Posted on 12/06/2018 1:38:26 PM PST by RoosterRedux
Exercising just 10 minutes every other day may reverse the effects of aging
Fitness marketers often use extreme language (“Breakthrough!” “Miraculous!”) to describe the latest hot workout or gear. But scientists and doctors are now using superlatives to discuss what many consider to be one of the most important new fitness approaches in decades: high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, an approach to exercise that people can do in relatively little time, but with oversize benefits.
If you ever did wind sprints in high school, then you know what HIIT is — brief bursts of very intense exercise followed by periods of slower, less-demanding work. Studies are showing that HIIT is an effective way for older people to build muscle, regulate insulin, cut fat and increase heart function. And for people just starting HIIT, it may take as little as one minute of hard work three times a week to see marked improvements.
Perhaps most exciting of all: HIIT seems to be able to turn back the clock on a cellular level, improving the function of mitochondria (the battery cells of the body). And the older you are, the greater its impact, according to studies. Example A: Robert Marchand, who turns 107 this month.
When he was 101, Marchand set a world record for how far a centenarian cyclist could ride in an hour. But today, Marchand appears to be getting even stronger than he was when he set the record — so much so, in fact, that in the past few years his peak pedal power has increased by an incredible 40 percent. When measured last year, Marchand had the fitness level of the average 50-year-old, thanks to HIIT.
Here are just a few of the other ways HIIT can improve your life.
Boost your youth hormones. A study of 22 sedentary men in their 60s found that regular exercise plus HIIT sprints on a bike increased their testosterone by 17 percent in 12 weeks.Recharge your cells. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that people ages 65 to 80 who incorporated HIIT into their walking or biking programs made more proteins for their energy-producing mitochondria, effectively slowing down aging at a cellular level.
Lose your belly. Another study of sedentary women compared 20 minutes of HIIT with 40 minutes of steady-state exercise. The HIIT subjects were the only ones who lost fat — primarily belly fat.
Protect your heart. In a study of nearly 5,000 people with heart disease, researchers found that HIIT did more to protect the subjects from future heart problems than traditional moderate workouts.
Keep active longer. A Japanese study put 696 people of middle age or older on a walking program that incorporated HIIT training. Seventy percent were still doing the workout 22 months later.
...
If you are still thinking I’m too old for wind sprints, here’s the good news: You can get all the benefits of HIIT just by tweaking whatever exercise you do today. And if you’re not exercising, you can unlock the benefits of HIIT by walking — for as little as 10 minutes. Here are three programs you can add to your current workout, whether you’re a swimmer, a biker, a runner or just looking to take a brisk walk.
Beginner
The 10-minute workout
Warm up with your preferred form of aerobic exercise for 3 minutes, at a pace at which you can speak in full sentences. Then pick up the pace for 20 seconds, working hard enough that you are too winded to speak. Slow it down to your original pace for 1 to 2 minutes. Add another 20-second effort, rest 2 minutes and then add a last 20-second effort. Cool down for 2 minutes at your original pace.
(Excerpt) Read more at AARP Bulletin
i am an overweight 56 year old gray haired man and i tried this in my cul de sac. the trick is to run like a bear is chasing you. i did. right into a couple of women walking their dogs. the look of horror on their faces as i went racing by was precious.. “is everything ok? is it safe to go down there? what’s wrong?
i guess i was doing it right, and i felt better the two weeks that i did it...
will try again after my cardiac check up in jan.
later
It works.
So an older man with a young woman is just the implementation of this exercise program?
When I was 43, I returned to college to get my masters degree.
I had competed in organized athletics from around age 10 until I graduated college as a scholarship athlete. I had always been in great shape as far as competing but never could run distances. Anything over 120 yards was too long for me.
I decided to take a conditioning class just for the fun of it. The class was taught by a former Olympic marathoner. He was a real believer in interval training.
I just did what I was supposed to do and had no idea how well I was doing until the last day of class. I ran the mile a full minute faster than I did in college.
Interval training works.
WARNING, for you older folks, GET A CHECKUP before you start something like this, I have done it and it can be brutal, but effective. If you refuse to see a doctor, than ease into this please, over a series of several weeks.
BTW, my local biking trail runs by the hospital and the funeral home...so I'm covered for any possibility.
Back in HS we did this running up and down a hill, but watching our pulse. Run the hill a couple of times and then check your pulse until it got down to some percentage.
My heart would recover really quickly - I bet I ran the hill three times as much as anybody else.
Now I get tired just looking at a hill. Might have to give this a try.
I do a lot of walking, at least 10km per day. I walked the last 100km of the Camino de Santiago and when I finished that I decided to up my game and try running. My goal was 10k on relatively flat surfaces, starting at a modest 3km and working up from there. I made it up to 8km at 155 steps per minute, which is a decent pace but not even average for a good runner. When I was running I felt pretty good, especially each time I upped my goal and met it. The problems came when I wasn’t running. I was hobbling around like a 100 year old man. Finally I gave it up, no walking or running for about 2 weeks then back to walking. I can at least do that again but I still don’t walk the terrain I used to walk when I was preparing for the Camino. I’m still working my way back up to it but at least I feel normal again.
The research. Pretty technical, so you might want to skip to the article and then the Nitric Oxide article and how-to video. You don't have to start out as fast as he goes in the video.
https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/eurheartj/ehy585/5193508
The article about it.
https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a25400990/running-anti-aging-effects/
If you don't want to run, here's a variation that can be done indoors with no equipment. It gives similar results without pounding the old knees.
The Nitric Oxide Dump
https://www.mercola.com/calendar/2018/fitness.htm
Wow! Thank you
A lot of young young young women prefer older guys - caveat - the man needs to be in shape and looking good. I’m 60. In the gym hitting iron 2 hours a day every day except Sunday. I do circuit training which is like HITT but more intense. Once you start seeing results, it’s very addictive
Steady as she goes. And make it fun.
If it gets too miserable (and it can get too miserable if you push too hard), you will quit.
It's a wonderful program and there are REAL results. But take it slow and increase the intensity very slowly.
This program will produce great results, the most important of which is that you will feel great. I have done HIIT for a few months and noticed a great change in mood (way up) and a big change in fitness.
I will add a caveat. I overdid it a little while ago and burned out. I caught my first cold in 20 years.
I was out for a week and felt miserable. Ergo, don't overdo it.
That said, you probably won't.
I am an exercise maniac. I was doing an hour of hard cardio which included barf-inducing HIIT in the last 20 minutes.
Not a good thing to do.
I am back at it but I am taking 3 steps back and planning to move ahead at a steady, reasonable pace.
This is great. I’ve been using Tabata Timing type training for weights. I can now use lower weights on machines, spend less time, and see much, much faster increases in stamina and strength.
I’ve been doing stair climber, in that my girlfriend is a hiker and 9 years younger, and runs. I will work in interval training.
This looks great.
Just had a pacemaker installed. Is this something safe for me to try?
That’s a question for your doctor.
.
That programs looks solid.
I'm not sure it is good to do HIIT everyday though like the doctor recommended.
Even though I do cardio everyday, I only do HIIT 2 to 3 times a week.
And even then I burned out a few weeks back (caught my first cold in 20 years...out for a week).
That said, the nitric oxide dump looks promising.
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