The Resistance Exercise Training for Worry Trial

The ecologically-valid resistance exercise training was designed according to World Health Organization and American College of Sports Medicine guidelines. The eight-week, twice-weekly intervention was designed to be performed at a moderate intensity. The resistance of each exercise was such that when participants could successfully complete 2 sets of 12 repetitions at a certain load, the resistance was increased incrementally up to 5% for the following session. Exercise sessions were scheduled with at least one day of rest between sessions. The eight exercises included the barbell squat, barbell bench press, hexagon bar deadlift, dumbbell shoulder lateral raise, barbell bent over rows, dumbbell lunges, dumbbell curls, and abdominal crunches.

Participants randomized to the delayed-start wait-list condition completed questionnaires once-weekly. The investigator sent a weekly email to the participant providing links to the questionnaires. Participants that completed the eight-week wait-list condition were offered the eight weeks of RET either immediately upon completion, or later at a time of their convenience while the trial was ongoing. Each participant randomized to the eight-week wait-list also completed two 30-minute bouts of seated quiet rest in an empty room at weeks one and eight.