Aging inherent in any living system, it is an inalienable property, an attribute of life, and therefore is a normal, natural process.
Many researchers believe that the most common result of aging is a decrease in the adaptive capacity of the organism.
Aging is a destructive process that develops due to increasing damage to the body by external and internal factors with age. It leads to insufficiency of physiological functions, cell death, limiting the adaptive capabilities of the body, reducing its reliability, developing age-related pathology, and increasing the likelihood of death.
Specific manifestations of aging, its pace and direction are determined by genetically predetermined features of the biological organization of the organism. The passport and biological age of a person does not always coincide. Biological age is a measure of change in time of biological capabilities, the viability of an organism, a measure of the coming life.

With various physical exertion, emotional changes, there is a violation of homeostasis, a change in the internal environment of the body, a change blood pressure, blood sugar, etc. in the course of violations of the internal environment of the body, adaptive-regulatory mechanisms are mobilized, improved, contributing to the preservation of homeostasis.

Constant violations of the internal environment of the body contribute to the preservation of its "homeostasis" during a long life.

Movement is the most important attribute of life; there is no more physiological method of stimulating various systems of the human body than muscle activity.

In the process of muscular activity, there is a tension of all body systems, oxygen starvation. It constantly trains, the level of activity of the body. The influence of muscle activity is so great that the activity of the genetic apparatus, protein biosynthesis, changes. Strenuous activity leads to an increase in the mass of the volume of individual muscle fibers and the entire muscle as a whole.

Under the influence of systematic studies exercise in elderly people, the general condition improves, motor functions are restored, vascular tone decreases, blood supply to the heart and brain improves, working capacity increases, the contractility of the heart increases, energy expenditure becomes more economical, etc. physical exercise is a means of maintaining health and prolonging life.

Systematic training helps to maintain the normal functioning of the main body systems - nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory muscle and others. However, with excessive physical exertion, overload phenomena often occur - coronary insufficiency worsens, blood pressure becomes unstable, and arrhythmias often occur. In this regard, it is very important to choose the right means of physical education, individually dose the load, and control its effect on the body.

It is no coincidence that the main direction of the “basic” health clubs today is bodybuilding-based conditioning training.
Is it too late to start bodybuilding? With age, the muscle structure begins to atrophy at an ever-increasing rate. bodybuilding is the best remedy counter this process.

However, in bodybuilding, a late start is not as critical as it is in other sports.
Recent studies (Bill Dobbins 2000) have proven that muscles do not necessarily have to atrophy with age to the extent commonly thought. In fact, older people can even significantly increase muscle volume with proper training.
The results can be very impressive. A noticeable boost in energy. Much more toned and muscular body. Energy, mobility, improved quality of life. Independence and self-confidence. What we think of as inevitable aspects of aging are actually just signs of a sedentary lifestyle and neglect of one's own body.

From the point of view of physiological processes in adulthood, functional, reversible changes in indicators of physical performance and fitness occur, then in old age, a decrease in functional and physical capabilities is associated with organic, irreversible changes in the body. These disorders occur in the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory systems, musculoskeletal system.

Significant disturbances are noted in the musculoskeletal system - articular surfaces narrow, formations grow along the edges of the epiphyses of bones, bone tissue loosens, its density decreases, the calcium content in the bones decreases, and the content of synovial fluid in the joints decreases. Bones become fragile, brittle, very often osteoporosis appears in older people

Spinal deformity appears, posture disorders increase the likelihood of diseases associated with joints - arthritis, arthrosis, and so on. Decreased depreciation capabilities of the joints, their mobility

There are changes in muscles and ligaments that lose their elasticity, signs of muscle atrophy appear - the number of motor neurons, fibers responsible for spastic contraction decreases, the concentration of myosin and actin decreases; the network of capillaries is reduced (deterioration of the blood supply to the muscles); increases the volume of connective tissue in the muscles. In elderly people, the speed of movements decreases, potential muscle endurance and flexibility decrease. There is a weakening of the muscles in the pelvic region.

With age, changes in the nervous system are observed - the balance of inhibitory and excitatory processes is disturbed, as well as their strength, which is expressed in the difficult formation of new motor skills.

The cardiovascular system. The contractile function of the myocardium weakens, the efficiency of blood vessels decreases, the blood supply to the heart and other organs worsens. Decreased gas exchange, lung elasticity and chest. The efficiency of the circulatory system becomes lower, the network of capillaries is reduced and the amount of oxygen delivered to the cells, the volume of blood passing through the heart decreases. There are signs of increasing hypertension, a decrease in maximum heart rate, increased sensitivity to fatigue and waste substances, such as lactic acid. Increased risk of heart and respiratory disease
In the respiratory system, there is a deterioration in the elasticity of the lung tissue, weakening of the respiratory muscles, restriction of chest mobility, and a decrease in pulmonary ventilation.

Nervous system. getting worse short term memory, balance worsens, the coordinating function of the central nervous system decreases. In this regard, in the elderly, there is a rapid forgetting of the sequence of movements, difficulty maintaining balance, adopting a stable position, poor coordination of movements, and a decrease in the speed of movement. In the process of aging, the metabolism changes, becomes less intense. This is due to the slowdown of oxidative processes.

The secretory and motor functions of the intestine weaken, digestion is disturbed. The body's resistance decreases. Adaptation to loads worsens, induction and recovery slow down.
All this leads to a decrease in working capacity and physical fitness (a decrease in the speed and accuracy of movements, impaired coordination, a decrease in the amplitude of movements, etc.).

The main reasons for the deterioration of physical abilities in old age:

1. The decrease in physical performance is associated with:

• limitation of motor activity;
• limiting the possibility of intensifying the functions of individual body systems;
• violation of the regulation of the functions of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems;
• metabolic disorders;
• decrease in aerobic and anaerobic productivity;
• slowdown of recovery processes;
• decrease in operating efficiency.

2. The decrease in strength is due to a decrease in the active mass, a drop in the content of water, calcium and potassium in the muscle tissue, leading to a loss of muscle elasticity.
3. The decrease in endurance is associated with a disruption in the functioning of the oxygen transport systems.
4. Decrease in speed is caused by a decrease in muscle strength, impaired coordination in the central nervous system, and a decrease in the function of energy-providing systems.
5. Coordination, agility is reduced due to the deterioration of the mobility of nervous processes.
6. The deterioration of flexibility is associated with a change in the musculoskeletal system.

Thus, in old age, a decrease in functional and physical capabilities is associated with organic, irreversible changes in the body. These disorders occur in the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory systems, musculoskeletal system.

The level of strength needed to carry out daily activities does not change throughout life. However, the level of maximum strength, which exceeds the level of strength required for daily activities, gradually decreases with age. Data from medical studies have shown that physical performance in each decade of life is 10-15% less than in the previous one.

It should be noted that the ability to get up from a sitting position deteriorates at the age of 50, and at the age of 80 some people are not able to do this. Many medical professionals have a less optimistic view of older people, namely that older people can and should do work that requires little muscle effort.

Sports physiologists believe that performing specific strength exercises allows older people to perform better at age 60 than most physically inactive men half their age.

