Thanks to advances in training and recovery methodologies and an improvement in wearable performance technology, athletic abilities are being maintained long beyond previously-accepted norms.
At an elite level, sporting careers are extending and medals are still being won by ‘older’ athletes. This is the same for the recreational athlete, where a high level of physical output is being maintained well into later life. Even the non-competitive exercisers are maintaining active lifestyles. Research supports the use of exercise as a medicinal tool [1], as long as it is done safely.
Whilst we can’t train and perform like younger people forever, we need to learn lessons about how to train effectively and recover properly as we age. If high intensity training and competition is going to extend into later life, what can we learn about staying safe and enhancing the benefits of exercise as we age?
As always we’re going to look at the science and make recommendations based on research,
not opinion.