Is there a genetically determined limit to athletic performance?
Former Member
In his autobiographical book The Naturalist, E. O. Wilson suggests that there is a genetically determined limit to an individual's athletic performance which cannot be overcome regardless of the amount of training. Using himself as an example, he describes how he became a serious runner several years after graduating college. The gap between his times and those of the top runners in his age group (expressed as a percentage) remained what it was in college.
I looked at my current times (three years after joining USMS) and found that I am 12% behind in the 1000 and 15% behind in the 500. These percentages are exactly the same as they were in 1978, the last year I swam in college. I know there are exceptions within the ranks of USMS, but I wonder how valid this "rule" really is.
Parents
Former Member
Very good thread Craig.
When you think about the maximum heart rate which is 220 beats per minute less one's age....the average 40 year old athlete has only lost twenty beats per minute versus a twenty year old. Basically that's 200 bpm rather than 180 bpm. A 10% decline.
Having seen some of the times in the 50 and 60 plus age groups...the theory that people slow down with age is really questionable in some cases.
Very good thread Craig.
When you think about the maximum heart rate which is 220 beats per minute less one's age....the average 40 year old athlete has only lost twenty beats per minute versus a twenty year old. Basically that's 200 bpm rather than 180 bpm. A 10% decline.
Having seen some of the times in the 50 and 60 plus age groups...the theory that people slow down with age is really questionable in some cases.