Strength capabilities decrease with age as a result of a decrease in physical activity and muscle mass. The latter is due mainly to reduced protein synthesis due to the aging process and a reduction in the number of fast-twitch motor units.

At the age of 50 years and more, muscle tone decreases in men and women. The muscles of the back and abdomen are the first to weaken, which leads to deformation of the spine: the shoulders drop, the back becomes rounded, the abdominal muscles hang down. These negative manifestations, together with flat feet, reduce a person's height. The literature on this issue by scientific research proves that weight training has a positive effect on changes in the morphological, biochemical and physiological systems of the elderly.

According to the study, it was determined that even in 60-70 year old people who are engaged in strength exercises, muscle hypertrophy and a decrease in the thickness of the fat layer are observed. For 2 years of strength training, such people showed an increase in absolute strength (by 50-100%), strength endurance (by 200-300%), VC, decreased heart rate and blood pressure.

As body fat decreases and muscle mass increases, other important changes will occur in terms of appearance, well-being, and so on.
The aging process can contribute to a decrease in strength levels, however, a decrease in strength levels can also contribute to the aging process.

Thus, whether an organism ages or not depends on its ability to function fully and independently. Much of what is indicative of the aging process is a consequence of the limited use of human capabilities.

At the age of 30, as a rule, the peak of muscle strength is reached, and then, if no effort is made, the level of muscle strength gradually decreases. By the age of 85, the level of decline reaches about 45%. Decreases in muscle strength with age are normal (even trained athletes experience a slight decrease in muscle strength between ages 60 and 65), but the rate of decline in most older and physically healthy people is excessive because they tend to limit their motor levels. activity.

Medical supervision of the elderly

Medical examination is an important component in the choice of physical activity. This is due to a number of reasons:

• Some people should not exercise at all, or only under medical supervision. A thorough medical examination reveals such people.
• The information received as a result of the medical examination is used in planning the program of physical activities.
• A number of obtained indicators, for example, blood pressure, body fat, blood lipids, can be used to motivate bodybuilding.
• A comprehensive medical examination, in particular, of physically healthy people, allows later to detect deviations in the state of health.

• men 40 years and older;
• women 50 and older; people of any age at increased risk.
• Contraindications to exercise in the gym: diseases in the acute and sub-acute stages; progressive diseases of the nervous system; circulatory failure II and III degree; aneurysm of the heart and large vessels; IHD with severe angina attacks; frequent internal bleeding (gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, hemorrhoids, gynecological and other diseases).

In middle and old age, the following types of physical exercises are used for recreational purposes: UGG, dosed walking, health path, swimming, cycling, weight training.

The intensity of classes should be reduced compared to younger people. Restrictions are usually associated with one or another functional deviation in the state of health.

In the initial period, it is advisable to conduct classes with a moderate load 3-4 times a week for 35-45 minutes, and after 1.5-3 months. it can be increased up to 45-50 minutes. A further increase in the duration of classes is undesirable - it is better to increase the number of classes to 5-6 per week. The density of the load in the classroom is also important. The functional state during training is controlled by the pulse, respiratory rate and subjective sign of fatigue (the pulse should not exceed the value obtained by subtracting the number of years from 220). Classes should be held with pauses for rest, walking, relaxation exercises, etc. Exercises for holding the breath, straining, with sudden movements, especially swinging nature, head rotations, with a long head tilt down, jumps (or jumps), etc. should be excluded.

In accordance with the theory and practice of physical culture, classes are built in the form of a lesson consisting of three parts: introductory, main and final. The introductory part includes general developmental exercises, walking, running; it's basically a workout.

The main part, depending on the goal, includes general developmental exercises, elements from various sports, etc. the final part of the lesson aims to gradually restore the function of the cardiorespiratory system, includes walking, breathing exercises, relaxation exercises, stretching, etc.

physical fatigue

Prolonged and intense muscle loads lead to a temporary decrease in the physical performance of the body - fatigue. The process of fatigue primarily affects the central nervous system, then the neuromuscular junction, and lastly the muscle. So, people who have recently lost an arm or leg feel their presence for a long time. Performing mental work with the missing limb, they soon declared their fatigue. This proves that fatigue processes develop in the central nervous system, since no muscular work was performed.

Fatigue is a normal physiological process developed to protect physiological systems from systematic overwork, which is a pathological process and leads to a breakdown in the activity of the nervous and other physiological systems of the body. Rational rest quickly contributes to the restoration of working capacity. After physical work, it is useful to change the type of activity, since complete rest slowly restores strength.

Development of the muscular system

The muscular system of a child undergoes significant structural and functional changes in the process of ontogenesis. The formation of muscle cells and the formation of muscles as structural units of the muscular system occurs heterochronously. The process of "rough" muscle formation ends by the 7-8th week of prenatal development. At this stage, irritation of the skin receptors already causes response motor reactions of the fetus, which indicates the establishment of a functional relationship between tactile reception and the muscular system. In the following months, the functional maturation of muscle cells is intensively associated with an increase in the number of myofibrils and their thickness. After birth, the maturation of muscle tissue continues. Muscle mass grows mainly due to an increase in the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of muscle fibers, and not the number of myofibrils, the total number of which increases slightly (about 10%). In particular, intensive fiber growth is observed up to 7 years and in the puberty period. Starting from the age of 14-15, the microstructure of muscle tissue practically does not differ from that of an adult. However, the thickening of muscle fibers can last up to 30-35 years.

First, those skeletal muscles develop that are necessary for the normal functioning of the child's body at this age stage. The development of the muscles of the upper extremities usually precedes the development of the muscles of the lower extremities. Larger muscles are always formed before small ones. For example, the muscles of the shoulder and forearm are formed faster than the small muscles of the hand. In a one-year-old baby, the muscles of the arms and shoulder girdle are better developed than the muscles of the pelvis and legs. The muscles of the hands develop especially intensively at the age of 6-7 years. The total muscle mass increases rapidly during puberty: in boys - at 13-14 years old, and in girls - at 11-12.

In table. 2.1 shows data characterizing the mass of skeletal muscles in the process of postnatal development of children and adolescents.

Table 2.1

Increase in skeletal muscle mass with age

The functional properties of muscles also change significantly in the process of ontogenesis. Excitability, lability, contractility and speed of excitation of muscle fibers increase, muscle tone changes. The newborn has an increased muscle tone, and the tone of the muscles that cause flexion of the limbs prevails over the tone of the extensor muscles. As a result, the arms and legs of infants are more likely to be bent. Intensive development and increase in extensor tone, characteristic of an adult organism, occur by the age of 5. In children, the ability of muscles to relax is poorly expressed, which increases with age. This is usually associated with stiffness of movements in children and adolescents. Only after 15 years the movements become more plastic.

