Congestive heart failure (CHF) has become the number one reason for hospitalization in the United States. Diastolic heart dysfunction is becoming increasingly recognized as a significant factor in the etiology of CHF. Of the total affected population, 70% of patients with diastolic heart failure are female, the majority of which are elderly. There is currently no effective pharmacological therapy for the treatment of diastolic heart dysfunction. Existing cross-sectional studies and limited training trials supporting the hypothesis that exercise may improve diastolic function have only studied men. There is a need for more properly controlled and adequately powered studies examining the effect of exercise training on diastolic function, particularly in populations at high risk for CHF, such as sedentary, postmenopausal women with elevated blood pressure.