HIIT for an old lady like me :-)

teecee60
teecee60 Posts: 47 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have been reading the benefits of HIIT and am wanting to give it a try but I am a little intimidated. It isn't that I am afraid to workout...I have been doing so off & on for years. I am currently working out 5-6 days per week but I feel like I need to get more out of it. The problem is that I have bad knees so cranking up the speed setting on the treadmill is risky for me. My favorite workouts these days are swimming, brisk walking (about 4.0 MPH), the elliptical (kind on the knees) and I do light weights 2-3 times per week for my upper body. I can't do lunges or squats because of my knees...another limitation I have. I also turned 53 today so I am no spring chicken...haha.

Anyone have any recommendations given my limitations? Also, how many times a week do I need to do this sort of workout? Thanks!

Replies

  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
    You can just do sprint intervals outdoors. Otherwise, since your knees are bad, do them on an stationary bike.

    The best way to use the stationary bike would be to start by keeping the resistance light, and peddling up to full speed. Then quickly up the resistance to a high number and continue to power through for 10,20,or 30 seconds. It will seriously burn you out, but it's great conditioning.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    1. HIIT can be fun, but it isn't necessary to shed fat, so if it's too hard on your body or you aren't conditioned for it don't risk injury.

    2. HIIT is a bit oversold on this site.

    3. If the elliptical works well for your joints, use it to give HIIT a try.

    Try this. 2 min warmup. Then 30 secs going all out followed by 90 seconds at slower, walking type pace. Repeat the 30/90 intervals for a total of 8 times. Then 2 min cool down.
  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
    I agree with the above. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

    You are NOT old, I turn 48 one week from today - yikes... you are NOT old. :)
  • horndave
    horndave Posts: 565
    Great advice above, also you can do HIIT swimming. Instead of laps. Do 25 m sprints in the pool. 15 second rest between sprints. Swim as fast as you can .
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    I LOVE Hiit class!!!

    But it's not for everyone.. It's very hard and it's hard on you.

    You can ask the teacher for modified exercises if you go in before the class to accommodate for your knees. If you decide to do it.. don't try to keep up with the class, do the exercises with the modification you get from the teacher, at your own pace. And start out with a very light weight. If you use 10s to lift i'd go half or less. I use 20lbs for biceps and will get 7s or 8s for hiit class and it's hard.

    Good luck :)
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    I have knee problems too. I do HIIT on the elliptical trainer 2 or 3 times a week. After a warmup, I increase the resistance for a minute and go as hard as I can, then go back to a comfortable pace for a minute or two. You can adjust the intervals as you wish. For example, when I started I did 15 seconds of intensity followed by 45 seconds of rest. I can only keep the high intensity intervals up for 10-15 minutes before my rests start getting longer and longer.

    P.S. From what I've read, doing HIIT twice a week is enough. My own experience is that I feel tired if I do it too often. Recovery time is important.
  • KeViN_v2pt0
    KeViN_v2pt0 Posts: 375 Member
    1. HIIT can be fun, but it isn't necessary to shed fat, so if it's too hard on your body or you aren't conditioned for it don't risk injury.

    2. HIIT is a bit oversold on this site.

    3. If the elliptical works well for your joints, use it to give HIIT a try.

    Try this. 2 min warmup. Then 30 secs going all out followed by 90 seconds at slower, walking type pace. Repeat the 30/90 intervals for a total of 8 times. Then 2 min cool down.

    This is great advice. So is the advice below it about doing HIIT while swimming. You can apply HIIT to any physical activity where increasing the intensity wont get you killed. Its pretty much what the acronym is. High Intensity Intervals.... You can apply it to mowing your lawn. Mow fast for an interval.....followed by mow slow for an interval, repeat.

    In a nutshell thats what HIIT is. No need to do crazy box jumps and crush your bad knees when you dont really have to since you arent trying out for the Lakers or Raiders......or are you?
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    1. HIIT can be fun, but it isn't necessary to shed fat, so if it's too hard on your body or you aren't conditioned for it don't risk injury.

    2. HIIT is a bit oversold on this site.

    3. If the elliptical works well for your joints, use it to give HIIT a try.

    Try this. 2 min warmup. Then 30 secs going all out followed by 90 seconds at slower, walking type pace. Repeat the 30/90 intervals for a total of 8 times. Then 2 min cool down.

    This.

    HIIT interval training is vastly overrated, not applicable to the general population, and benefits outweigh risks after about 3 weeks.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    I have knee problems too. I do HIIT on the elliptical trainer 2 or 3 times a week. After a warmup, I increase the resistance for a minute and go as hard as I can, then go back to a comfortable pace for a minute or two. I can only keep it up for 10-15 minutes.

    This HIIT is a way of doing exercise, and not just limited to running.

    And you may not think you're a spring chicken, but you look awesome!!!
  • Wol5894
    Wol5894 Posts: 127 Member
    A couple of interesting ideas there, which I might try too. I'll be 60 shortly and my knees are also in mess, due to sports injuries over the years but I have an additional problem of arthritis in my feet (yes, you heard - feet). This means that most HIIT stuff for me is a no-no, as my feet simply can't take it; I therefore have to concentrate on using exercises that are non-weight-bearing.

    I have found doing aquaerobics is fun - I think it is listed in MFP as Water aerobics, water calisthenics. All it amounts to is doing aerobic exercise in chest deep water, usually to music - it burns a reasonable amount of calories and water provides resistance, so you have to work quite hard to keep the movement and the rhythm of the music going. I go to a session with an instructor just once a week at present, since I work full time and have a lot to do at home - it's all I can fit in.

    Also, you can make swimming an HIIT by swimming absolutely flat out (and I mean REALLY flat out) for a couple of lengths (25 metres or 75-80 feet lengths). That should make you breathless and get your heart rate really pounding if you do it right and will also burn a fair old bit. I like to try and do this at least twice a week.

    OK, so it is not much but it's the best I can do given the state of my knees and feet. I have been offered an operation to help alleviate pain in my feet but I have to lose weight first before it can go ahead, as there is a 6-week, no walking rule afterwards, when I could potentially put on a lot of weight through having to sit/lie down all the time.

    Good luck!
  • disneygallagirl
    disneygallagirl Posts: 515 Member
    great advice here....bumping
  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
    How about HIIT on a stationary bike? I will sometimes do that, and it can be a really great wo. I usually do a 5 minutes w/u, 20 mins HIIT, and then a 5 minute c/d. DEFINITELY lower impact than running, and I get a great calorie burn from it.

    BTW, looking at your photo I seriously would have pegged you for about 10 years younger than your actual age (seriously). :flowerforyou:
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Solid advice in this thread.

    Nice.
  • sheltony
    sheltony Posts: 73 Member
    At 57 with a neck fusion and surgeries on both great toes, I've found the aqua classes easiest. That said, I still manage to do the treadmill and eliptical trainers at the gym. Also a little bit of weight work. The biggest bang for getting the heart rate up fir ne is step exercises. All you need is some stairs. I go up til winded, slow a bit and go again. I like to go up and then down, makes the heart happy. (we have a nice outdoor set of steps at our park). Race walking is kinda weird looking, but does the trick nicely when nothing else is working. Wishing you great success in finding what works best for you.
  • 0nehappyheart
    0nehappyheart Posts: 120
    Bump!

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