In the process of development of the musculoskeletal system, the motor qualities of the muscles change: speed, strength, agility, flexibility and endurance. Their development occurs unevenly (heterochronously) and depends on the functional state of the body and training. For the development of each quality, there are certain sensitive (sensitive) periods of individual development, when the maximum increase can be obtained. The individual feature of the formation of motor qualities and their manifestation are largely due to the genetic program. First of all, speed and dexterity of movements develop. The speed (speed) of movements is characterized by the number of movements that a person is able to perform per unit of time. The speed is determined by three indicators: the speed of a single movement, the time of the motor reaction and the frequency of movements. From a physiological point of view, the development of speed is due to the following factors:

rami: lability (functional mobility) of nerve centers and skeletal muscles, their energy supply and the ratio of fast and slow fibers. Lability is the limiting rhythm of impulses that the nerve centers are able to reproduce per unit time, which depends on the mutual transition of excitation and inhibition in the motor centers of the cortex and in the working muscles. Energy supply of movements is carried out due to the energy of anaerobic splitting of muscle phosphagens (ATP and creatine phosphate), as the fastest energy mechanism. The ratio of fast (white) muscle fibers, in which mainly anaerobic breakdown of phosphagens occurs, and slow (red), in which aerobic oxidation of carbohydrates occurs, is genetically programmed to a certain extent, although it may vary depending on the nature of physical activity.

The speed of a single movement increases significantly in children from 4-5 years old and by the age of 13-14 reaches the level of an adult. By the age of 13-14, the time of a simple motor reaction reaches the level of an adult, which is determined by the speed of physiological processes in the neuromuscular apparatus. The maximum voluntary frequency of movements increases from 7 to 13 years old, and in boys at 7-10 years old it is higher than in girls, and at 13-14 years old the frequency of movements of girls exceeds this indicator in boys. Finally, the maximum frequency of movements in a given rhythm also increases sharply at 7–9 years of age. The greatest increase in speed as a result of training is observed in children from 9 to 12 years old.

Until the age of 13-14, the development of dexterity is mainly completed, which is associated with the ability of children and adolescents to carry out accurate, coordinated and fast movements. Consequently, dexterity is associated, firstly, with the spatial accuracy of movements, secondly, with temporal accuracy, and thirdly, with the speed of solving complex motor tasks. The development of dexterity, starting from 3-4 years old, is rapidly improving in the first and second childhood, which is facilitated by the good elasticity of muscle fibers and ligamentous apparatus in children of this age. The greatest increase in the accuracy of movements is observed from 4-5 to 7-8 years. Up to 6-7 years old, children are not able to make fine precise movements in an extremely short time. Then the spatial accuracy of movements gradually develops, followed by the temporal accuracy. Finally, the ability to quickly solve motor problems in various situations improves. Agility continues to improve until age 17. Interestingly, sports training has a significant impact on the development of agility, and in 15-16-year-old athletes, the accuracy of movements is twice as high as in untrained adolescents of the same age.

Flexibility is the degree of mobility of individual parts of the human body relative to each other, which is expressed in the amplitude (range) of movements. It depends on the anatomical features of the articular surfaces, the nature of their joints, the elasticity of the tissues surrounding the joints, as well as on the functional state of the central nervous system and the motor apparatus. The ability to reproduce the amplitude of movements maximizes at 7–10 years of age and after 12 years remains practically unchanged, and the accuracy of reproduction of small angular displacements (up to 10–15 °) increases up to 13–14 years.

Of great importance for the development of strength is the formation of the bone and muscle system. The strength of individual muscle groups develops unevenly, so in each age period there are different relationships between the strength of different muscles. In preschoolers, the strength of the muscles of the trunk is greater than the muscles of the limbs. Due to the increased muscle tone and the excess of the strength of the flexor muscles over the extensors, it is difficult for preschoolers and younger schoolchildren to maintain straightened postures, so they can maintain a vertical posture without fatigue for no more than 2 minutes. In younger students, the flexor muscles of the trunk, hips and soles have the greatest strength. The strength of the extensor muscles of these parts of the body increases by 9-11 years. Weak development of the "muscular corset" causes curvature of the spine, violation of posture in case of non-compliance with hygiene rules. The weakness of the development of the muscles of the foot leads to flat feet. The greatest increase in strength is observed in middle and senior school age, strength increases especially intensively from 10-12 to 16-17 years. In girls, the increase in strength occurs somewhat earlier, from 10-12 years old, and in boys - from 13-14. Nevertheless, boys surpass girls in this indicator in all age groups, but the difference is especially clear from the age of 13-14.

Later than other physical qualities, endurance develops, which is characterized by the time during which a sufficient level of body performance is maintained without the development of fatigue. Factors in the development of endurance is the degree of formation of the oxygen transport system of the body - the respiratory, cardiovascular and blood systems. These systems provide the body with oxygen and its transport to the working muscles, due to which the mechanisms of aerobic energy supply of the muscles are turned on. There are age, sex and individual differences in endurance. Endurance (especially for static work) of preschool children is at a low level. An intensive increase in endurance to dynamic work is observed from the age of 11-12. So, if we take the volume of dynamic work of 7-year-old schoolchildren as 100%, then for 10-year-olds it will be 150%, and for 14-15-year-olds - more than 400% (M.V. Antropova, 1968). Schoolchildren's endurance to static loads also grows intensively from the age of 11-12. In general, by the age of 17-19, the endurance of students is about 85% of the level of an adult. A sensitive period for the development of endurance is adolescence, when the functions of the cardiorespiratory system mature sufficiently. It reaches its maximum level by 22-25 years.

In general, by the age of 13-15, the formation of all departments of the motor analyzer is completed, which is especially intensive at the age of 7-12 years.

With aging, muscle mass decreases and by the age of 70-90 is approximately 50% of the level in adulthood. This is due to a decrease in the diameter of muscle fibers and the amount of fluid in the tissue. At the same time, the strength and speed of muscle contraction, their excitability, elasticity, flexibility, accuracy, and endurance also decrease, which is expressed in a decrease in the amplitude and smoothness of movements, an increase in rigidity, impaired coordination (awkward gait), a decrease in muscle tone, slowing down movements. This is due to the lengthening of the action potential in myocytes, the slowing down of the rate of excitation, the decrease in the strength of nervous processes and the deterioration of energy metabolism in cells.

Changes in muscle strength

It is well known that maximum strength decreases with age. Is it due to the aging process or to a decrease in physical activity? Both.

From this graph it follows that power training throughout life remains a very effective tool for maintaining muscle strength. However, sometime after age 60, strength levels decline rapidly despite training. Perhaps this is the effect of noticeable changes in hormone levels. The amount of both testosterone and growth hormone decreases much faster after 60. Strength decreases due to atrophy of muscle fibers. It's important to note that a strength-training 60-year-old can be stronger than his non-training sons! And some studies have shown that an increase in strength is possible even at 90 years old. So it's never too late to start training strength!

Muscle fiber type and age

There have been many conflicting reports (as well as myths) regarding age-related changes in muscle fibers. However, studies of tissue sections from people who died between the ages of 15 and 83 suggested that the ratio of fiber types does not change throughout life. This suggestion is supported by comparing muscle biopsy results from younger and older endurance athletes. In contrast, one long-term study of a group of runners, first conducted in 1974 and repeated in 1992, showed that training may play a role in the distribution of fiber types. For athletes who continued to train, it remained unchanged. Those who stopped exercising had a slightly higher percentage of slow fibers. First, the reason for this is selective atrophy of fast fibers. This is understandable, because they are less used. It is also known that the number of fast sections decreases slightly after age 50, at about 10% per decade. The causes and mechanisms of this phenomenon are still unclear. So, we get that the age effect for endurance trainees consists in the invariance of the ratio of fiber types or in a slight increase in the percentage of slow fibers due to the loss of fast ones. But, fast fibers do not become slow.

Muscle endurance and age

For those who train for endurance, it is important that the oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle changes little with age (if you do not stop training). The density of capillaries in the muscles is approximately the same in athletes of different ages. The levels of oxidative enzymes are the same or slightly lower in the older ones. This slight decrease may be due to the decrease in training volumes in veteran athletes. Moreover, even an older person starting to exercise retains the potential to improve muscle endurance.

conclusions

It turns out that in older athletes who continue to train for endurance and strength maintenance, noticeable changes in skeletal muscle do not appear until the age of 50. After this age, changes begin in the number, but not in the quality of muscle mass. These changes, however, can be offset by training. In general, the identified changes reduce maximum strength and power to a greater extent than endurance. This may explain why older athletes perform better over longer distances.

Triathlete muscles.

The new study is published at www.everymantri.com. The first illustration shows the muscles of a forty-year-old triathlete. On the second muscle of a seventy-four-year-old man leading a sedentary lifestyle. In the third illustration, the muscles of a 74-year-old triathlete who trains regularly. Everything is clear!

Introduction

Sports physiology is a branch of human physiology that studies changes in body functions during sports activities and their mechanisms. Sports physiology is closely related to the theory and methodology of physical culture, it equips the athlete and coach with knowledge about the physiological processes that occur in the athlete's body during training and competitive activities.

Age physiology is a science that studies the characteristics of the life of an organism at different stages of ontogenesis. Such sciences as gerontology and juvenology are closely connected with it. Gerontology is the science of the aging of living organisms, including humans, and the prevention of aging processes.

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.

The first period of adulthood includes men and women from 21 to 35 years old, to the second period - women aged 36-55 years and men - 36-60 years old; older women are considered aged 56-74 years, and men - 61-74 years. The period from 75 to 90 years old is considered old age, and people over 90 years old are long-livers.

Age physiology as a special scientific discipline

Developmental physiology studies the characteristics of the organism's vital activity in various periods of individual development or ontogenesis (Greek: ontos - individual, genesis - development). The concept of ontogenesis includes all stages of the development of the organism from the moment of fertilization of the egg to the death of a person. Allocate prenatal stage (before birth) and postnatal (after birth).

Development is understood as 3 main processes: 1) growth - an increase in the number of cells (in the bones) or an increase in the size of cells (muscles); 2) differentiation of organs and tissues; 3) shaping. These processes are closely interrelated. For example, the accelerated growth of the body slows down the processes of shaping and differentiation of tissues.

The formation of various organs and systems, motor qualities and skills, their improvement in the process of physical education can be successful if scientifically substantiated use of various means and methods of physical culture. It is necessary to take into account the age-sex and individual characteristics of children, adolescents, mature and elderly people, as well as the reserve capabilities of their body at different stages of individual development. Knowledge of such patterns will protect against the use of both insufficient and excessive muscle loads.

Whole life cycle(after birth) is divided into separate age periods. Age periodization is based on a set of features: the size of the body and individual organs, their mass, ossification of the skeleton (bone age), teething (dental age), development of endocrine glands, degree of puberty, development of muscle strength.

There are the following age periods:

1-10 days - newborn; 10 days - 1 year - infancy; 1-3 years - early childhood; 4-7 years - the first childhood; 8-12 years M and 8-11 years D - second childhood; 13-16 years M and 12-15 years D - adolescents; 17-21 years old boys and 16-20 years old girls - youthful; 22-35 years - the first mature age; 35-60 years old men and 35-55 years old women - the second mature age; 60-74 - elderly; 75-90 - senile; over 90 are centenarians.

Especially note the period of puberty (puberant or transitional period). There is a significant hormonal restructuring in the body, the development of secondary sexual characteristics, a deterioration in conditioned reflex activity, motor skills, fatigue increases, speech becomes difficult, and an imbalance in emotional reactions and behavior is noted. Significant annual increase in body length.

Main regularities age development is periodization and heterochrony (unevenness and diversity of growth and development).

In connection with the main patterns of age periodization, a program is being built for teaching children at school, normalizing physical and mental stress, determining the size of furniture, shoes, clothes, etc. Laws of human growth and development are taken into account in the legislation - the opportunity to get a job, get married, be responsible for misdemeanors, receive a pension.

Aging processes and life expectancy

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. However, most researchers believe that aging at the cellular and molecular level is slower than in the whole organism.

The main theories of aging are as follows. In accordance with the theory of "wear and tear", in the second half of a person's life, under the sign of involution, cells, tissues and systems of the body (like parts of a machine) "wear out" and regulatory processes weaken. At the same time, with age, nervous regulation is disturbed somewhat earlier, and then - humoral. The weak side of this theory is that a person in the process of life not only wears out, but self-repairs and self-regulates.

The theory of waste of vital energy is close to the one described above. In accordance with M. Rubner's energy rule, a person's energy fund is genetically predetermined, and during life it is only spent. If we fully follow this theory, then we can assume that the lower the physical activity and the less energy expenditure, the slower aging occurs and the longer life is.

The colloid-chemical theory of aging postulates the position that cells and tissues have a colloidal structure, which is destroyed during life, forming harmful chemical substances. These toxic substances, poisoning the body, cause its aging. In order to slow down the involutionary processes, it is necessary to remove destroyed colloids from the body and create new ones. But how to do this, the authors of the theory do not indicate.

V late XIX and the beginning of the 20th century, the theory of autointoxication (self-poisoning), developed by the laureate Nobel Prize(1908) by I. I. Mechnikov and set forth by him in his famous books: “Etudes on the Nature of Man” and “Etudes of Optimism”. Along with other reasons that affect life expectancy (bad habits, adverse environmental factors, etc.), the author believed, in particular, that self-poisoning with intestinal poisons occurs due to the vital activity of microbes in the large intestine, which cause the formation of toxic substances (phenol, indole, skotol), which lead to poisoning of the body and the onset of premature old age. In order to prevent old age, I. I. Mechnikov recommended limiting protein nutrition and introducing more fruits, vegetables and products containing lactic acid bacteria (yogurt, kefir) into the diet, as well as cleansing the body. At the same time, the scientist made another extremely important conclusion: it is necessary to prolong life, not old age. In other words, he formulated the concept of active longevity, that period of life when a person retains both physical and mental strength - when he is capable of creativity.

