Mixed methods strength training for the masters athlete : a review

Participation numbers demonstrate that masters sport in Australia and throughout the world is on the increase. Despite this, research focused on performance enhancement in masters athletes is lacking. Age-related changes in morphological, neuromuscular and biochemical factors help explain why sprint performance declines with age. Current strength training guidelines recommend that older adults perform two strength training sessions per week, with each session including eight to ten different exercises for each of the major muscle groups. In addition, older adults should perform 8-12 repetitions of each of these exercises, at a moderate to vigorous intensity. However, to improve sprint performance, more complex training strategies may be necessary. A Sports Discus database search of the academic literature was performed using the following terms: “masters athletes AND mixed methods”, “ Mixed method training AND older adults” “Sprint performance AND masters athletes”. Literature was also sourced from the reference lists of peer-reviewed papers arising from the search above. The literature reviewed for this article is comprised of 50 original investigations and four reviews. The present review of the mixed methods strength training literature suggests the inclusion of a 20 week mixed methods strength training program into a masters athlete sprint training program may lead to improvements in sprint performance. Furthermore, the development of a comprehensive training program for a masters athlete including strength, speed, recovery and nutritional considerations is provided.