High Intensity Interval Training

[DGS49]

When my knees got tired of running (at about 65), I started looking for some exercise I could do to keep my heart and lungs in good condition. HIIT came to my attention, and I have practiced it a couple times a week, in addition to my other activities (weight lifting, hiking, biking). Nothing else exhausts me more, and it is done in a relatively short time.

I have a gym-quality stationary bike (Nautilus) with all of the usual measures and controls. I set it to manual operation, and it divides your workout into fifteen segments of equal time. You stipulate a total time and I set it for 21 minutes. With the seat height set properly, I do my first segment pedaling easily at about 50rpm, at Level 1 on the controls. Each segment is 81 seconds.

For the second segment, I raise the resistance to Level 3 and pedal at 100rpm for that segment, which gets my heart over 100bpm. The third segment is resting with at Level 1, 50rpm. Fourth segment is Level 4 @ 100rpm, and so on. My sixth interval has the bike set at Level 9, and I'm going all-out to complete that interval without crapping out. My heart rate is around 150bpm at that point.

At 76 years old, my 80% number is only 115, but I haven't died. Yet.

On FB I encounter a lot of old bastards like me who brag about biking 50 miles on level terrain - ain't happening in Western Pennsylvania where I live - and I think I'm actually getting a better workout with my HIIT. I'm not burning as many calories, of course, but I think it's healthier.

Does anyone else here employ HIIT in their workouts?

 

[HikerGuy83]

When my knees got tired of running (at about 65), I started looking for some exercise I could do to keep my heart and lungs in good condition. HIIT came to my attention, and I have practiced it a couple times a week, in addition to my other activities (weight lifting, hiking, biking). Nothing else exhausts me more, and it is done in a relatively short time.

I have a gym-quality stationary bike (Nautilus) with all of the usual measures and controls. I set it to manual operation, and it divides your workout into fifteen segments of equal time. You stipulate a total time and I set it for 21 minutes. With the seat height set properly, I do my first segment pedaling easily at about 50rpm, at Level 1 on the controls. Each segment is 81 seconds.

For the second segment, I raise the resistance to Level 3 and pedal at 100rpm for that segment, which gets my heart over 100bpm. The third segment is resting with at Level 1, 50rpm. Fourth segment is Level 4 @ 100rpm, and so on. My sixth interval has the bike set at Level 9, and I'm going all-out to complete that interval without crapping out. My heart rate is around 150bpm at that point.

At 76 years old, my 80% number is only 115, but I haven't died. Yet.

On FB I encounter a lot of old bastards like me who brag about biking 50 miles on level terrain - ain't happening in Western Pennsylvania where I live - and I think I'm actually getting a better workout with my HIIT. I'm not burning as many calories, of course, but I think it's healthier.

Does anyone else here employ HIIT in their workouts?

Yes.

I think it's been shown that even as you wind down between the high intensity stuff....your body is still working pretty hard.

I like it and I see some good results.

Keep at it.

Your age is just a number. You are probably healthier than many 20 years younger than you

 

[Concerned American]

When my knees got tired of running (at about 65), I started looking for some exercise I could do to keep my heart and lungs in good condition. HIIT came to my attention, and I have practiced it a couple times a week, in addition to my other activities (weight lifting, hiking, biking). Nothing else exhausts me more, and it is done in a relatively short time.

I have a gym-quality stationary bike (Nautilus) with all of the usual measures and controls. I set it to manual operation, and it divides your workout into fifteen segments of equal time. You stipulate a total time and I set it for 21 minutes. With the seat height set properly, I do my first segment pedaling easily at about 50rpm, at Level 1 on the controls. Each segment is 81 seconds.

For the second segment, I raise the resistance to Level 3 and pedal at 100rpm for that segment, which gets my heart over 100bpm. The third segment is resting with at Level 1, 50rpm. Fourth segment is Level 4 @ 100rpm, and so on. My sixth interval has the bike set at Level 9, and I'm going all-out to complete that interval without crapping out. My heart rate is around 150bpm at that point.

At 76 years old, my 80% number is only 115, but I haven't died. Yet.

On FB I encounter a lot of old bastards like me who brag about biking 50 miles on level terrain - ain't happening in Western Pennsylvania where I live - and I think I'm actually getting a better workout with my HIIT. I'm not burning as many calories, of course, but I think it's healthier.

Does anyone else here employ HIIT in their workouts?

Sounds like Specialized High Intensity Training (SHIT) to me. JK

 

[KissMy]

I do Burpees for HIIT for 5 segments 3 days a week.

I get much better results than other types of exercise & it's much faster.