Some scientists adhere to the theory of inferiority of somatic cells. The authors of this theory distinguish two groups of cells: a) sex - the most important, full and active, which ensure the preservation of the species; b) somatic - they give their life resources first, they are depleted faster and grow old. This theory goes back to the position expressed by II Mechnikov (1903) about the development of disharmony in the elderly. The main reason for them is the contradiction between the sexual instinct that does not die out for a long time and the rather quickly disappearing ability to satisfy the sexual feeling, between the thirst for life and the ability to live. These disharmony form a state of pessimism in a person, which in turn reinforces these disharmony. In this regard, I. I. Mechnikov concludes that our desires are often incommensurable with our capabilities, and this shortens life!

Thus, there are a number of theories of aging, each of which, firstly, reflects the views of the authors on involutional changes, and secondly, considers these changes at certain levels of the organism. It can be assumed that this complex biological process has a polymorphic nature and it is not possible to explain its development by any one reason.

Naturally, the rate of aging, along with socio-economic and medical factors, determines the life expectancy of people. The average life expectancy in different countries is not the same. So, in Holland, Sweden, USA and Japan average duration life is about 80 years. In the Soviet Union (data for 1987), the average life expectancy was 72 for women and 64 for men. Since 1990, life expectancy has been falling in Russia, and in 1996 it averaged 68 years for women and 57 years for men.

The maximum life expectancy, according to the calculations of V.V. Frolkis (1975), can reach 115-120 years. This makes justified the prospect of increasing active longevity and life expectancy by 40-50%. The English gerontologist Justin Glass in the book “To live 180… It is possible” indicates that this requires: rational nutrition and proper breathing; movement and a healthy lifestyle; stress reduction and motivation for a long life.

After 20-25 years (the end of the formation of the organism), the processes of involution begin, which affect all marks, tissues, organs, 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, the functions of the 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 the 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.

The most important physiological characteristic of young people is homeostasis (the relative constancy of the internal environment of the body), for mature and elderly people - homeoresis (age-related changes in the main parameters of the body). The most significant age-related changes occur in people in their 50s and 60s; at this time, various diseases are more likely to develop.

Recent studies have shown that with age, the body's ability to adapt to the usual environmental factors changes, which ultimately leads to the development of chronic stress reactions in older people. Analyzing changes in the body during aging and stress, V.M. Dilman (1976) found that many of them are identical. The author proposed the so-called elevation theory of aging (elevation, lat., - rise, upward shift), based on the fact that the activity of the hypothalamic part of the brain, which is in charge of regulating the internal environment of the body, does not decrease with age, but, on the contrary, increases. This is expressed in an increase in the thresholds for homeostatic inhibition, metabolic disorders and the development of chronic stress. Based on this theory, some practical measures are proposed to improve the adaptive capabilities of older people (active recreation, optimal physical activity, biologically active substances).

The increase in the thresholds for the perception of various stimuli (the hypothalamic threshold according to V.M. Dilman) is primarily due to a decrease in the reactivity of the body of the elderly. These 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. By lowering the perception threshold of the hypothalamus, L.Kh. Garkavy et al (1990) found an improvement in body functions, an increase in the phagocytic activity of leukocytes, the level of sex hormones and working capacity in the elderly.

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

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.

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.

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 aging, 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 in 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, consequently, 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.

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 motor coordination 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 for the elderly should be performed with caution, as this creates tension that 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.

Physical culture and its influence on the human body

For the normal functioning of the human body and the preservation of health, a certain dose of physical activity is necessary. Physical culture has two types of influence on the human body - general and special. The overall effect of physical culture lies in the energy consumption, which is directly proportional to the duration and intensity of muscle activity, which makes it possible to compensate for the lack of energy consumption. It is also important to increase the body's resistance to the action of adverse environmental factors. As a result of an increase in nonspecific immunity, resistance to colds also increases.

The special effect of physical culture is associated with an increase in the functionality of the cardiovascular system. It consists in the economization of cardiac activity and lower myocardial oxygen demand. In addition to a pronounced increase in the reserve capacity of the cardiovascular system, physical culture is also a powerful prophylactic against cardiovascular diseases.

Adequate physical activity can largely stop age-related changes in various body functions. At any age, with the help of physical education, you can increase aerobic capacity and endurance levels - indicators of the biological age of the body and its viability. Thus, the health-improving effect of physical culture is associated primarily with an increase in the aerobic capacity of the body, the level of general endurance and physical performance. An increase in physical performance is accompanied by a preventive effect on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases: a decrease in body weight and fat mass, cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, a decrease in low-density lipoproteins and an increase in high-density lipoproteins, a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate.

In addition, regular physical training can significantly slow down the development of age-related changes in physiological functions, as well as degenerative changes in various organs and systems. In this regard, the musculoskeletal system is no exception. Physical training has a positive effect on all parts of the motor apparatus, preventing the development of degenerative changes associated with age and physical inactivity. The mineralization of bone tissue and the calcium content in the body increase, which prevents the development of osteoporosis. The flow of lymph to the articular cartilage and intervertebral discs increases, which is the best way to prevent arthrosis and osteochondrosis.

Physiological features of the adaptation of people of mature and old age to physical activity

Age-related changes occurring in the organs and systems of the body are especially pronounced during physical exertion. This fully applies to the shifts taking place in the central nervous system. So, IP Pavlov, analyzing the symptoms of an age-related decrease in brain reactivity, pointed out that with age there is a decrease in the ability to accurately coordinate the execution of several actions simultaneously. On the other hand, regular physical exercises by persons of mature and old age increase the functional capabilities of the body and correct already developed adverse changes in organs and systems. In particular, during physical exercises, the work of vegetative systems improves, the mechanisms of nervous and humoral regulation of functions are supported, and the established stereotype of life activity is preserved. For people who have stopped professional sports activities, the best way to prevent illness and maintain functional activity is regular exercise.

It has been established that people of mature and elderly age, who are well physically prepared, successfully learn and remember exercises both when telling and when showing. In insufficiently prepared persons, memorization is built mainly on the display. Thus, the ability to learn and memorize physical exercises, and, consequently, the development of motor skills depends not so much on the age of those involved, but on the level of their physical fitness. Observations show that in people aged 40-50 years, the process of forming new motor skills is quite fast, after 50 years it slows down. Therefore, in the elderly, the formation of motor skills should be combined: verbal instruction should be supported by a demonstration of the exercise being learned. This provision reflects the general physiological patterns of the formation of a motor skill based on the interaction of concrete-figurative (first) and abstract-conceptual (second) signal systems.

The role of the second signaling system is manifested at all stages of the formation and implementation of motor skills with the constant active influence of both speech reporting and internal speech associated with thinking through exercises. For the successful mastering of new motor skills by persons of mature and elderly age great importance has a stock of various motor actions acquired earlier, including those not directly related to the exercises being learned. As a rule, people who are versatile physically prepared master new motor skills faster and better.

In people of mature and old age, it is very difficult to perform various game techniques, complexly coordinated movements, which is associated with a weakening of attention and a deterioration in the automaticity of motor acts. It is significantly difficult to perform physical exercises if they are carried out at a fast pace. In order to successfully execute the subsequent movement, it is necessary to significantly slow down the previous one. Thus, the formation of new motor skills in persons of the considered age depends, first of all, on the stock of previously acquired skills, the activity of the second signaling system (inner speech), and the nature of the central regulation of movements.

