2.2.1. Exercise Protocols

The PA group followed general physical activity recommendations from the American College of Sports Medicine [14]. These recommendations were transmitted to the participants via a personal meeting. Exercise from this group was not supervised, like a classical intervention. Subjects in the S, E, and SE groups trained three times per week. All training sessions were carefully supervised by certified personal trainers. The exercise programs were designed according to the subject's muscle strength and heart rate reserve (Figure 1). All exercise programs were performed in circuit. Adherence to exercise was calculated by the number of sessions completed in regard to the theoretical sessions ([sessions performed /total sessions] × 100).

**Figure 1.** Time line of the Study. HRR: heart rate reserve; RM: repetition maximum; S: strength training group; E: endurance training group; SE: combined strength plus endurance training group; PA: physical activity recommendations group.
