This document discusses several age-related changes in older adults and athletes including decreases in bone mineral density and muscle mass as well as increased risk of arthritis. It also covers how exercise can help maintain flexibility, range of motion, metabolic rate, and cardiovascular and respiratory function in older age. The benefits of exercise include improved strength, endurance, psychological well-being and social interaction. Proper training should account for individual abilities and health conditions.

1. Older Adults and Athletes

3. Skeletal Changes
 Bone Mineral Density (BMD)decreases through ageing
 More so in menopausal women
 Reduction in tensile strength
 Bones become brittle
 Weight bearing activity increases BMD
(griffin,2006)

4. Arthritis
Oteoarthritis (OA) Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
 Degenerative joint disease
 Inflammation of synovial fluid
 Gradual loss of cartilage that lines joints
 Causes swelling & inflammation
 Affects 1 or 2 joints of joints
 Pain & loss of function
 Mostly weight bearing joints
 Auto immune disease
 Exercise helps maintain a
reasonable range of movement
Flexibility exercises are
 Joint swelling and pain reduced essential to avoid stiffness
in muscles & maintain
(griffin,2006) ROM
(ABC,1998)

5. Muscular Changes
 Decreased muscle mass (sarcopenia)
 Decreased muscular strength, power and endurance
 Gradual loss of elasticity in the muscles
 Regular stretching can keep joints and muscles supple
aiding mobility
 General exercise helps maintain ROM
(Griffin,2006)

6. Basal Metabolic Rate
 Basal Metabolic rate(BMR) is the minimum calories
needed to maintain body functions
 From the age of 20 there is a decline in BMR at a rate of
1-2 % per decade.
 A combination of aerobic & strength training can
increase lean mass & reduce body fat of adults aged
40-89. (Griffin,2006)

7. Respiratory system
 Muscles that control breathing are weaker and gaseous
exchange declines with age. (Whitbourne,2002)
 < Lung power
 < Lung size
 < Lung efficiency
 < Lung strength
 < Vital capacity

8. Cardio-vascular
 VO2max reduces
 Maximal heart rate (MHR) reduces
 Maximal cardiac output decreases
 Maximal stroke volume reduces
 Regular exercise can delay normal aging process here
(Griffin,2006)

9. Blood Pressure
 There is a progressive rise in resting & exercise blood
pressure.
+ Systolic
+ Diastolic
 Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure.

10. Nervous System
 As we age, the number of nerve cells(neurons)
decreases causing atrophy to the brain and spinal
cord.
 These cells reduce in size & the branches that carry
messages are also reduced in size
 This slows down the speed at which a message is sent
(Griffin,2006)

11. Nervous system
 After a message is sent there is a rest period called the
latency period
 Ageing increases the length of this rest period between
thoughts slowing thinking and response time
 Vision, hearing & touch are also affected which can
interfere with balance
(Griffin,2006)

12. Medication
 You must screen your client for medication use
 It is important to be aware of the effects of medication
on the clients response to exercise
(Griffin,2006)

13. Chronic Conditions
•Individuals with health problems can benefit from exercise
•this increases their fitness which can help maintain as much
physical independence as possible
 Cardiovascular Heart disease
 Respiratory Asthma
 Muscoskeletal Arthritis
 Metabolic Diabetes
 Neurological Alzheimer disease
 Sensory Visual/Audio disorders
(ACE,1998)

14. Diet & Hydration
•The recommended dietary requirements for older individuals
are presently the same as for younger individuals
•Thirst diminishes with age
(Driskell,Wolinsky,2001)
•Aging skin thins, increasing basic fluid loss over and above that
due to perspiration
(safesport.co.uk, 2010)

15. Benefits & Adaptions
 The benefits of exercise for elderly people are similar
to those of younger adults although they occur more
slowly
 The starting point usually needs to be at an easy level
 Progression should be very gradual

16. Adaptations
•Chair exercises are ideal for older people or those with
limited mobility
•The exercises facilitate movement at an appropriate
level to increase fitness without adding the
unnecessary risk that can arise during higher intensity,
higher impact activity
•Chair exercises focus on functional fitness and
improve participants' ability to perform the standard
activities of daily living.
(ehow.com)

17. Benefits of Exercise
 Physiological
 Psychological
 Social
 Educational (Avtarwellness.com)

18. Physiological
 Increased cardio vascular function
 Preserves adequate levels of pulmonary function
 Reduced blood pressure
 Fat loss
 Improved strength & endurance
 Improved flexibility
(ACE,1998)

19. Psychological
 Promotes general psychological well-being
 Reduces depression & anxiety
 Improvement in cognitive performance
(ACE,1998)

20. Social
 Can provide support & friendship
 Group exercise encourages interaction
 Encourages socialising
 Provides empowerment
(Griffin,2006)

21. Educational
 Healthy Eating
 Back Care
 Stress Management
 Health benefits
(Griffin,2006)

22. Frequency
 Stretching 2 – 7 days per week
 Aerobic exercise 3 – 7 days per week
 Strength Training 2 – 3 days per week
(ACE,1998)

23. stretching
 2 – 7 days per week
 Static modality
 Duration 5 – 40 seconds
 Reps 1 – 5 per stretch
 Mild tension only
 Increase ROM gradually
(ACE,1998)

