AGE ► Objectives ► Consider the effects that aging has on the body. ► Consider further how these effects might affect our suitability for certain activities. ► Look at the necessity for age divisions within sport.

AGE  Age affects a person’s level of fitness in various ways. It is a factor that must be considered by young people as well as older people. For all competitive sport there are, age divisions usually junior, youth and senior. These exist because of the great affect that age can have on levels of performance.

Age Divisions ► Within these age divisions there are usually subdivisions. ► An example would be in a tennis clubs annual championship there would be :- ► Under 10 ► Under 12 ► Under 14 ► Under 16 ► Under 18 ► Seniors ► Veterans ( 40+ ) ► Super veterans ( 50+)

Physiology - Why are age divisions necessary? 1. Practising and learning Very young people are not able to cope with too much information – especially if it is quite complicated. They simply cant understand how to do things so tasks must be kept simple. 2. Flexibility This decreases with age. People are usually most flexible in their teens – gymnasts particularly girls tend to be at their best in their early teens. Flexibility tends to start to decline in the 20’s but it is noticeable in the 30’s.

Physiology - Why are age divisions necessary? ► Strength You do not reach maximum strength until you are fully grown. Muscle mass starts to increase in the mid teens. Up to 20 the body is still growing in bone size and muscle therefore young people should not start weight training until mid to late teens otherwise problems could occur. Strength tends to peak in the 20’s and 30’s but for the next 40 years there is loss of protein and strength can decline by up to 40% ► Diet The body’s metabolism slows down as people get older so weight is usually gained. This tends to start in the 40’s when the body also loses lean muscle mass, so fewer calories are needed. There is also a tendency to dehydrate quicker as you preserve less fluid.

Physiology - Why are age divisions necessary? ► Oxygen Capacity This reduces with age – a 50 yr old has a reduced capacity compared to a 20 year old. ► Injury and disease The older people get the more likely they are to suffer injuries which will usually take longer to recover from and there is an increased chance of disease – a much greater risk of heart disease in older people. ► Reaction Time This decreases with age – the very young have excellent reaction times. ► Skill This can improve with growth however experience is an invaluable asset which can only be gained over a good period of time.

Physiology - Can we control the aging process? ► Some of the ways in which age affects our bodies cannot be controlled such as protein loss, but some can be controlled such as maintaining flexibility through regular flexibility exercises. ► It is also possible to regulate the diet to take account of the changes in the metabolism. ► If you are aware of the effects of ageing then you can take steps to lessen them.

Age and Physical Activity ► Some activities such as gymnastics are regarded as young people’s sports and some such as bowls are regarded as older people’s sports. Sometimes there are good reasons for this but sometimes there is no real need for this to be true. ► If an activity requires a lot of physical exertions, it is going to become more difficult to compete at a high level as you get older. For activities that are less strenuous, age should not make any difference. In many professional sports there are very few performers who are under sixteen years old or who have not at least left school or college. ► Tennis has been an exception to this as female players seem to mature earlier than males. In most activities, top performers do not seem to be able to master the range of skills necessary until their late teens or early twenties. Their ‘playing career’ can quite often only last between ten and fifteen years due to the demanding nature of playing full-time at a high level. Veteran players in these sports are the exception rather than the rule.

Key Terms ► PHYSIOLOGY – the functions and processes of the human body ► FLEXIBILITY – The range of movements around a joint. ► PEAK – at your very best – the best prepared period for you to be able to perform. Examiners tips – it is important to be Examiners tips – it is important to be aware of the physiological factors linked to age, why age divisions are always used within sport and examples of sports more suited to particular age groups. aware of the physiological factors linked to age, why age divisions are always used within sport and examples of sports more suited to particular age groups.

TASK 1. What sports at Crestwood are arranged in age groups ? 2. What competitions school enter are by age group? 3. Think of a local sports club – do they use age divisions? – if so give examples?