Video: 10 ways an athlete's body changes with age

10 ways an athlete's body changes with age

1. You feel less thirsty. You sweat less, too. Listen to your body to stay hydrated.
2. Your brain-to-muscle communication slows. Practice key skills to stay sharp.
3. It takes longer for muscles to recover. Prioritize one or two tough efforts a week, with active recovery in between.
4. You're more prone to falls (yes, you too). Dedicated balance practices like yoga or tai chi can improve stability and prevent injury.
5. Your muscle mass shrinks. Strength training can help you maintain more of your muscle mass.
6. Metabolism slows with age. Though older athletes still burn more calories than inactive peers.
7. Max heart rate drops by 10 beats each decade. But aerobic training can increase the amount of blood your heart can pump with each beat.
8. Anaerobic capacity for sprints may drop. But you'll keep most of your aerobic capacity for endurance.
9. Your strides get shorter. Some older sprinters take twice the steps to cover the same distance.
10. Lung capacity may decline. The decline is less significant for exercisers: Combine strength and cardio to boost efficiency.

Guidance from the doctors, physical therapists, trainers and performance coaches at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine