Age physiology of sports for persons of mature and advanced age. Features of the physiological state of people of different ages

Health fitness classes lead to positive changes in the body systems of women who practice it, due to a decrease in the amount of adipose tissue. L. Ostapenko (1995) proposes to take into account the type of figure for the formation of a figure. The outlines of the figure are reminiscent of printed letters A, T, X, N. Having analyzed all types of figures, it will be easier to plan the content of training.

The “A” pattern is characterized by narrow shoulders and wide pelvis. For of this type figures are predominantly characterized by the accumulation of fat in the lower body - the pelvic region, lower abdomen and thighs.

The “T” type figure is defined by wider shoulders compared to the pelvis, a pronounced cone-like torso. The task for persons with this type of figure is the maximum loss of fat deposits in the upper body and the formation of the gluteal and thigh muscles.

The figure of type "X" is characterized by the same width of the shoulders and pelvis, a pronounced waist and general proportionality. This is the most feminine type of figure, but in the case of a careless attitude, the figure of a woman takes on the shape of a large guitar due to excess fat deposits on the buttocks, hips, chest and shoulders. The task for women with this type of figure is to maintain the tone of muscle groups and prevent the formation a large number adipose tissue.

The “H” type figure completes the anatomical and methodological excursion. This type is characterized by approximately the same width of the shoulders and pelvis, not pronounced, but more often, wide waist. The main task for people with this type of figure is the maximum release from excess fat and an increase in the muscle mass of the shoulders, chest, pelvis, hips, so that their increased girths emphasize the waist line and give the figure more femininity.

After 20-23 years (the end of the formation of the body), the processes of involution begin, which affect all cells, tissues, body systems and their regulation. All age-related changes are reduced to three types: indicators and parameters that decrease with age; little change and gradually increasing.

The first group of age-related changes include the contractility of the myocardium and skeletal muscles, visual acuity, hearing and performance of nerve centers, functions digestive glands and internal secretion, the activity of enzymes and hormones.

The second group of indicators is the level of sugar in the blood, acid-base balance, membrane potential, morphological composition of blood, etc.

Indicators and parameters that gradually increase with age include the synthesis of hormones in the pituitary gland (ACTH, vasopressin), cell sensitivity to chemical and humoral substances, the level of cholesterol, lecithins and lipoproteins in the blood.

Muscle mass in women is approximately 35% of body weight, which leads to relatively low strength abilities. Adipose tissue makes up an average of 28% of body weight, the topography of body fat is individual, depending on the type of physique of a woman, but mostly it is the hips, lower abdomen, arms. In women, body density is low, which indicates a high fat content in the body.

The hormone estrogen also has a significant effect: it causes the expansion of the pelvis, the development mammary glands, increased fat deposits, especially in the thighs. Last - result increased activity lipoprotein lipases in this area. This enzyme is a kind of guardian of fat reserves in adipose tissue. Lipoprotein - lipase is formed in fat cells (adipocytes) and attaches to the walls of capillaries, thereby affecting the microns - the main transporters of blood triglycerides. At high activity lipoprotein lipases in any part of the chilo micron are "trapped", and their triglycerides are hydrolyzed and transported to adipocytes for storage.

Many women are constantly fighting with fat deposits in the thighs, however, this struggle is doomed to failure. Lipoprotein lipase activity is very high, and lipolytic activity in the thigh area in women, on the contrary, is low compared to other areas of fat deposition and with activity in the thigh area in men. This leads to a rapid accumulation of fat, and reduced lipolytic activity makes it difficult to get rid of it. In the last 3 months of pregnancy and during lactation, the activity of lipoprotein lipase

decreases sharply, and lipolytic activity sharply increases, indicating that fat stores in the thigh area are intended for reproductive purposes.

According to anthropometric indicators, women have narrow shoulders wide hips relatively small diameter chest. As women age, they begin to accumulate fat, losing lean body mass.

One study found that net body weight was reduced by about 3% over 10 years. This decrease is associated with a decrease in the level of physical activity and testosterone levels. Undoubtedly, an increase in total body fat is associated with overall decline the level of muscle activity without an appropriate, caloric restriction of the food consumed (table 1.1).

For women engaged in an individual program for the purpose of body weight correction, it is necessary to create a negative energy balance, which is achieved by reducing calorie intake and increasing energy expenditure by increasing regular physical activity.

Table 1.1

The relative amount of body fat in women middle age(J.H.Wilmore, D.L.Costill, 1999)

Daily energy deficit should not exceed 1000-1200 kcal. This will reduce body weight by about 1 kg per week. This approach leads to a minimum loss of net body weight, provides a maximum reduction in adipose tissue.

In terms of strength, women are generally viewed as weaker. The results of some studies have shown that the strength of the upper body of women is less by 43-63%, the lower - by 25-30% than men. Women are weaker than men, mainly due to less muscle mass. In addition, they have a smaller cross-sectional area of muscle fibers. However, for the same amount of muscle mass, there is no difference in strength between the sexes.

Also in the external characteristics of a woman important role plays body type. Perfect option is very rare, although regardless of height and complexion, the desired harmony can be achieved. To do this, it is necessary to objectively assess the shortcomings of the figure and choose the right means of their complexion, while taking into account the proportions and constitution of the body. Regulations proportionate physique women are described by A.K. Anokhin. According to his data, for 1 cm of a woman's height, there are:

§ shoulder-0.18-0.2

§ leg (thigh) - 0.32-0.36

§ leg (shin) - 0.21 -0.23

§ chest-0.50-0.55

§ pelvis - 0.54-0.62

§ waist - 0.35-0.40

By multiplying the height in cm by the above coefficients, the proper values are calculated. In addition to proportions characterizing the ratio of the sizes of various parts of the body, body composition is also taken into account. There are endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic body types. One of the criteria for assessing the type of physique can be the girth of the left hand in the wrist area. Allocate narrow-boned and broad-boned body type. Individual fitness programs are based on the features of the physique described above.

For healthy, but not trained people over 25 years of age, the pulse in a sitting position ranges from 62-70 beats / min. - in men and 64 - 72 beats / min. - for women. When performing short-term physical activity, gender differences become apparent. These differences are associated with the response of: neuromuscular system, cardio - vascular system, respiratory system, metabolic processes.

The maximum heart rate is usually the same for men and women. Almost identical is the cardiac output at a given absolute performance. Thus, keeping in mind that cardiac output is a product of heart rate and systolic volume, it can be concluded that increased heart rate in women is a compensation for lower systolic volume due to at least the following 3 factors:

1) in women smaller sizes heart, therefore, smaller left ventricle due to smaller body size and possibly lower testosterone concentration;

2) due to the smaller body size, women have less blood volume;

3) average woman tend to be less physically active and therefore less physically fit.

Women also have less reserves for increasing the arterial-venous oxygen difference - the difference in oxygen content between arterial and mixed venous blood, reflecting the amount of oxygen extracted by the tissues), which, apparently, is due to a lower hemoglobin concentration due to a lower oxygen content in arterial blood and decreased oxidative potential of muscles.

Lower concentration of hemoglobin in the blood - main factor sex differences in BMD, since a given volume of blood transports less oxygen to active muscles.

Thus, at a given intensity of exercise, cardiac output in trained women is almost the same as in trained men, but it is achieved at the expense of an increased heart rate and a relatively reduced systolic blood volume. The reduced systolic volume in women is due to the smaller size of the left ventricle and the smaller blood volume due to the smaller body size.

In addition to the above, when building a training regimen, one should take into account the functional state of a woman in various phases of the ovular-menstrual cycle, psycho-emotional state. During this period, attention weakens, health worsens, pains appear in the lumbar region and lower abdomen, etc. Physical performance (according to testing) in the middle of the menstrual cycle (during ovulation) is noticeably reduced.

Differences in the reactions of the respiratory system between men and women are also mainly due to differences in body size.

The respiratory rate with the same relative performance in men and women is practically the same. However, with the same absolute productivity, the NH in women is higher, obviously as a result of the fact that women perform a given amount of work at a higher MPC.

The tidal volume and ventilation volume in women are usually lower at the same relative and absolute performance, as well as at maximum.

IPC, according to most scientists, is the only and best indicator cardio-respiratory endurance. In women, the BMD, expressed in mlminkg, is lower than in men. Differences in BMD are due to a higher content of body fat in women, to a lesser extent - a lower concentration of hemoglobin, as a result of which the oxygen content in arterial blood is lower. Stocks of fat in a woman's body - the main factor in sex differences in the reactions of metabolic processes.

The period of adulthood of women is characterized by a number of morphological and functional features. It is conditionally divided into the first period (22-35 years) and the second (36-55 years).

By the age of 25-30, the human body reaches the peak of its physical capabilities, after which, if you do not engage in systematic training, wilting occurs. That is why, after 30 years, physical culture should become the rule for organizing the entire way of life - a true health-improving imperative for a person.

Training at this age involves the solution of three main tasks:

1) an increase in the functionality of the cardiovascular system and respiratory organs;

2) hardening of the body;

3) prevention of dysfunctions of the joints.

Maturity is the longest period of ontogenesis, characterized by a tendency to achieve the highest development of spiritual, intellectual and physical ability person. Women of mature age make up the main contingent of women employed in the manufacturing sector. They are entrusted with social function motherhood and child rearing. Mature age is characterized by a period of motor deficit, in contrast to adolescence, which is recognized as a period of biological optimum.

The period of the first mature age, corresponding to the maximum flowering of a woman's individual physical capabilities (22-35 years), is available for practicing any kind of sport. Features of the choice and dosing of loads should be determined in this period only by the state of health, physical development, individual, functional capabilities of the body and the interests of those involved. It is at this age in the individual life of women that the processes of the coordination state of the body, readiness for pregnancy are most pronounced.

At the age of 25-30 years, and sometimes even earlier, the processes of involution of the motor function begin, which, like the processes of biological development, do not proceed in parallel, but heterochronously. There is a decrease in functionality, especially respiration and circulation.

The function of motherhood led to the formation of a number of features of the physique of women: a significant length of the spinal column in relation to height; short and wide chest; characteristic setting of the head and neck of the femur, which explains the large amplitude in hip joint; special configuration and dimensions of the pelvis.

Therefore, when working with women of mature age, it is necessary to widely use special exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. The exercises we offer are as follows: keeping the legs on the surface, abduction, adduction of straight legs in the horizontal and vertical planes ("scissors"); alternating bending of the legs in the knee joints ("bicycle"), etc. help to strengthen these muscles.

Problem overweight, health promotion, prevention of involutional changes is relevant for women of this age, since in addition to hypokinetic conditions of work and life, the very physiology of the female body contributes to the deposition of subcutaneous and internal fat in the body, which is confirmed rounded shapes women's bodies.

Studies have provided reliable data on the change in body weight with age, with the most noticeable increase in weight between 25-29 years and 30-34 years by 4.1 kg. The development of the subcutaneous fat layer can account for up to 28% of body weight. This is determined, apparently, by the fact that it is after the age of 23 that most women complete regular classes. exercise, significantly reduce their motor mode due to the peculiarities of work, family life and other reasons.

It is clear that for warning natural enhancement body weight, it is necessary to recommend regular physical exercises that are aimed at maintaining optimal weight starting at age 25.

In the period of the second mature age (36-55 years), involutional processes in the body are activated, pronounced age-related changes occur. During these years, the preventive role of physical exercises increases, especially for those who first started active classes physical culture or resumed previously interrupted classes.

The features of the period of the second mature age are: a decrease in the volume of oxygen consumption per 1 kg of weight and heat production per 1 cm of the body surface; decrease in hormonal function; deterioration of tissue elasticity; muscle atrophy and a decrease in the content of energy substances in them; deterioration of myocardial contractility; slowing blood flow, reducing the volume of circulating blood; changes in the elasticity of blood vessels; decreased excitability of the respiratory center; violation of fat and carbohydrate metabolism, difficulty in the formation of protein compounds. This period is characterized by changes in the musculoskeletal system, limited mobility of the joints and chest.

In the second adulthood, changes in the activity of the nervous system are observed (decrease in the mobility of nervous processes, difficulty in the formation of new reflex connections, lengthening of reactions that worsen orientation, dysregulation, changes in the psyche).

The level of a woman's working capacity is largely determined by the functional reserves of the body, the formation of which is significantly influenced by muscle activity. Women have fewer functional reserves than men. Women's breathing is characterized by lower lung capacity volumes and higher frequency rates. This determines the lower efficiency of breathing in women.

Special attention in women deserves the periodicity of a number of physiological functions, corresponding to ovarian - menstrual cycle(OMC). Working capacity depends on the rearrangements of body functions in different phases of the OMC: in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th phases, the functional state worsens and the working capacity decreases, and in the 2nd and 4th phases of the OMC, the working capacity increases.

In women of mature age, a climacteric state inevitably sets in - the development of biological aging. Most European women experience menopause between 44 and 50 years of age. But from the age of 35 female body there is a gradual decrease in the level of estrogen produced by the ovaries. In this regard, fertility (fertility) is reduced and various menstrual irregularities may occur.

In more than 60% of women, the menopause period is accompanied by a pronounced health disorder, which is called the climacteric syndrome. This syndrome includes many manifestations characteristic of diseases of the autonomic nervous, cardiovascular, genitourinary systems, etc. Some women complain of dizziness, headache, "hot flashes" in various parts of the body, melancholy, feeling chronic fatigue, loss of interest in life ("mental confusion"), sleep disturbance, general asthenia. In other women, hypertension dominates in the climacteric syndrome (82% of women admitted to various departments of general hospitals showed an increase in blood pressure in postmenopause, in half of them the pressure "increased" during menopause).

According to many authors, in the period before menopause, starting from the age of 34-40, it is necessary to reconsider the way of life. Main Components healthy lifestyle life in this period should be: rational nutrition, physical activity and correction of hormonal status with the help of low-dose monophasic contraceptives.

In this regard, the role of systematic physical exercises increases especially. Physical training of women over 35 years of age provides not only a delay in the aging process, but in some cases leads to the restoration of impaired functions to the level of 25-30 years, people who do not go in for physical culture.

Lecture No. 7. Age features and methodological foundations physical education elderly and older people

Plan

1. Anatomical, physiological and psychological features age period.

2. Main tasks and means physical education in old and older age.

3. Forms of organizing physical education classes with elderly and older people.

4. Methodological foundations physical education of the elderly and older people.

1. Kholodov Zh.K., Kuznetsov V.S. Theory and methods of physical education and sports: Proc. allowance for students. Higher textbook establishments. 2nd ed., rev. And extra. – M.: Academy, 2001.

2. Chermit K.D. Theory and methodology of physical culture: basic schemes: tutorial. –M.: Soviet sport, 2005.

3. Yushkevich T.P. Wellness run. - Minsk: Polymya, 1985.

Anatomical, physiological and psychological features of the age period

Old age refers to the period from 55 to 75 years (for women), from 60 to 75 years (for men). After him begins the senior, or old age(75-90 years). People over 90 are called centenarians.

In the elderly and older age, irreversible changes occur in systems and organs. human body called aging. Aging is characterized by the following functional changes. IN nervous system the balance of inhibitory and excitatory processes, their strength changes, which is expressed in the difficult formation of new motor coordinations, deterioration in the accuracy of movements and a decrease in their variability. With age, the contractile function of the myocardium weakens, elasticity decreases blood vessels, their shell becomes thinner, the clearance decreases. With excessive physical exertion, sudden cooling, strong excitement, and for other reasons, the pressure can rise so sharply that ruptures of blood vessels are possible. Reduced functionality of cardio-vascular system manifested in the slowdown of recovery processes after exercise.

Age-related changes in muscular system and the ligamentous apparatus are expressed in the deterioration of the elastic properties of muscles and ligaments, which, if the dosage of physical activity is incorrect, can lead to rupture of muscle fibers and ligaments; in a decrease in the magnitude of the exerted force, etc.

Along with functional changes, muscle atrophy is observed: muscles decrease in volume and become weak. Significant changes observed with age and in the osteoarticular apparatus. Articular cavities narrow, formations grow along the edges of the epiphyses of bones, bone tissue loosens (osteoporosis), bones become brittle. In the elderly and older, there are frequent cases of deformation of the spinal column (kyphoscoliosis).

In the process of aging, the metabolism gradually changes, becoming less intense due to the slowing down of oxidative processes. Age-related disturbance of redox processes can be the cause of various metabolic disorders. The most common of these is obesity. Body weight usually increases by the age of 50, and decreases at an older age. With age, thermoregulation also deteriorates, the body's resistance to the so-called colds decreases.
The totality of the noted age-related changes of a morpho-functional nature is manifested in the deterioration of working capacity and in a decrease in the performance of individual physical qualities. The formation of new motor skills in elderly and older people is slow.

So than older age, the less the possibility of progressive development of physical qualities and mastery of new complex forms of movements. However, other things being equal, this possibility is determined by the level of preliminary physical fitness and the regularity of current physical exercises.

According to the WHO classification ( World Organization healthcare), elderly age starts at 65, this is due to the fact that in most developed countries the retirement age is set precisely during this period, and not at 60, as in our country.

What is old age and aging? Aging is a biological destructive process that inevitably develops with age. Aging leads to a limitation of the adaptive capabilities of the body, a decrease in its reliability, the development of age-related pathology, that is, to old age. Old age is a naturally coming final period age development person. Aging is not a disease, it is one of the stages of development of the body.

There is natural (physiological) aging, premature (accelerated) and delayed (retarded) aging.

Natural aging is characterized by the gradual appearance of senile changes that develop in a certain sequence in accordance with age.

With premature aging, these changes occur earlier and are more pronounced than in healthy people the appropriate age. Past diseases, unfavorable factors contribute to accelerated aging environment, stress, bad habits.

And, finally, the dream of most people is slow aging, in which age-related changes occur much later than in the general population. This type of aging leads to longevity, an increase in life expectancy.

It is well known that most even healthy people of the same age look and feel differently. There are calendar and biological age. Calendar - this is the number of years lived, we can determine it from the passport. Biological age reflects the degree of aging of the organism, its state of health and even to some extent the duration of the forthcoming life.

The more the individual's calendar age is ahead of the biological age, the slower the rate of his aging and the more years he has life in store.

Aging is accelerated by a sedentary lifestyle, prolonged or repeated stressful situations, poor nutrition, chronic diseases, bad habits, hereditary predisposition.

Most frequent signs accelerated aging are fast fatiguability, early graying, decreased work capacity, early decline memory, reproductive ability.

Physiological differences between mature and elderly people. As indicated in the previous lecture, 22-35 years old is the first mature age; 35-60 years M and 35-55 years F - the second mature age; 60-74 - elderly;

Let us single out in the table the individual characteristics of men and women of mature and advanced age.

Table 1.

Height of men and women (according to Quetelet), cm

Age, years	Height of a man	Woman height	The difference in height between both sexes	Annual growth increase
men	women
	168,2	157,8	10,4	1,2	0,4
	168,6	158,0	10,6	0,4	0,2
	168,6	158,0	10,6
	168,6	158,0	10,6
	167,6	157,1	10,5	-1,0	-0,9
	166,0	155,6	10,4	-1,6	-1,5

Metabolism and conservation orientation is a waste of energy. Metabolism is not the same in men and women, but it is not entirely clear why. According to E.A. Arkin, short individuals expend more energy per kilogram of weight than tall individuals due to the "surface law". However, women (i.e. those with less height) expend less energy than men. They also have less need for food.

In a later period, B.G. Ananiev also notes the lower energy needs of women compared to men (Table 1.2) and the stability of the basal metabolism.

Table 2.

Energy requirement of healthy adults per 1 m2 of body surface per hour, cal/m2. h

Age, years	Men	Women
20-30	39,5	37,0
30-40	39,5	36,0
40-50	38,5	36,0
50-60	37,5	35,0
60-70	36,5	34,0
70-80	33,5	33,0

As can be seen, men have more abrupt change indicators and a shorter period of stabilization of energy needs (from 20 to 40 years, while for women - from 30 to 50 years).

The lower need for energy in women is manifested even when their body weight is the same as that of men. Thus, lower energy costs are indeed the specifics of the female body.

After 35 years, there is a steady decline in the body's capabilities, and by the age of 60-65, such physiological qualities as working capacity, the maximum possibilities of blood circulation and respiration decrease to 70 and even up to 50% of those values that the same person had at 25-35 years, even if he remained healthy all the time.

There is an undeniable relationship between the rate of aging, life expectancy and the intensity of metabolic processes. The fundamental role of physical exercises and the intensification associated with them has been proven energy metabolism in the average lifespan of an organism. The level of vital activity of the organism in the course of age development, life expectancy depend on two opposite phenomena: on the one hand, extinction, metabolic and functional disorders, on the other hand, the inclusion of adaptive mechanisms fixed in evolution (adaptive regulatory theory of aging).

Currently, most experts believe that an adequate functional load for the organs and systems of an aging organism through physical education, sports, tourism not only prevents the processes of premature aging, but also leads to structural improvement of tissues and organs. Physical activity is the most important prerequisite for maintaining the functional ability of an aging organism. At the same time, people of this age need to take into account age-related changes when doing physical exercises (decrease in the functional capabilities of the reserves of functions, decrease in reactivity, elasticity and strength of the musculoskeletal system, weakening of recovery processes, etc.). At this stage of ontogenesis, exercises of a high-speed and speed-strength nature should be excluded from the training program. At the same time, aerobic exercises should be introduced into the content of the classes: cross-country skiing, swimming, running, cycling, walking, etc.

The purposeful use of physical culture means allows not only to stop the age-related involution of physical qualities, but also to prolong the progressive development of individual motor abilities. Thus, athletes often show progress in strength exercises up to 45 years and later.

RUSSIAN STATE UNIVERSITY OF PHYSICAL CULTURE, SPORT AND TOURISM

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY

Discipline "ADAPTATION OF THE HUMAN BODY TO PHYSICAL LOADS"

On the topic: Features of the adaptation of the organism of persons old age to physical activity

Checked:

performed:

Moscow 2012

Physiological features of the body of people of mature and elderly age

Mature and old age are naturally occurring stages of a person's individual development. The processes of maturation and aging occur continuously, unevenly and non-simultaneously. They do not equally affect various tissues, organs and systems of the body.

Old age refers to the period from 55 to 75 years (for women), from 60 to 75 years (for men). Following him, the senior, or senile, age begins (75-90 years). People over 90 are called centenarians.

In the elderly and older age, irreversible changes occur in the systems and organs of the human body, called aging. The intensity of aging depends on lifestyle, dietary habits, motor mode. The less physical activity of a person, the faster, other things being equal, the changes characteristic of the period of old age occur in his body. Conversely, with a fairly active lifestyle, the body's performance can be maintained at a high level until old age.

There are a number of theories of aging at the cellular, molecular and organismal levels. Most of these theories have in common the recognition of the role of age-related mutations in the genetic apparatus of the cell.

Compared to other tissues of the body, the connective tissue is the first to “age”. It loses its elasticity. Age-related changes in the muscular system and ligamentous apparatus are expressed in the deterioration of the elastic properties of muscles and ligaments, which, if the dosage of physical activity is incorrect, can lead to rupture of muscle fibers and ligaments; a decrease in the magnitude of the exerted force; slow transition of muscles from a state of relaxation to a tense state and vice versa; a decrease in muscle volume (muscles become flabby).

With the aging of the body, the elasticity of the walls of arteries, built from connective tissue, decreases. This leads to a decrease in the blood supply to the organs, which negatively affects their performance. Particularly severe consequences are caused by impaired blood supply to the brain and heart. They are not only accompanied by a deterioration in the overall performance of the body, but can also be the cause of serious diseases. Due to lack of nutrition, the muscle cells of the heart gradually atrophy. This leads to a decrease in the volume of the heart and a change in its functional properties. Excitability, conductivity and contractility of the myocardium are reduced. To ensure the necessary minute volume, the weakened heart of an elderly person must contract more often. If at a young age in people who are not involved in sports, the heart contracts about 70 times per 1 minute, then in elderly people, the heart rate at rest is accelerated to 80-90 beats.

