1. Introduction
Background: Combined (CT) and multicomponent training (MT) presents several benefits for aging individuals. However, the literature does not provide evidence on which of the two physical training models can better enhance improvements in physical capacity and health parameters in middle-aged and older women. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of MT and CT on physical capacity, cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial assessment, and biochemical profile of physically inactive women aged between 50 and 70 years. Methods: Participants were randomized into two groups: MT (32 women, 64.2 ± 6.4 years) and CT (39 women, 61.4 ± 4.3 years). Both training sessions had a weekly volume of 180 min, for 14 weeks, with assessments at baseline and after the training period. Results: CT showed better results when compared to MT. In the four evaluation blocks, we noticed differences in the effect size (L = large, M = moderate, S = small, and T = trivial) between the groups in 26 variables in total, highlighting the CT group (L = 11, M = 5, S = 2, and T = 8) compared to the MT group (L = 8, M = 7, S = 7, and T = 4). Our findings showed group-time differences for strength variables using the maximum dynamic repetition test in upper and lower limbs and for agility. The multicomponent training showed improvement in the functional strength of the upper limbs evaluated through the elbow flexion and extension test (Currently, reaching old age is a reality for the world population. Increased life expectancy and more extended population longevity can be found in developed countries, extending to low-income populations, and developing countries, such as Brazil [One of the most beneficial low-cost interventions for this population is physical exercise [Additionally, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) emphasizes the importance of concurrently performing endurance, resistance, and flexibility training for this age group to maintain independence [Combined training (CT) and multicomponent training (MT) protocols demonstrate the reach of these benefits [Rodrigues et al. (2021) compared with CT and MT in women aged 50 and 75, physically active for 14 weeks. As a result, both training approaches showed health-related improvements, but only participants who underwent CT could increase agility and cardiorespiratory capabilities [Both training modalities demonstrate potential for improvement, mainly in terms of improvements in physical abilities. However, it has not yet been demonstrated in the literature which of the two training protocols is more appropriate for the maintenance and improvement of physical abilities and biochemical, anthropometric, and quality-of-life parameters in inactive women over 50 years of age.This study aimed to compare the effects of 14 weeks of CT and MT on physical capacity, cognitive assessment, behavioral, psychosocial, and biochemical profiles of physically inactive women aged between 50 and 70. As a hypothesis, we adopted that, due to the specificity of the training, the CT would improve in the maximum dynamic load tests while the MT would improve in the functional strength tests. Furthermore, both training approaches would tend to improve in the other variables with the stimulus being the same.