Fitness levels in elite oarsmen decreased significantly every 10 years after Olympic competition even though they continued exercising three to four times a week. Their efforts to remain fit may have slowed the physiological changes that come with age but did not exempt them from the steady downhill course.
SOURCE: "A 20-yr Longitudinal Study of Olympic Oarsmen," Frederick C. Hagerman, et. al. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: September 1996 | GRAPHIC: By Brenna Maloney and Laura Stanton, The Washington Post - February 13, 2007
![[Chart: Nine 1972 silver-medalist oarsmen were studied before the Olympic Games and 10 and 20 years later.]](http://media3.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2007/02/12/GR2007021200743.gif)