The elasticity of the blood vessels decreases, their shell thickens, the lumen decreases, resulting in an increase in blood pressure (on average, it is at rest 150/90 mm Hg). The pressure, increased at rest, increases even more with muscle activity, which makes it difficult for the heart to work. This circumstance is important to take into account when exercising with people of middle and old age. A sharp increase in blood pressure can cause a violation of the integrity of the arterial wall and, as a result, hemorrhage in the tissue.

Age-related changes in the respiratory system are characterized by a deterioration in the elasticity of the lung tissue, weakening of the respiratory muscles, limitation of chest mobility, and a decrease in pulmonary ventilation. As a result, the vital capacity of the lungs decreases. Pulmonary ventilation at rest also decreases somewhat, but the oxygen demand is fully satisfied. When performing even light work, pulmonary ventilation in the elderly cannot increase adequately. As a result, oxygen debt is formed in the body, while breathing becomes sharply more frequent.

A decrease in the functions of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems in old age, as well as a decrease in the oxygen capacity of the blood, leads to a sharp decrease in aerobic productivity. The maximum oxygen consumption after 25-30 years of age gradually decreases and by the age of 70 is 50% of the level of 20 years. Elderly people who systematically engage in physical exercise can perform long-term work. However, its power should not be large. As soon as the power of work, and hence the oxygen demand, increases, the body begins to experience insurmountable difficulties and is forced to stop working.

Anaerobic performance also declines with age. In old age, the tissues of the body do not tolerate the lack of oxygen and the accumulation of acidic products. The heart muscle is especially affected. Work requiring high anaerobic performance should be completely excluded when exercising with the elderly.

Changes in the activity of the endocrine glands play an important role in reducing the efficiency of middle-aged and elderly people. By the age of 40-45, the functions of the gonads weaken, their secretion of hormones decreases. This leads to a decrease in the intensity of metabolism in tissues.

Muscle strength decreases with the extinction of the function of the gonads. A reduced amount of sex hormones causes disruption of the activity of other endocrine glands. This is accompanied by a temporary imbalance in the hormonal balance in the body. The period during which adaptation to new conditions of existence takes place is called menopause. It is usually more pronounced in women. During this time, exercise is especially needed. They facilitate the body's adaptation to the changed ratios of various hormones and maintain regulatory functions at the required level.

The totality of the noted age-related changes of a morphofunctional nature is manifested in the deterioration of working capacity and individual physical qualities. Indicators of speed and accuracy of motor actions are falling, coordination of movements becomes less perfect, their amplitude gradually decreases.

In old age, there are significant changes in the activity of the brain, most often this is due to a deterioration in its blood supply. Reactions to stimuli are slow, new temporary connections are formed with difficulty. All this should be taken into account when exercising with people of this age. The movements performed should be simple in coordination and, if possible, consist of elements already previously familiar to those involved.

In middle-aged and elderly people, vision and hearing deteriorate, touch and proprioceptive sensitivity become dull. In middle-aged and elderly people, the elasticity of the lens is reduced. In this regard, he cannot change shape, and the eye loses the ability to see closely located objects well. Later, the ability to see distant objects is also impaired. As a result, visual information about changes in the environment deteriorates in people of this age. While reading and other work with small items older people have to use glasses that enhance the refractive properties of the eye.

Decreased tissue elasticity in old age also causes hearing loss. With age, the elasticity of the main membrane also decreases, which leads to hearing loss. Elderly people are particularly sensitive to high-pitched sounds. The deterioration of the functions of the sense organs limits the information necessary for motor activity. This complicates the control of movements.

