An Athlete's Body Reaches High Level, then, at Retirement, Low Level

   When Darryl Dawkins died the other day at the age of 58, I thought how athletes tend not to live long lives. (I could be wrong, for that is not a studied observation.)
  And, I wondered if it is because they beat and pound their bodies too much, or if it is also because sometimes they quit exercising when they retire. The body gets used to a high level of exercise, only to find itself with little to none. It does seem that could be dangerous.
   We already teach that when a runner finishes a long, hard run, he should "cool off" by walking a ways. We are taught that the sudden stop -- the sudden ceasing of exercise -- can be harmful to the heart. I just wonder if a similar scenario sometimes plays out when well-conditioned athletes suddenly stop exercising.