The central regulation of movements is largely individual, but its general physiological patterns in people of mature and old age are characterized by the following: weakening of cortical and reticular influences; a decrease in inhibition in the cerebral cortex, the functions of the extrapyramidal systems and the thalamus; worsening lability of motor neurons of the spinal cord and recovery processes in the central nervous system; slowing down the conduction of excitation along the nerves and in synapses; a decrease in the synthesis of mediators, etc. According to the feedback mechanism, the functions of nerve centers are affected by the weakening of impulses from proprioreceptors.

At the same time, certain structural changes are also noted in the muscles, which are expressed in a decrease in the number of myofibrils and fast muscle fibers, a decrease in muscle strength, etc.

Many characteristics of the central regulation of movements are determined by the level of oxygen supply to the nervous system. Due to vascular disorders, oxygen supply deteriorates with age, which is manifested by the development of degenerative changes in the neurons of the brain, spinal cord, and pathways. Naturally, such structural disorders can cause significant changes in the functions of the nervous system and their regulatory effects on the motor apparatus.

Changes in physical qualities with age are quite individual. You can meet middle-aged and elderly people in whom the state of the neuromuscular system has obvious signs of withering, while other people of the same age have high functional indicators. For example, in some individuals, muscle strength decreases after 20-25 years, when the progressive biological development of the body ends; others - after 40-45 years. First of all, speed, flexibility and dexterity deteriorate with age; better preserved - strength and endurance, especially aerobic. Significant adjustments to the age-related dynamics of motor qualities are made by physical culture and sports, which delay the onset of involutionary processes.

With age, the speed worsens in all its constituent parameters (the latent period of sensorimotor reactions, the speed of a single movement and the pace of movements). From 20 to 60 years, the time of the latent period increases by 1.5-2 times. The greatest drop in the speed of movement is observed at the age of 50 to 60 years, and in the period of 60-70 years some stabilization occurs. The pace of movement most noticeably decreases at the age of 30 to 60 years, in the period of 60-70 years it changes little, and at an older age it slows down significantly. It seems that at the age of 60-70, some new level of vital activity arises, which provides a certain, albeit somewhat reduced, speed of movement. In persons who regularly perform physical activity, the decrease in all indicators of speed is at a slower pace. For example, in trained individuals aged 50-60 years, the decrease in speed is 20-40%, and in untrained individuals - 25-60% of the initial values ​​obtained at 18-20 years of age.

The strength of various muscle groups reaches its maximum values ​​by the age of 18-20, remains at a high level until the age of 40-45, and by the age of 60 it decreases by about 25%. The involution of strength as a physical quality can be assessed by its indicators in individual movements and by the restructuring of the topography of various muscle groups. By the age of 60, the strength of the trunk muscles decreases to a large extent, which is primarily due to a violation of the trophism of the neuromuscular apparatus and the development of destructive changes in it.

In people who do not exercise, the greatest decrease in strength is observed at the age of 40 to 50 years, in regular exercisers - from 50 to 60 years. The advantage of trained people becomes most noticeable at the age of 50-60 and older. For example, the strength of the hands with dynamometry, even at the age of 75 years, is 40-45 kg, which corresponds to the average level of a 40-year-old person, for example, streets involved in sports or physical labor. A decrease in muscle strength is associated with a weakening of the functions of the sympathoadrenal system and gonads (the formation of androgens decreases). These age-related changes lead to a deterioration in the neurohumoral regulation of muscles and a decrease in their metabolic rate.

Speed-strength qualities also decrease with age, but the contribution of one quality or another (strength, speed) to the overall motor response depends on the nature of the exercises. For example, in long jumps, strength decreases more with age, and in throwing, speed decreases. When performing most physical exercises, speed-strength qualities are interconnected and influence each other. Training with a speed-strength orientation to a greater extent develops these qualities of a person and has little effect on the development of endurance. Conversely, endurance training causes its increase, little affecting the systems and mechanisms responsible for the manifestation of muscle strength. That is why people of mature and old age, when doing physical exercises, should use their various complexes, which allow counteracting involutional changes in most organs and systems.

Endurance compared to other physical qualities with age persists for a longer time. It is believed that its decline begins after 55 years, and when working, moderate power (with aerobic energy supply), it often remains quite high at 70-75 years. This is widely confirmed known facts participation of people of this age in long races, swims, hiking trips. When performing exercises of a high-speed, power and speed-strength nature (with anaerobic energy supply), endurance decreases after 40-45 years. This is due to the fact that the development of endurance depends, first of all, on the functional usefulness of the circulatory, respiratory and blood systems, i.e. on the oxygen transport system, which does not train enough when performing the above exercises. Regular physical activity for endurance (running, skiing, swimming) noticeably delays its decline, strength exercises (weights, dumbbells, expander) have little effect on the age-related dynamics of endurance.

Flexibility is characterized by the ability to perform movements with maximum amplitude. Without special training, this quality begins to decline from the age of 15-20, which disrupts mobility and coordination in various forms. complex movements. In the elderly, as a rule, the flexibility of the body (especially the spine) is significantly reduced. Training allows you to maintain this quality for many years. When trying to restore flexibility, the best result is observed in those who have good physical fitness.

The main manifestation of dexterity is the accuracy of motor orientation in space. This quality also decreases quite early (from 18-20 years old); special training slows down the decline in agility, and it remains at a high level for many years.

The influence of physical activity on the functional state, performance and health

Physical exercise is a powerful means of maintaining a high level of all functional parameters of the body.

Movement is the most physiological attribute of life. Muscular activity causes tension in all functional systems, accompanied by hypoxia, which trains the mechanisms of regulation, improves recovery processes, and improves adaptation to adverse environmental conditions.

The influence of muscle activity is so great that under its long-term influence the activity of the genetic apparatus and protein biosynthesis change, aging slows down and many diseases are prevented; the body becomes less susceptible to harmful factors. These provisions are well known, although they are difficult to implement.

What is the role of physical exercise for people of mature and old age from a physiological standpoint? Under the influence of moderate regular physical activity, the mechanisms of regulation of various organs and systems are improved, and the functions of the body are more economical. The latter is manifested in a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure, an increase in myocardial diastole, an increase in the oxygen utilization rate and a decrease in the oxygen cost of work. The use of physical exercises improves the blood supply to various tissues, especially skeletal muscles, which reduces hypoxic phenomena. The development of positive emotions and increased stability of the hypothalamic-pituitary system provide an anti-stress effect. For a longer time, the decline in physical qualities slows down and mental and physical performance is maintained. All this contributes to the development of active longevity, prevention of diseases, aging and prolongation of people's lives.

Adaptation of vegetative systems in people of mature and old age has quite pronounced features. So, the development of myogenic leukocytosis, erythrocytosis, thrombocytosis is less pronounced and the lymphocytic reaction is especially weakly manifested. In persons of this age, the destruction of blood cells is increased, and their restoration is delayed for a longer period.

