Veteran athletes can have unique sports questions. What are common osteoarthritis symptoms? What are good workout routines for knee injuries? What’s there to do about running and shin pain? These articles handle nutrition tips, how to deal with periodisation, and much more… To browse our library of free sports training articles, browse using the categories on the left or use the search box.

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Veterans

Articles

We'll pay you to ask questions

Got a question about sport? We'll pay you to ask it, and pay more to answer others' questions!

Peak Performance Launches Olympics 2008 Blog

Telling Non-Olympians how to do it too!

Rowing Training for Veterans

Masters rowing – don’t fear the reaper!

osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis: What happens when you hang up your sports kit - for good?

female athlete triad

Female athlete triad: Most elite athletes at risk of 'triad'

knee injuries women

Women's knee injuries

fitness and memory

Fitness and memory - How fitness improves memory in mid-life

degenerative joints | veteran athletes

Degenerative joints - The best foods and supplements to protect your joints from age-related degeneration

fitness and brain power

Fitness and brain power - How fitness protects the ageing brain

power | endurance | veterans

Power v endurance: what goes first in the ageing stakes?

speed | age | sprint training

Speed and age - The bad news is that speed declines with age; the good news is that you can arrest, even reverse, this degenerative process

distance running veterans

Distance running veterans - Is ageing inevitable - or simply the result of 'detraining'?

scientific training | marathon training

Scientific training: How one former couch potato found a talent and then called on the appliance of science to become an elite performer

Aerobic capacity

Aerobic Capacity: What makes VO2max decline so rapidly as you age - and what can you do about it?

Bone Maintenance in Older Runners

Bone Maintenance in Older Runners

Bone density and muscle mass

For endurance athletes, two of the key problems associated with getting older are a gradual decline in muscle mass and a potential loss of bone density. The missing muscle makes it more difficult to run, cycle or swim powerfully, and the shrinking bones increase the likelihood of injury and osteoporosis.

shin pain

Shin Pain Case study: a veteran runner with shin pain.

Dhea Danger | Dhea Benefits | Dhea

Dhea Danger And Dhea Benefits: Is DHEA really, as some suggest, the fountain of youth in a bottle?

strength-training for mature athletes | prediction equations

Strength-training For Mature Athletes: Using prediction equations to determine 1RM for strength-training older adults

Owen Anderson replies to training queries

Owen Anderson replies to training queries

Skin creams

Rub on skin creams for injuries: real relief or just quackery?

Age and exercise 2

Age And Exercise: Just a few years ago, exercise experts were certain about one thing: once endurance athletes reached the age of 35, there was no turning back. At 35, aerobic capacity began a steady decline, slow at first, but picking up momentum once athletes reached their mid-forties and then plunging out of control at about the age of 60. It was believed that very little could be done to alter this unremitting loss of fitness

Humidity | performance

Humidity and Performance

Phosphates

Phosphates: Can phosphates fuel your exercise?

Creatine

Creatine: Sedentary elderly gain most from creatine supplementation

Performance secrets

Performance Secrets: This new research suggests that sometimes the most important thing is what you DON'T do.

Personal experience: longevity

" I am now running, at 59, the sort of times I was running as a 19-year-old National Serviceman" .

Report on blood lactate 2

Report On Blood Lactate 2: Things your mother forgot to tell you about blood lactate

Age and fat

Age And Fat: As you get older, do you have to get fatter?

stitch pain running

Stitch Pain - The biggest pain for athletes

Periodisation 2

Periodisation

Aerobic training

Do the young respond more effectively to aerobic training? Don't you believe it. We hear it all the time: old people can't respond to training as young people do.

Age and exercise 1

Age And Exercise: Just a few years ago, exercise experts were certain about one thing: once endurance athletes reached the age of 35, there was no turning back. At 35, aerobic capacity began a steady decline, slow at first, but picking up momentum once athletes reached their mid-forties and then plunging out of control at about the age of 60. It was believed that very little could be done to alter this unremitting loss of fitness

Veteran runners, foot speed

Veteran Runners: improve your foot speed

Nutritional tips

Nutritional Tips: A quick sampling of health & fitness boosters from PP's library of research.

Footballers head injuries | Brain Damage

Young Footballers Show No Signs of Brain Damage

Keeping cool

Keeping Cool: These nine warm-weather training tips might save your life

Age related training

Age related training - To limit the effects of time,you must choose the right workouts.

personal bests

Personal Bests: These are the changes to concentrate on if you want to produce more PBs.

Strength and endurance

Strength And Endurance

Running style: Why older runners need protection

How your age should affect your running style.

Questions

Lack of answers

There's a lack of answers on these forums. Could the community please get involved...

Summary of 800meter training program used by Steve Prefontaine

I have been told that Steve Prefontaine used a unique traing appraoch to train for 800 meters that was successfull for both himslef and others through the years.

How to handle.

I have a coach that I don't like (can't stand) to be around, how can learn to tolerate him?

How do I make lower stomach fat into abs?

I can define and shape my upper abs but anything I do doesn't define or shape my lower abs. What can I do?

How can I improve my dolphin kick for swimming?

I want to make my under water dolphin kick better, what do I do?

How can I improve my breathing for swimming?

I'm joining swimming and it gets hard for me to breathe during flip turns. What exercises should I try?

Who or what are elite athletes ??

I am interested in strength and conditioning and may get accredited while at university.

Lack of questions on this page...

Why is nobody asking any more questions ?? Nobody knows everything, so get on here and learn from others. Okay I will start the ball rolling...

Best exercises for a persistant groin injury

I am 45 years old, still play competitive football once per week but groin strain reduces games i play

Can run intervals fast but half marathon not at same level

How can I change my training to improve my half marathon timer. Can Run 5-6 x 1000m in 4.30 but can not run 10 K under 50 min. Have wrong focus on my training.

Does anyone know of any light drills for BMX racing?

Drills in particular for a young rider(11 years) and for his father who recently moved from football to BMX racing

How do you train for a second marathon soon after running one?

I ran the London Marathon two weeks ago and am going to run Edinburgh on May 25th in 4 weeks.I have been doing some short runs, swimming and doing some spin classes.

What do you think of the Peak Performance Premium area? (!)

As the main provider of information in this area, I'd like to find out what you think about the videos and the articles in particular.

Best training for a long bike ride - with complications!

I have a froend who is 65 and was a fiarly good distance cylcist. He was then diagnosed with parkinsons, which is in early stages and copntrolled by drugs.

beach body for a 40yr old

Yeah, okay don't laugh!! - Vanity is quite underated I think!

When should Creatine be taken, before or after training?

I am a 38yr old athelte who is starting to take creatine to improve my training and performance, as I have read that Creatine should be used as a suppliment for older athletes.

How much running is too much?

For a 60 year old, is ruuning 6 days a week too much. Up to last year I was doing it ok but since this year I had to reduced it to 3 or 4 dys becuase I am feeling very tired. Can someobody advised?

How much can I swim with a Tennis Elbow?

Been swimming since age 7,Competitive - short & long distance swims, was on the National Swimming, diving & waterpolo team for most of my School and highschool years.Had to stop swimming after marriag

How can I train to prevent Achilles tendinites - training programme;

I am 48 year old woman; has one several marathons and ultra marathons. Run *- 3H40 marathon. HAve been physically active my whole life- cannot live without sport / adventure.

How do you deal with an attack of "gout"?

since my interest in your organisation I did a couple of 6 mile walks at the fastest pace i felt comfortable with on tue & thur .

More distance or intensity on my bike?

I had double pneumonia and pleurisy last September which was very stubborn to go.

How do you tell shin splints?

