Abstract
A Master athlete is defined as one who is 35 years of age or older, participating in competitive sports. Often in elite physical shape and stamina, Masters athletes are still subject to the inevitable changes of aging: sarcopenia and the loss of function associated with it, cardiopulmonary decline, and hormonal changes. This chapter evaluates the aging process as it pertains to the Masters athlete, determines differences and similarities among the athlete and the average aging adult, and ascertains deficiencies in the available research on this subject. In this review, we describe changes in peak endurance and strength exercise performance with advancing age as well as physiological and biomechanical factors responsible for those changes.