Search:

Tips For The Aging Athlete

by Jen Adley

The number of healthy older individuals who are active in sports has increased significantly during the past generation. While these individuals continue to perform at a high level, there is of course a loss in functional capacity that cannot be overcome by training. Although no accepted theory of aging exists, older athletes are limited primarily by the inability to maintain the same volume and intensity of training. Also, older athletes appear to respond more slowly to the same training load than do younger athletes.

Some of the same principles apply to training in older athletes; however, a few changes to the typical training routine may be necessary and greater care taken to prevent orthopedic injury. Understanding the physiological differences between older and younger athletes can help aging athletes understand how to train to perform at their best while reducing the risk of injury. Athletic capacity can be sustained well into advanced age, and many of the physiologic consequences of aging may be mitigated or reversed with the proper training protocols.

Warm-up well

The aging process causes our muscular and cardiovascular system to respond slower to the demands of exercise. Older athletes should extend the warm up period to include a slow gradual increase in intensity.

Flexibility Exercises

Although stretching is important at any age, it becomes even more important as we get older. Loss of flexibility is a natural effect of aging that can be counteracted through a program of daily stretching. The repetitive movements involved in practicing any sport for a long period of time results in muscular imbalances that get progressively more extreme. These require targeted efforts to loosen and lengthen those muscles that have become short and tight. Athletes should identify their short and tight muscles and devote special efforts lengthening them through stretching.

Strength Train

The older you get, the more important strength training becomes. One of the more crippling effects of aging for athletes is the gradual loss of muscle mass, and the loss of strength that it entails. Typically most of the muscle mass lost due to the aging process is classified as type II, or ‘fast twitch' muscle fibers. These type II fibers are faster to contract and therefore give us our strength and power. In contrast Type I, or ‘slow twitch' muscle fibers are slow to contract and contribute to muscular endurance. The loss of overall muscle mass and muscle strength causes joints to bear greater stress during exercise, rather that dissipating it to surrounding muscle tissue. This extra stress to the joints commonly leads to athletic injuries such as tendonitis, ligament sprains, musculo-tendinous strains, as well as arthritis. Athletes in sports that don't require tremendous strength, such as swimming, biking and running are particularly susceptible as they tend to try and get by without resistance training. When you are young, very often you can get away with it, but the older you get, the more important it becomes to train for strength specifically, no matter which sports you participate in.

Rest and recover more often

As young athletes you may have been able to go a few weeks without taking a true ‘day off' from training. While all athletes need time off for recovery, as we age we find that the ‘off days' are as important as the training days. While older athletes may be able to continue to perform the same tough workout that they did in their younger years, they cannot do them as often. Older athletes need to allow themselves more time to recover between their most demanding training sessions. The extra time may be given to outright rest, active recovery, or a combination of both. A well balanced diet will also aid recovery time.

By recognizing and addressing the effects of aging process you may greatly increase your longevity of participation, enjoyment, and ultimately your quality of life overall.

Jen Adley earned her BS in Biology and a Masters degree in Physical Therapy. She is a practicing board certified physical therapist for Body Pros Physical Therapy and a Sport Factory Associate Coach. She is licensed by USA Triathlon and USA swimming with over 10 years coaching experience. Jen has twice received an honorable mention ranking from USA Triathlon.

Print Page |  Email Page