How do you tell if you have shin splints. I have a pain in my left leg above my ankle, but I don't know what it is.

Masters training near Rugby....

Does anyone know of a masters training group around Rugby? I know that there is a tri club in Rugby but I am more interested ina pecific group for those near to, or over, 50 specifically. Grumpy

Milk

If i Drink Skimmed milk every day for a month and not drink anything else or eat anything else cept from veg and fruit.. will that be a healthy lifestyle?

To increase power to weight ratio should I put on muscle or lose fat?

I am 43, 204lbs and 18 per cent fat. I want to increase my power to body weight ratio to help with sport (fencing). Should I lose fat or put on muscle?

Is there a program out there for a player to develop speed?

I'm 6-4 220 pounds but i run a 5.6 in the 40 yard dash is there someone who can tell me what i can do to get this number down i work really hard at it but i'm just not seeing any results if anyone ca

Power clean target

I am a 39 year old 800m / 1500m runner. I took up running in my early 30`s and have settled on running middle distance for the Veterans (Masters) team for my local club.

Hamstring injury

Any recommended exercises to help get over a recurrent (running) hamstring injury that mostly causes a problem when racing.

How to cycle faster on shorter rides?

I do mainly long distance rides. I generally average about the same speed for 50km, 100km or 200km (depending on conditions - hills, wind etc).

What is the best diet for a football player before and after a match?

I am an amateur footballer but try my hardest and want to achieve what i can at this level and need to do whatever i can for optimum performance eg best training best diet best lifestyle.

Need Experts for a Fighter's development programme/ programme critique

Dear All, I compete in a full contact martial arts, and would like some feedback on the program I am currently on. I am a light-welterweight and weigh 65kg on peak :

Type 1 diabetes

I have had type 1 diabetes for 25 years (current age is 54) and have completed numerous races including marathons and ultras.

Do you have a question for our community?

PP Online has over 10,000 registered users, all of them keen sportsmen and women, including many coaches, personal trainers and sports scientists.

Blogs

Experience and Sports Performance: A Personal Insight

Why is it that an overweight, undertrained 35 year old can do the times he did as a 17 year old swimmer? And no, the answer isn't "the suit"... ---

Top 5 Sporting Tantrums!

Pressure plays a huge role for any sportsman when competing but those who make it to a professional level have the added stress of expectation brought around by the media, coaches and spectators wh

Athletic Bilbao Basque In Etxeberria Generosity!

Here is something you don’t hear every day- a professional football player offering to play for free.

Uncertainty surrounding Armstrong Return

Just a matter of weeks ago the cycling world was buzzing with the news that seven times Tour de France winner Lance

Haile Gebrselassie- The Marathon King

On Sunday evening the athletics world were echoing the sentiment ‘All hail Gebrselassie the king of the marathon!’ The 35-year-old Ethiopian runner brok

Why Programs Don't Work

I just haven’t had the time to write like before so I wanted to create a solid article which tackles a wide range of issues.

Have shoulder pains?

Have shoulder pains? You came to the right place.

The 7 Deadly Sins of Lifting

“The 7 Deadly Sins of Lifting” this is another installment from A. Jay of a series of motivational articles.

Training for distance running (and Injury)

I am 71 years of age and trying to return to running after more than twenty years of inactivity.

Drug testing what's out there a physiotherapists view point

Testing Athletes for Drug Use Why do some “athletes” try to enhance their performances on the track and field by taking drugs?

Nick's Strength Q&A!

Here is the first and not the last instalment of Nick Mitchell’s long awaited All Strength Q&A.

Are you making these mistakes as an Athlete?

Don’t get me wrong nobody’s perfect, especially me, many of these ideas came from my “Stupidity”, a rollercoaster of discovery, injuries and re-injury, does that sound about right?

Training outdoors in the UK

Okay....my whinge of the day. I don't know about the rest of you but I am getting fed up with the yobs (waste of spacers for my fellow Americans) that seem to be everywhere these days.

