-surface strength training aided some thinking skills

    The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Executive function

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training improves executive function in humans (probable mild cognitive impairment; compared with active control exercises) (Verbal Fluency – Letter A: +1.2 letters (95% CI 0.2–2.2); Digit Span Forward: +0.7 points (95% CI 0.1–1.3)).

    “At 24-week, the IRT group demonstrated significant improvements in executive function performance”

    Human trialprobable mild cognitive impairment; compared with active control exercisesresistance exercises on unstable surfacestwice weekly; seven exercises in 3 sets of 10–15 repetitions24 weeksn = 162

    Unstable-surface strength training aided some thinking skills

    The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Cognitive function

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training improves cognitive function in humans (medium-to-large-sized effect).

    “We found that IRT had a medium-to-large-sized effect on physical and cognitive functioning.”

    Review

    Effects of Instability Resistance Training on Physical and Cognitive Function in Adults

    International journal of sports medicine

Physical function

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training improves physical function in humans (medium-to-large-sized effect).

    “We found that IRT had a medium-to-large-sized effect on physical and cognitive functioning.”

    Review

    Effects of Instability Resistance Training on Physical and Cognitive Function in Adults

    International journal of sports medicine

Set-shifting

no changein humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training showed no clear effect on set-shifting in humans (d = 0.17).

    “The analysis for the Trail Making Test remained non-significant, the ANOVA (d = 0.34) and the planned contrasts (d = 0.17) revealed only small effects, indicating no difference between groups (see Fig. and Table.”

    Human trial10 weeksn = 82

    Instability Resistance Training improves Working Memory, Processing Speed and Response Inhibition in Healthy Older Adults: A Double-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial

    Scientific reports

Response inhibition

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training improves response inhibition in humans (8% vs <3%, d = 0.55).

    “However, we found a medium effect (d = 0.55), when comparing the “unstable” condition with the “stable” condition in favour of higher pre-post differences for I-FRT (8% for I-FRT and less than 3% for the stable groups) (see Fig. and Table ).”

    Human trial10 weeksn = 82

    Instability Resistance Training improves Working Memory, Processing Speed and Response Inhibition in Healthy Older Adults: A Double-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial

    Scientific reports

Processing speed

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Instability resistance training improves processing speed in humans (19% vs 4.5%, d = 0.73).

    “While I-FRT improved by 19%, the “stable” modality improved only by 4.5%.”

    Human trial10 weeksn = 82

    Instability Resistance Training improves Working Memory, Processing Speed and Response Inhibition in Healthy Older Adults: A Double-Blinded Randomised Controlled Trial

    Scientific reports

Latest

Dec 2025: 0Jan 2026: 0Feb 2026: 0Mar 2026: 0Apr 2026: 0May 2026: 0Jun 2026: 0Jul 2026: 0Aug 2026: 0Sep 2026: 0Oct 2026: 0Nov 2026: 11 paper in 12 months
The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging

Unstable-surface strength training aided some thinking skills

At 24 weeks, training improved verbal fluency by 1.2 letters and forward digit recall by 0.7 points compared with low-intensity exercise.At 24 weeks, training improved verbal fluency by 1.2 letters and forward digit recall by 0.7 points compared with low-intensity exercise.

Randomized trial · 162 peopleInterventions
Paper

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