Age difference in efficiency of locomotion and maximal power output in well-trained triathletes

• Published in: European journal of applied physiology Vol. 114; no. 12; pp. 2579 - 2586
• Main Authors: Brisswalter, Jeanick, Wu, Sam S. X., Sultana, Frederic, Bernard, Thierry, Abbiss, Chris R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.12.2014; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Athletes; Athletic Performance - physiology; Bicycling - physiology; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Efficiency; Electromyography; Exercise Test; Heart Rate - physiology; Human Physiology; Humans; Locomotion; Locomotion - physiology; Middle Aged; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Original Article; Oxygen Consumption - physiology; Physical Endurance - physiology; Sports Medicine; Triathlon; Young Adult; Muscle power; Aerobic capacity; Maximal sprint power output; Master athlete; Ageing; Cycling efficiency
• ISSN: 1439-6319; 1439-6327
• DOI: 10.1007/s00421-014-2977-8

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the influence of age on cycling efficiency and sprint power output in well-trained endurance masters athletes. Methods The investigation was conducted on 60 healthy well-trained triathletes separated into six separate groups ( n  = 10) depending on age: 20–29 years old; 30–39 years old; 40–49 years old; 50–59 years old; 60–69 years old; 70 years old. Each participant attended the laboratory on three separate occasions to perform (1) an incremental cycling test, (2) maximal peak sprint power test, involving three 5-s sprint efforts (3) and a 10-min sub-maximal cycling test for determination of cycling efficiency. Results Cycling efficiency decreased beyond 50 years (50–59 years compared with 20–29 years: −7.3 ± 1.8 %; p  < 0.05) and continued to decrease beyond 60 years (60–69 years compared with 50–59 years: −10.7 ± 2.4 %; p  < 0.05), no further decrease was observed after 70 years. A continuous impairment in maximal sprint power output was observed after the age of 50 years leading to an overall decrease of 36 % between 20–29 years and >70 years. Significant positive relationships were observed between maximal sprint power output and both cycling efficiency ( r 2  = 0.64, p  < 0.05) and maximal aerobic power ( r 2  = 0.42 and p  < 0.05). Conclusion The present data indicates a significant effect of ageing on cycling efficiency and maximal sprint power output after 50 years and a significant relationship was found between these two parameters.