title: Training principles for elite senior athletes.
abstract: Despite the passage of time, masters athletes are still capable of incredible performances. Nevertheless, overuse injuries are the most common challenge in this escalating cohort. The incidence of exertion-related cardiovascular events is also greater among older athletes, especially men, highlighting the importance of a thorough preparticipation medical evaluation before entry into senior athletic training programs and competition. Accordingly, masters athletes with a moderate to high risk for coronary artery disease, who desire to enter vigorous competitive events, should undergo peak or symptom-limited exercise testing. Training programs for senior athletes should be individually tailored and focus on the predominant energy pathways and performance requirements for a given sport. Although competition and "personal bests" are important, protection against sickness and disability are increasingly listed as the primary participative motives of older athletes.
authors.affiliation: Beaumont Health Center, Preventive Cardiology, 4949 Coolidge Highway, Royal Oak, MI 48073, USA. bfranklin@beaumont.edu
authors.forename: Barry A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fern
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Voytas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012119:Respiration; D014481:United States