The goal of this study was to determinate the effects of physical training in older adults with mobility limitations. Thirty frail women (84 +/- 6 years) were randomly assigned to a training or control group for 12 weeks of upper body physical training (UBT) performed sitting on wheelchairs. Trained subjects showed a significant improvement in arms strength (+29%), and shoulder flexibility (+10 cm) but did not improve in arms circumference. The activities of daily living (ADLs) were improved (+77%), cognitive function as defined by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was maintained in the trained group (+3%) and declined in the control group (-21%). These results demonstrate that UBT in dependent older women with mobility limitations can increase strength and improve ADLs.