Older adults and novice exercisers are often initially steered toward which type of training that could reduce the transfer benefit?

Resistance machine training is often recommended for older adults and novice exercisers because it provides a controlled and stable environment in which they can learn proper exercise techniques and build foundational strength. Machines are designed to guide movements, which reduces the risk of injury and allows individuals to focus on developing strength and muscular endurance without the need for advanced balance and coordination that free weights require.

These machines typically involve a fixed range of motion, which helps users target specific muscle groups effectively. While this is beneficial for beginners to build strength safely, it can limit the transfer of strength gains to functional, everyday activities due to the lack of variability and engagement of stabilizing muscles that occur with free weight or body weight training. Therefore, although resistance machine training is safe and effective for initial training phases, it may not fully prepare older adults or novice exercisers for real-world movements that require more dynamic stability and coordination.