Stretching to increase flexibility and lifting weights to build strength makes you a better athlete and makes the body a better shock absorber. By conditioning and increasing muscle mass, the body is able to better absorb repetitive impacts. Using lighter weights and about 30 repetitions per exercise is safer and still provides improved strength. Lifting weights damages muscle, but when it is rebuilt, it is stronger than before. You may be able to lift two to three times a week and still play sports and allow your body a chance to heal.
Cardiovascular fitness is important, too, as heart disease is one of the major causes of death.
In order to exercise the heart, you must raise the heart rate with exercise. Calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Research has shown that several short exercise sessions, such as climbing stairs, during the course of the day have the same effect as one long bout in lowering triglycerides or blood fats. Some aging athletes are concerned that playing sports will make their arthritis worse. Arthritis is a natural condition that affects the surface coating of bones in our joints.