Should I be doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?
The answer is yes. High intensity interval training (HIIT) can benefit people of all ages, particularly older adults.
What is HIIT?
HIIT includes alternating periods of high and low periods of exercise. The higher intensity activities can range from 30 seconds to two minutes and followed by short periods of active rest that lower your heart rate.
Why should I do it?
Benefits of HIIT training include improving:
blood pressure
cardiovascular health
insulin sensitivity (which helps the exercising muscles use glucose for fuel to make energy)
It can also help lower cholesterol levels and belly fat and body weight while maintaining muscle.
Another added benefit is that you'll burn calories a few hours after your workout as your body uses energy to get back to its pre-exercise levels!
Researchers have studied the effects of HIIT on people over age 65 and found that some age-related deterioration of muscle cells had actually been reversed.
A study reported in Cell Metabolism compared the metabolic responses from HIIT and resistance training. Participants were placed in cohorts by age (under 30 and over 65), and randomized to one of three exercise routines: HIIT, resistance training, or a combination of both. HIIT appeared to change a cell's DNA in a way that boosted the muscle's ability to produce energy. It also triggered the growth of new muscle, helping counteract muscle loss that comes with aging.
The changes were greater in the over-65 exercisers compared with a group of people under age 30 who did the same workouts. One possible conclusion: It's never too late to start exercising.
Another groundbreaking study found similar results. Generation 100 is the largest randomized clinical study that evaluates the effect of regular exercise training on morbidity and mortality in older adults. It found that high-intensity interval training increases quality of life and improves cardiorespiratory fitness more than moderate exercise.
HIIT workouts provide similar fitness benefits as continuous endurance workouts, but in shorter periods of time. This is because HIIT workouts tend to burn more calories than traditional workouts, especially after the workouts as noted above.
How do I do it?
As a good subjective guide, the work interval should feel like you are exercising “hard” to “very hard”. Using the talk test as an indicator, you should be able to hold a conversation, with difficulty (your heart is pumping and you're out of breath at the end of 30 seconds of exercise). The intensity of the recovery interval should be 40-50% of your estimated maximal heart rate. This equates to physical activity that feels very comfortable, in order to help you recover and prepare for your next work interval.
You may want to do HIIT only once or twice a week to enable your body to recover.
Try our 15-minute HIIT Walking Workout that equates to about 1800 steps. It includes 4 exercises in 1 set. The set is repeated for total of 3 times. Each of the 4 exercises is done for 30 seconds with 20 seconds of active recovery (so you can lower your heart rate AND get your steps in!). There is a longer recovery period after the first and second sets.
The four exercises are:
✅ Brisk walk/jog in place or high knees
✅ Side step with arm raises
✅ Single leg step back with double arm lifts
✅ Opposite arm and leg lifts
If you're just starting out, go at your own pace and build up the intensity of the exercises gradually. The more you do it, the stronger you will become!
Want more HIIT workouts? Check out our HIIT list!
Ready for a 10 minute workout? Try our 10 Minute Walking Workout or our 10 Minute Cardio & Strength Workout.
Want to stay up-to-date on our latest videos? Sign up to our mailing list below!