6 Tips for Starting High-Intensity Interval Training as an Older Cyclist
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High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, is a great way to improve your overall cycling performance. Working through short bursts of intense efforts, followed by brief rest periods, can increase power output and VO2 max—both big markers of fitness for cyclists—in a time efficient manner.
HIIT for seniors brings on benefits specific to the older population, too, and it’s a safe way to work out—as long as you follow a few key tips for staying injury-free.
To help older cyclists get started with high-intensity interval training, we tapped a cycling coach and strength training expert to navigate HIIT in your golden years. Here’s what you need to know.
Are HIIT workouts safe for seniors?
Yes, HIIT workouts are safe for healthy older adults to practice. As with any form of exercise, it’s always best to receive clearance from your doctor before starting an exercise routine, regardless of your age or physical activity levels, says Neal Stansbury, M.D., orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Lehigh Valley Health Network. This way, your doctor can advise you on the best way to get started based on your medical history and any precautions you need to take as you work through an exercise program.
What are the benefits associated with practicing HIIT workouts for seniors?
If you choose to embrace HIIT workouts in addition to long, slow distance training you can yield plenty of benefits beyond maintaining fitness levels, like improving your mobility and balance as you age.
“It’s that whole idea of you use it or you lose it,” says Tracey Drews, USA Cycling level 2 coach at CTS Training. As you get older, challenging your aerobic capacity, a.k.a. your VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can take in and use during exercise, becomes more important, she adds.
Failure to maintain a regular workout schedule and challenge your cardiovascular system can lead to a 5 percent (or more) decrease in aerobic capacity per decade, according to research mentioned in a review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The review also highlights these declines can start around ages 25 to 30, and grow at a slightly greater rate after the age of 60. This is why Drews recommends incorporating HIIT to your weekly routine to combat these declines.
According to research, older cyclists can benefit from HIIT in a few ways. For example, a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Sports Medicine, involving participants ages 18 to 65, found that HIIT can improve VO2 max, along with other markers of cardiovascular function, like stroke volume and cardiac output, and it can benefit mitochondria, which are the powerhouses of cells that help you produce energy.
Other research, like meta-review published in the Journal of Sports Sciences mentions HIIT can benefit a variety of age groups in a multitude of ways. Most notably, it improves cardiorespiratory fitness, blood glucose, inflammation, cardiac function, heart rate, exercise capacity, and muscle structure.
Practicing a HIIT workout two to three times a week, along with protein supplementation, have been shown to minimize or reverse the loss of muscle function related to sarcopenia (or age-related muscle loss), which can severely affect quality of life as you get older, says Stansbury. HIIT workouts can also help increase bone density, cognitive function, and reduce risk of falls, Stansbury adds.
Luckily, it doesn’t take much to reap the benefits of HIIT and if you’re interested in adding HIIT to your weekly routine there are plenty of ways to get started. For example, you can practice a cycling-style HIIT workout, or you can cross train with a HIIT run, walk, swim, or strength workout.
What is the best way to start HIIT as a senior?
You can start by doing what you know best: cycling. Here’s how to get started with HIIT cycling workouts, but you can also apply these tips to other forms of training like running, walking, or strength-based routines.
1. Identify what high intensity means to you
If you haven’t done so already, Drew recommends a functional threshold power (FTP) test before you start a cycling HIIT program. An FTP test will determine your threshold output by averaging the number of watts you can sustain for an hour at a hard effort. You can take an FTP test on your own using various cycling apps or with a cycling coach.
With this metric, you can calculate your training zones to ensure you meet your workout goals. Ideally, during a HIIT workout your power output should range between 106 to 120 percent of your FTP, says Drew.
If you don’t have a power meter or are practicing HIIT off the bike, you can use rate of perceived exertion (RPE) to determine your effort level. RPE is how hard you feel you’re working on a scale of one to 10. You can also turn to your heart rate to measure intensity.
To nail HIIT workouts using these metrics, aim for a nine on an RPE scale or 95 percent of your maximum heart rate.
