Anthropometric and physiologic profile of a cyclist -- age 70.
The purpose of this investigation was to gain insight, through measuring various performance, cardiopulmonary, and anthropometric parameters, to the upper functional limits for man in the eighth decade of life. The subject holds age-group record times for 16.1, 40.2, 80.5, and 171.4 km. Remarkable aerobic power was exhibited while cycling on a bicycle ergometer depicted by high values for VO2 max 4.7 1/min (STPD) and 59.9 ml/kg BW-min (STPD), VE 159 1/min (BTPS), O2 pulse 0.36 ml/kg/beat and heart rate max 166 beats/min. VO2 max is the highest value reported for a man over 70 years of age. To provide inference to the aging process and to training, comparisons were made with data from the normal population of similar age and with data from young and endurance athletes. Cardiopulmonary data and body composition measures equalled that for similar age athletes and were comparable to younger endurance athletes. The findings have significant implications in determining upper functional standards for well-trained older males.