Don't Let Age Slow You Down

Triathlete—September 1, 2015

Jordan D. Metzl, MD, a sports medicine physician at Hospital for Special Surgery, discusses the primary variables to consider with regard to age and athletic ability. These variables include cardiovascular capacity and functional strength.

According to Dr. Metzl, the stronger the heart, the more blood gets pumped out to the lungs and muscles, and the more cardiovascular capacity an athlete has. This number determines the VO₂max, the maximal amount of oxygen that the body can exchange over a specific time.

This story originally appeared at triathlon.competitor.com.