Strength training not only improves muscular performance, but also helps to increase speed, endurance and explosiveness. It also helps to prevent injuries by promoting the stability of joints, ligaments and tendons.
The role of strength training becomes even more important in elite sport in the third phase of life than it is in younger years, as the maintenance of muscle mass, strength and mobility is crucial for the performance of older athletes.
Here are some more detailed aspects:
1. muscle mass and metabolism: Increasing age is often accompanied by a natural loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia). Strength training helps to counteract this breakdown, promotes muscle protein biosynthesis and contributes to maintaining a healthy metabolism. This is particularly important to slow down the age-related loss of muscle mass and the associated decrease in metabolic rate.
2. bone health: Strength training has a positive effect on bone health, which is particularly relevant in old age. It promotes bone mineral density and helps prevent osteoporosis, which reduces the risk of bone fractures.
3. joint stability and injury prevention: Older athletes benefit from strength training as it improves joint stability. This not only helps to prevent injuries, but also makes it easier to cope with daily activities.
4 Functional mobility: Strength training can be geared towards promoting functional mobility. Training should target movement patterns that are relevant to everyday life and the chosen sport in order to improve independence and efficiency in daily life or in competition.
5. energy and endurance: Strength training can increase energy efficiency and endurance. This is particularly important when older athletes remain active in sports that require good physical performance.
6 Psychosocial benefits: Strength training offers not only physical but also psychosocial benefits in old age. It promotes self-confidence, improves mood and contributes to social interaction by giving older athletes the opportunity to remain active in a sporting community.
Overall, strength training plays a key role for older elite athletes by helping to maintain physical performance, improve quality of life and positively influence the ageing process. It is important that strength training in old age is individually adapted and carried out taking into account the specific needs and goals of older athletes.
Sources:
Fast and fit from 50 by Joe Friel, published by Covadonga