In people who regularly perform physical activity, there is a more economical activity of the cardiovascular system, and for a long time its main functional constants remain at the optimal level. In particular, they have more stable indicators of heart rate, there is no significant increase in blood pressure, the contractile force of the myocardium, its metabolism, excitability and conductivity are preserved. These individuals do not have a significant decrease in stroke and minute volumes of blood flow, its speed and volume of circulating blood. In people who do not exercise regularly, even minor loads cause a sharp tachycardia, an increase in blood pressure, a decrease in stroke volume and general blood flow, and sometimes cardiovascular insufficiency may develop. At the same time, the maximum heart rate achieved during work in people of mature and old age is noticeably reduced.

Indicators of the functions of external respiration with regular exercise remain quite high in the elderly. This is manifested by maintaining the proper depth of breathing and pulmonary ventilation, vital capacity of the lungs, maximum breathing volume and maximum ventilation of the lungs. In individuals who do not exercise regularly, physical activity is accompanied by severe shortness of breath, insufficient ventilation of the lungs and a decrease in blood oxygenation.

Functions of the digestive and excretory system people leading an active lifestyle remain fairly stable. In particular, they retain secretory and motor functions of the gastrointestinal tract for a long time, filtration and reabsorption in the kidneys are quite stable, there are no pronounced edema, which are most often the result of cardiovascular or renal insufficiency. Small physical activity is accompanied by a deterioration in the functions of the digestive and excretory organs.

In old age, all types of metabolism (protein, carbohydrate, fat and energy) are reduced. The main manifestation of this is the excess content of cholesterol, lipoproteins and lactic acid in the blood (even with minor loads). Regular moderate physical activity increases the level of metabolism and significantly reduces cholesterol and lipoproteins, reducing the possibility of developing atherosclerosis. At the same time, physical activity, even of moderate power, but carried out episodically, is accompanied by excessive accumulation of lactic acid and a decrease in blood glucose levels, a shift in pH towards acidosis, an increase in under-oxidized products in the blood and urine (creatinine, urea, uric acid, etc.). ).

Even moderate work in people over 40 years of age is provided with energy mainly due to anaerobic glycolysis, which is due to a deterioration in the satisfaction of oxygen demand.

The functions of the body's regulatory systems (endocrine glands and central nervous system) also decrease with age. After 40-45 years, the functions of the pituitary, adrenal glands and pancreas worsen, after 50 years - the functions of the thyroid and gonads. Moderate regular physical activity delays the decline in the functions of these glands; significant loads, as well as the performance of exercises by persons not adapted to them, inhibit the activity of the endocrine glands.

The parameters of the central nervous system and higher nervous activity are the most stable and less susceptible to age-related involutional processes. Improving physical culture activates the functions of the central nervous system and GNA, hard physical work depresses them. Naturally, age-related changes in the functions of the central nervous system and the endocrine system worsen the nervous and humoral regulation of all autonomic systems of the body.

Physical exercises are a good means of preserving all the parameters of the functional state of the body of people of mature and old age. The functional state of a person in the physiology of labor and sports is understood as the totality of the available characteristics of those functions and qualities that determine the success of his life.

The main functional states associated with motor activity are considered to be fatigue, chronic fatigue, overwork (overtraining), psycho-emotional tension, monotony, hypokinesia and physical inactivity. All functional states are divided into three types: normal (fatigue), borderline (chronic fatigue) and pathological (overwork).

It is quite obvious that in old age fatigue develops more quickly, and it more easily turns into overwork. Elderly people are more prone to psycho-emotional experiences, their whole life and activities are more monotonous, they are more often accompanied by hypodynamia and hypokinesia. In older people, the last two factors play a special role, which lead to a decrease in the functions of organs and systems and a decrease in energy consumption. These physiological changes are associated with more intimate disorders in the body associated with a decrease in oxygen consumption and its utilization rate, a decrease in tissue respiration, general gas exchange and energy exchange. Ultimately, the efficiency drops significantly, especially in men. Regular use of physical exercises prevents or significantly reduces these disorders.

From a physiological point of view, a change in the functional state and a decrease in working capacity in the elderly are due to many factors. First of all, they have a slowdown in blood flow, a decrease in the volume of circulating blood and its oxygenation, and the development of hypoxia of organs and tissues. Small stores of glycogen in the muscles and liver lead to a drop in blood glucose levels, a decrease in oxidative processes and energy metabolism. There is also a slowdown in recovery reactions and the development of sclerotic changes in the vessels and tissues of the body. As a result, the direct performance indicators (the quantity and quality of the work performed) and its indirect criteria (clinical-physiological, biochemical and psychophysiological) decrease, which indicate an increase in the physiological cost of the work performed.

The importance of physical exercises and muscle activity should be considered, first of all, in the light of the theory of motor-visceral reflexes, formulated by R. M. Mogendovich in 1947. According to this theory, motor skills act as a leading system that determines the level of activity of all major body systems. Based on this theory, it seems possible to evaluate the interaction between the motor and vegetative systems, to prevent adverse functional changes, diseases and premature aging.

All the authors of numerous methods and means of prolonging active longevity and preventing aging put physical training in the first place. Thus, the American physiologist A. Tunney, out of 10 means considered for these purposes (nutrition, smoking, productive work, optimism, love and attention to people, mind training, etc.), again considers the use of optimal physical activity to be the leading one. From a physiological and pedagogical point of view, the optimal load is its smallest volume, which allows you to achieve the highest possible useful result.

The most accessible and reliable criteria for assessing the optimality of health-improving loads are heart rate and % of the IPC (oxygen consumption level). Currently, there are ambiguous opinions on the value of these constants, but it is fundamentally important that all authors recommend taking into account the age, fitness level and state of health of a person. If we summarize the data of most experts in this field, we can recommend the average heart rate for individuals different ages when doing health-improving physical culture. So, for people under the age of 20, loads are recommended at a heart rate of no more than 140 beats per minute, 30-year-olds up to 130, 40-year-olds up to 125, 50-year-olds up to 120, and 60-year-olds and older - up to 100 -110 beats per minute. When performing special physical exercises, health-improving walking and running, oxygen consumption in the elderly should be 50-60% of the IPC, in younger people this value can reach 60-75%.

The role and importance of physical culture in maintaining health, preventing premature aging and prolonging active longevity are determined by a number of physiological changes in people who regularly perform recommended physical activity. In such people, the oxygenation of blood, organs and tissues improves, regional hypoxia is prevented, the level of metabolism and the excretion of end products of metabolism from the body increase. These individuals remain at a high level of protein biosynthesis, enzymes and hormones, which significantly slows down the aging process. Prevention of coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis and obesity is due to a decrease in cholesterol and lipoprotein levels with sufficient muscle loads. The latter, by increasing the functional activity of the muscles (“muscle pump” or “peripheral hearts”, according to N. I. Arinchin), improve the activity of the cardiovascular system. Regulatory and adaptive mechanisms, the activity of the immune system are preserved and improved, and ultimately the body's resistance to the effects of adverse environmental factors increases, the possibility of a number of diseases decreases, and mental and physical performance is preserved.

Conclusion

1. 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.