24. Aerobic Exercise
 3 – 7 days per week
 40% - 85% VO2 MAX
 15 – 60 minutes
(ACE,1998)

25. Strength training
 2 – 3 days per week
 70 – 80% 1RM
 8 – 15 Reps
 1 – 3 Sets
 Speed of movement 6 – 9 seconds
 90 – 120 seconds rest between sets
(ACE,1998)

26. Facilities
 Type - Must meet physical needs of client
 Size – Determines program options
 Location/Accessibility – Must be easily reached
 Equipment – Adjustable/lighter weights/Surfaces
 Atmosphere – Time/Clientelle/Temperature/Lighting
(ACE,1998)

28. Energy Systems
 Phosphocreatine  Movement within sports
utilise 1 or more of these
 Lactic Acid
systems.
 Their use in training
 Aerobic
must be relevant for the
athlete

29. Phosphocreatine
 Used for rapid, High – Intensity contractions
 Sprinting/Jumping
 Stores last approx 10 seconds
(Chance, Rea, Stafford-Brown , 2003)

30. Lactic acid
 Continues from phosphocreatine system
 High Intensity exercise
 30 seconds – 3 minutes
 400/800 meters
(Chance, Rea, Stafford-Brown , 2003)

31. Aerobic
 Continues from lactic acid system
 Produces energy slowly
 Distance running/cycling

32. Skill-related fitness
 There are 6 main  Power
components of skill-  Reaction Time
related fitness
 Agility
 Balance
 In order to be good at most
 Co-ordination
sports, improvement in the
skill-related components  Speed
of fitness is essential
 However, different
sporting activities require
specific skills
(Chance, Rea, Stafford-Brown , 2003)

33. Skills
 A footballer doesn’t need to be able to ice skate.
Likewise a ice skater doesn’t need to be able to dribble
a football.
 Training should be tailored accordingly

34. Limitations
•An athlete’s ability to tolerate and •Genetic
adapt to a training plan is influenced by endowment
many factors. Programs must be
tailored accordingly •Psychological
traits
•Training status
•Diet
•Social stressors
(surreyspartans.com) •Recovery methods
(Bompa,Haff,2009)

35. Fitness
 Fitness levels in sport  Amateur
vary
 Semi – Pro
 Athletes must utilise
their own individual  Professional
fitness target zone
 Too much intensity
could be harmful

36. Overtraining & Burnout
•It is important to make an athlete aware of the
symptoms of burnout and overtraining
•This helps prevent illness & injury
•Fitness is maintained
•Performance is enhanced

37. Benefits
•If training is specific to the athletes needs then this will
enhance performance. As fitness improves advanced
training methods must be incorporated. Progress will then
continue.
•Improved skills
•Improved strength
•Improved endurance
•Improved flexibility

38. Benefits
•Involving athletes in exercise prescription
forces them to consider their strengths &
weaknesses
•Making athletes aware of these allows them to
compare their fitness & performance with others
•Makes it easier to get them to focus on these
areas
•This improves overall performance

39. Peridiodization
A planned training programme in which the year
is divided into periods or cycles often of different
duration.
(Kent,2006)
There are variations:
•Matveyev model
•Stone O’Bryant and Garhammer model

40. Periodization aims
•Exploit complimentary training effects at
optimal times.
•Manage fatigue
•Prevent stagnation & Overtraining/burnout

41. Periodization goal
•Maximise training adaptations (general and
sports specific) so as to elevate or maintain
performance potential at specific times

42. Periodization training cycles
There are four training cycles used to aid in the planning of the
competitive year:
•Macrocycle 3-4 or more years
•Mesocycle 1-3 month block of
training
•Microcycle 1 or few weeks training
block
•Training session An individual block of
training in pursuit of a training
objective
(Kent, 2006)

43. Periodization
 An athlete isn’t capable of maintaining their physiological
& psychological abilities at maximal capacity throughout
the year
 If stress is applied for too long burnout & overtraining can
occur
 Therefore periodization incorporates periods of recovery
(Bompa,Haff,2009)

44. ANY QUESTIONS ?

45. Bompa,T.Haff,G(2009)Periodization Theory and Methodology of Training.5th edition.USA:Human
Kinetics
Chance.J.Rea.Simon.Stafford-Brown,Jennifer.(2003)BTEC NATIONAL IN SPORT AND EXERCISE
SCIENCE.London:Hodder&Staoughton Educational.
Cotton,R(1998)Exercise for onlder adults.USA.American Council on Exercise.
Driskell,J.Wolinsky,I.(2001)nutritional applications in exercise and sport.Google
books[online].Available at:http://books.google.com(Accessed:30thSeptember2011).
Griffin,S(2006~)Training The Over 50s.London:A?&C Black.
Kent,M(2006)Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science and Medicine.3rd Edition.Oxford:Oxford University
Press.
Lori Rice(2011)Chair Exercise for the Elederly.Available at:http://www.ehow.com(Accessed:1st October
2011).
Ossie Sharon(2010)Safe Exercises for the Elderly.Available at:http://Safesport.co.uk(Accessed:24th
September 2011).
Whitbourne,S.(2002)The Aging Individual:Physical and Psychological Perspectives.Google
books[online].Available at:http://books.google.com(Accessed:26th September 2011).