The deterioration of coordination of movements in the elderly is caused along with changes in the activity of the brain and sensory organs and age-related changes in skeletal muscles, ligaments and other peripheral parts of the motor apparatus. The older the person, the less strength of his bones. They become brittle and brittle. This is important to consider when exercising. Movement should not be very abrupt. Jump landings should not be hard. Students should be protected from possible falls. With age, the volume of skeletal muscles and the number of muscle fibers decrease, muscle tone, extensibility and muscle strength decrease. These changes are combined with a decrease in mobility in the joints. All this leads to a decrease in the amplitude, speed and strength of movements. Deteriorate with age and high-speed qualities.

The ability to power work remains somewhat longer. However, strength exercises are not recommended for the elderly, as this causes straining, which adversely affects the activity of the heart.

Longer than other physical qualities in middle-aged and elderly people, endurance is preserved. Endurance to work of moderate power with appropriate training can develop up to 42-45 years and be maintained at the achieved level for several more years. There are cases of high sports results shown in long-distance running and cross-country skiing by people over 40 years old. However, these people have been exercising regularly since they were young.

Systematically performed dynamic work of moderate power contributes to maintaining a relatively high level of general endurance. Good results in this regard are given by long jogging, skiing, rowing and other types of physical exercises that do not impose excessive demands on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and at the same time make them function at a slightly increased level for a long time.

In people who do not engage in physical exercise and sufficient physical work, endurance decreases with age in the same way as other physical qualities.

The leading social function of physical education of people aged 55 years and older is health improving. In old age and older effective means that prevent premature aging and active longevity, are physical exercise, the healing forces of nature and hygiene factors.

The main means of influencing the body of elderly and older people are physical exercises, which not only help maintain the systems of the musculoskeletal system at a sufficiently high functional level, but also have a beneficial effect on the state of the respiratory system, digestion, cardiovascular system, endocrine glands. At this age, preference should be given to those physical exercises that make relatively low demands on the body and are easily dosed according to the load.

The main objectives of the directed use of physical education in the elderly and older age are to:

promote creative longevity, maintain or restore health; delay and reduce age-related involutional changes, ensuring the expansion of the functional capabilities of the body and maintaining its performance;
prevent the regression of vital motor skills and abilities, restore them (if they are lost), form the necessary ones;
to replenish and deepen the knowledge necessary for the independent use of physical education; consistently translate this knowledge into practical skills.

Features of adaptation to physical activity in untrained people

Adaptation, according to the classical definition (Chebotarev D.F., Korkushko O.V., Shatilo V.B., 1995), is a process of adapting the structure and functions of organisms and their organs to environmental conditions. There are other meanings of the term: the ratio of the balance of the organism with the environment, the result of the adaptive process; the goal towards which the adaptive activity of the organism is directed (N.A. Agadzhanyan, 1983, L.A. Gavrilov, N.S. Gavrilova, 1991). The concept of physiological adaptation is defined as a set of physiological reactions that underlie the adaptation of the body to changes in environmental conditions (or the body itself) and aimed at maintaining the relative constancy of its internal environment (homeostasis) (Burchinsky S.G., Duplenko Yu.K., 1994) .

Under the action of stimuli of sufficient strength, a complex neurohumoral reaction arises - a general adaptation syndrome, as a result of which the body's resistance to damaging factors increases. It is shown that with age, the protective effect of the developing syndrome is weakened.

According to P.V.Simonov, there are three phases of the general adaptation syndrome to an increasing stimulus: preventive inhibition, excitation, and limiting inhibition. Homeostatic mechanisms at various levels of the body function in such a way as to limit the effect external influence, prevent violations of homeostasis at higher levels (Burchinsky S.G., Duplenko Yu.K., 1994, Gorshunova N.K., 1992).

Short description

Age-related physiological features lead to a change in homeostasis, the development of stress reactions, deterioration in the functions of various organs and systems, and a decrease in mental and physical performance.
For a long time, the problem of adaptation to physical activity (training) has been one of the actual problems medicine and today - attracted the attention of researchers. Its essence is in revealing the ways by which an untrained organism becomes trained, and the mechanisms for the formation of the positive aspects of adaptation, which provide a trained organism with advantages over an untrained one, and negative sides constituting the "price" of adaptation.