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Master Athletes Are Extending The Limits Of Human Endurance, Romuald Lepers, Paul J. Stapley
Master Athletes Are Extending The Limits Of Human Endurance, Romuald Lepers, Paul J. Stapley
Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A
Theincreasedparticipationofmasterathletes(i.e.,>40yearsold)inenduranceandultra-enduranceevents(>6hduration)overthepastfewdecadeshasbeenaccompaniedbyanimprovementintheirperformancesatamuchfasterratethantheiryoungercounterparts.Agingdoeshoweverresultinadecreaseinoverallenduranceperformance.Suchage-relateddeclinesinperformancedependuponthemodesoflocomotion,eventduration,andgenderoftheparticipant.Forexample,smallerage-relateddeclinesincyclingperformancethaninrunningandswimminghavebeendocumented.Therelativestabilityofgenderdifferencesobservedacrosstheagessuggeststhattheage-relateddeclinesinphysiologicalfunctiondidnotdifferbetweenmalesandfemales.Amongthemainphysiologicaldeterminantsofenduranceperformance,themaximaloxygenconsumption(VO2max)appearstobetheparameterthatismostalteredbyage.ExerciseeconomyandtheexerciseintensityatwhichahighfractionofVO2maxcanbesustained(i.e.,lactatethreshold),seemtodeclinetoalesserextentwithadvancingage.Theabilitytomaintainahighexercise-trainingstimuluswithadvancingageisemergingasthesinglemostimportantmeansoflimitingtherateofdeclineinenduranceperformance.Byconstantlyextendingthelimitsof(ultra)-endurance,masterathletesthereforerepresentanimportantinsightintotheabilityofhumanstomaintainphysicalperformanceandphysiologicalfunctionwithadvancingage.