A day, or days, in the life of a middle aged triathlete (that may be a bit of a stretch...;-) )

Okay...first effort at a blog on this site. Not had much luck in the past with other sites.

Sports Medicine Foot and Ankle Rehabilitation

This article was a long time coming. After writing and then scraping and re-writing it is a good way to describe this.

The Insider’s Secrets to a Flat Stomach

Hey regular blog readers myself and Nick sat down and and had a conversation, long story short this article was born.

Rotational Carbohydrates "RO-CHO" ?

Rotational Carbohydrates "RO-CHO" Article by Steve Blades. It is all about carbohydrate rotation for ultimate performance.

Dont Be a "Hard Learner"!

Another great read by Steve Blades aka "Marmite". If you are not making gains in the gym or the track this will change everything completely.

You are a Beginner, READ THIS!

A great,long article about everything on general bodybuilding ,training, nutrition and supplementation as a beginner.

The Right Resolutions!

A great new update to hit Rawgrip.com, a great article for all of the new found health freaks this year.

Squat Rx Video Creator Interview

If you are a serious lifter you must have heard of the “Squat Rx” video series all over the net. The Videos are available on YouTube.

How Focused Are You at the Gym?

Sean discusses The Top 10 Reasons why you are slacking in the Gym and How to prevent this. He exposes some great Tips how to make your training sessions more productive for better end results.

How To Increase Bench Press

Finally an article created for all you serious weight shifters. C Pikey discuses the truth about A massive Bench Press and gives some tips How To Improve your Weak Bench.

haemoglobin levels and performance

what effect on performance would a 15% drop in haemoglobin levels have? as any one had blood test and and had this problem ? and what was the outcome ?

Glycemic Index in Athletes and Weight management

An article about the glycemic index of carbohydrates pertains directly to athletes and their performance.

Protein intake in Athletes

A new article by Michael Nystrom discussing the protein intake amounts in athletes. Athlete Protein intake article

Early versions of "txt"

I’m just sending you bloggies this explanatory memorandum so that you can understand me if I experience a throwback now and then and suddenly skew off into making use of enigmatic words.

Peak Performance Relaunches!

It's a very exciting day for us today, because we've had our first major relaunch in 7 years.

Write for Peak Performance

When we set up the new PP Online site, one of our biggest aims was to create a place where anyone with a passion for sport could share their opinions and experiences.

Excuse the delay

Excuses! Excuses! No, reasons let’s say, not excuses, reasons for losing the plot these last few weeks. And my apologies for it.

McCLaren looks to Golden Oldies

After the return of David Beckham, rumours are rife that Steve McClaren could recall the thirty-something pair of David James and Sol Campbell.

A Very Special Service for the Over 35s

Here’s the best way to find fitness, health, speed, staying power and personal confidence for those who’ve arrived at man’s estate (women’s included, as ever).

The Autoblography, now on Channel 4

Well, a persons Blog can be many things, a straightforward diary, a message to the world, a serial story, a confession... Anybody got any suggestions for other services it can handle?

Cannon Fires Back

Well, I’m rather surprised at myself.

The Higher Thinking, in its relationships to Animal Communications

black labradorMr Z we take as our model to be studied; for he boasts a vocabulary

Every Dog must have his Day

I’ve promised three times so far to write a blog about a dog - and now the time has come.

Nice one! – getting fit from your Sunday roast

A roast chicken dinner will show you exactly what sort of athlete you are.

The Oldest Blogger in the World

People say I’m the oldest blogger in the world, in spite of there being a lady aged 117 on the web, but can you count her officially, she just speaks her thoughts to a carer who types it in?

I think, therefore I blog

For a start this is only for people who don’t hate dogs, sport, blogs, exercise, Africans, nostalgia, therapists, books, athletes, the Over 80s, the Arizona desert  and (unlike W C Field

Videos