1. 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. It can be assumed that this complex biological process has a polymorphic nature and it is not possible to explain its development by any one reason.
2. 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 the lifestyle, nutritional 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.
3. Adequate physical activity can largely stop age-related changes in various body functions. An increase in physical performance is accompanied by a preventive effect on risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. In addition, regular physical training can significantly slow down the development of age-related changes in physiological functions, as well as degenerative changes in various organs and systems.
4. Physical exercise and related changes in functions and emotional reactions have a positive effect on the body of people of mature and old age. most brightly positive influence manifests itself when the nature, volume, rhythm, intensity and other qualities of exercises are established taking into account the fitness, personal characteristics and functional state of those involved. At the same time, physical activity should ensure the correction of age-related disorders and the prevention of pathological changes in the body.

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Most common manifestation function of movement is the performance of muscles, which underlies the age-related evolution of various motor qualities that determine the interaction of the body with the environment.

Let me remind you that under physical performance refers to the potential ability of a person to show maximum physical effort in static, dynamic or mixed work. The study of the age characteristics of the value of this indicator in children of primary school age is significantly difficult, since the main method of registering the level of physical performance requires a certain level of physical development. Therefore, reliable data on changes in muscle performance relate almost exclusively to children older than 6-7 years.

Systematic studies of changes in muscle performance in children aged 7 to 18 years show that with age, the work performed by the child on the ergograph increases within 1 minute, and the increase in the amount of work changes unevenly in different age periods. There are certain features that characterize the process of growth and development of the child.

So, for example, the amplitude of ergograms is characterized by a decrease (distinct) in the period from 7 -9 to 10 -12 years, which is then replaced by a gradual increase. A pronounced decrease in the total bioelectrical activity of the muscles is found, that is, with age, the use of nervous tension by the muscles improves.

The nature of bioelectrical activity also changes. If in children of 7-9 years old bursts of impulses are not clearly expressed, incessant electrical activity is often noted, then as the child grows and develops, areas of increased activity are increasingly separated by intervals during which biopotentials are not recorded. This indicates that the level of functioning of the motor apparatus increases with age.

As the child grows and develops, there is a concentration of nervous processes and an increase in muscle lability.

One of the important characteristics of muscle performance is its recovery after exercise. The study of this issue is not only of purely theoretical interest, but is also of great practical importance for substantiating a rational mode of activity and rest.

As the body ages, muscle performance decreases. Most general characteristics The age evolution of motor activity of muscles can be given by studying the degree of development of motor qualities: strength, speed, endurance.

Age variability muscles.

Speed ​​of movement

Endurance

Muscle coordination

Muscle strength indicators in different age periods

The development of strength in ontogenesis is characterized by unevenness, which is found when comparing the increase in strength of any one muscle or group of muscles in different periods of time.

The most systematic studies in this regard belong to Korobkov (1962), who studied the strength of flexion and extension movements of the fingers, hands, forearms, shoulders, etc.

It was shown that the general pattern of changes in maximum muscle strength with age is the predominance of the functions of the extensor of the lower extremities over the function of the flexors.

The increase in strength in ontogenesis is expressed differently for different muscle groups.

From the age of 6-7, the strength of the muscles that flex the trunk, thigh, as well as the muscles that perform plantar flexion of the foot develops most significantly.

At 9-11 years old, the picture changes somewhat. For the muscles of the arm, the strength indicators become the largest when moving the shoulder and the smallest - with the hand. Significantly increases the strength of the muscles that extend the trunk and thigh.

At the age of 13-14, this ratio changes again, the strength of the muscles that perform the extension of the trunk, hip and plantar extension of the foot increases again.

And only by the age of 16-17, the formation of that ratio of muscle strength, typical for an adult, is completed.

In the period after 50 years, this ratio changes again.

The intensity of development of muscle strength depends on gender. As they grow and develop, the differences between the indicators of muscle strength in boys and girls become more and more pronounced. At primary school age (7-9 years old), boys and girls have the same strength of most muscle groups.

In girls, by the age of 7-9, the strength of the muscles that extend the body is lower than in boys, but by the age of 10-12, girls' body strength increases so intensively that they become both relatively and absolutely stronger than boys.

After this, the predominant development of strength in boys leads, by the end of puberty, to a significant predominance of muscle strength over muscle strength in girls.

The calculation of the maximum force per 1 kg of body weight allows us to evaluate the perfection of nervous regulation, chemistry and muscle structure. It is noted that at the age of 4-5 to 6-7 years, the increase in maximum strength is almost not accompanied by changes in its relative index. The reason for this growth is the imperfection of nervous regulation and the functional immaturity of motor neurons, which do not allow effective mobilization of the muscle mass increased by this age.

In the future, after the age of 6-7 to 9-11 years, for a number of muscles, the increase in relative strength becomes especially noticeable. At this time, there are rapid rates of improvement in the nervous regulation of voluntary muscle activity, as well as changes in the biochemical and histological structure of the muscles. This position is confirmed by the fact that in the age period from 4 to 30 years muscle mass increases by 8 times, and muscle strength by 9-14 times.

Speed ​​of movement

Speed ​​of movement characterizes the ability to perform various activities in the shortest period of time.

The development of this quality is determined by the state of the motor apparatus itself and the activity of the central innervation mechanisms, that is, a high level of speed of movement is closely related to the mobility and balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition. With age, the speed of movement increases.

Determining this indicator by the maximum frequency of revolutions of the bicycle ergometer pedals, it was possible to establish that the greatest development of this quality is achieved in children aged 14-15.

The speed of movement is closely related to other qualities - strength and endurance. It is noteworthy that the maximum rates of pedaling speed depend on the resistance to pedaling, since an increase in the load applied in the exercise led to a shift in the maximum speed values ​​towards older ages.

The same picture was also found with an increase in the duration of pedaling, that is, when the subjects were required to show greater endurance.

Thus, the speed of movements at different stages of ontogenesis depends on the degree of functional development of nerve centers and peripheral nerves, which ultimately determines the rate of transmission of excitation from neurons to muscle units.

Studies have shown that the speed of impulse conduction in the fibers of peripheral motor nerves reaches the values ​​of adults by the age of 5. This position is confirmed by histological data showing that the structure of the fibers of the anterior spinal roots in humans begins to correspond to the structure of the adult organism between 2 and 5 years, and the fibers of the posterior roots - between 5 and 9 years.

Endurance

Endurance is the ability to continue working when fatigue develops. But despite the great practical importance of clarifying the age-related features of the development of endurance, the development of this aspect of motor qualities is the least studied.

Some of the data presented in Fig. 30 indicate that static endurance (as measured by the time the hand grips a wrist dynamometer at half its maximum force) increases significantly with age.

For example, in 17-year-old boys, endurance was 2 times higher than in seven-year-olds, and reaching the adult level occurs only at 20-29 years old. By old age, endurance decreases by about 4 times.

It is noteworthy that in different age periods, endurance does not depend on the development of strength. If the greatest increase in strength is observed at the age of 15-17, then the maximum increase in endurance occurs at the age of 7-10 years, that is, with the rapid development of strength, the development of endurance slows down.

Rice. 30. Maximum grip force of the right hand (Leonova, Garcia, 1986).