Life expectancy in industrialized countries has been increasing for many decades and this trend seems to continue. Currently a 60- year old male has an average life expectancy of 20 years, a 60-year old female of 25 years. However, physical and mental capacity are very variable in this age group, and depend largely on the individual level of physical, mental and social training. At all ages, regular training can increase the individual age-related maximum performance level and can increase it to the level of persons who are about 20 years younger. Moreover, many systematic investigations have provided evidence that regular physical exercise is a valuable form of primary prevention in that it reduces age-related morbidity and known risk factors.
