2.1. Participants
Twelve middle-aged triathlon athletes (nine male and three female) with no history of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, or pulmonary diseases (age, 49.42 ± 5.9 years; height, 169.6 ± 5.0 cm; fat-free mass, 52.9 ± 8.6 kg; fat mass, 10.5 ± 4.5 kg; percent body fat, 16.4 ± 5.5%; maximal oxygen uptake [VO