2. Train at various intensity levels
Before you get started with HIIT, practice three weeks of sub-threshold training, like in zone 3, followed by a week of recovery work. This will help your body prepare for HIIT workouts in the weeks to come, says Drews.
3. Progress slowly
Generally, high-intensity intervals can last anywhere from 10 seconds to five minutes. Drew suggests beginners start with 30 second bouts and increase intervals in length as training progresses. You could also start with Tabata workouts, which involve doing 20 seconds of all-out effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, and repeating for eight rounds.
4. Make adjustments as needed
“If it hurts, don’t do it,” says Jeaninne Jubeck, NSCA-CPT certified, senior fitness functional aging specialist, and the owner of Fit to the Core In-Home Personal Training. This may sound logical but many of us have been trained to work through pain.
If plyometrics (exercises that involve jumping), tend to be problematic for you, Jubeck suggests jumping on something that has a soft surface, like a soft plyo box.
If you’d rather skip workouts that involve jumping altogether, then Jubeck and Stansbury suggest opting for a low-impact HIIT workout, like climbing up hills or swimming.
Above all else, it’s best to focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t.
Consider seeking help from a certified personal trainer who can coach you through your workouts, especially if you’re a first timer aiming to do HIIT for seniors.
5. Make time for rest
Drew recommends older adults practice a HIIT workout with 48 hours of rest (light exercise or no exercise) in between workouts to maintain aerobic capacity. Go for one to two HIIT workouts per week.
6. Stay consistent
Consistency is key if you want to see the benefits of HIIT for seniors. “It’s not comfortable training. It’s hard training, but if you’re going to commit to it, you need to be consistent,” says Drews. This means keeping up with your workouts, but also honoring your intensity goals during each workout.
What are common injuries related to HIIT workouts and how do seniors prevent them?
Overuse injuries can happen with any sport. When it comes to HIIT, common overuse injuries to look out for involve the low back, hips, knees, and hamstrings, says Stansbury.
To avoid overuse injuries, Stansbury suggests you get a proper bike fit, which can help combat muscle strains. Also, ease into your training, meaning you slowly increase exercise intensity as time goes on rather than going all-out during your first rep or your first workout.
If you experience any overuse injuries such as hip, knee, hamstring tendonitis, then you should decrease exercise intensity and reach out to your doctor. Stansbury recommends you stop exercising if you experience dizziness, a persistent rapid heart beat, or shortness of breath, and only resume activities once you’ve received clearance from your doctor.
What are the best HIIT workouts for seniors?
Here are three HIIT workouts for seniors. If you’ve taken the steps outlined above you can start practicing the workouts below. The cycling workouts were designed by Drews for beginners and advanced riders, and the strength workout was created by Jubeck for advanced riders.
HIIT Bike Workout 1
In order to improve your ability to hold higher power for longer, you need to practice intensive intervals that are shorter in duration—typically one to three minutes—but higher in intensity, Drews says. This workout does just that.
Warm up with 15 minutes of easy pedaling. Start with 90 seconds at 65 percent of FTP (zone 2) and increase intensity until time is up.
2 minutes a hard effort (120 percent of FTP (top of zone 5), 9 out of 10 RPE, 90-95 percent VO2 max, or 95 percent max heart rate).
2 minutes of rest.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 7-8 rounds total.
Cool down with 10-15 minutes of easy spinning.
HIIT Bike Workout 2
On the flip side, extensive intervals that last from four to five minutes, practiced at a lower intensity can help riders expand and sustain VO2 max capacity, Drews adds. Here’s how to do that.
Warm up with 15 minutes of easy pedaling. Start with 90 seconds at 65 percent of FTP (zone 2) and increase intensity until time is up.
4 minutes at a hard effort (106 percent of FTP (zone 4/5), 8 out of 10 RPE, 85-90 percent VO2 max, or 90 percent max heart rate)
4 minutes of rest.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 3-4 rounds total.
Cool down with 10-15 minutes of easy spinning.
Strength HIIT Workout
“Cycling is a sport where single-leg strength is important. Every pedal stroke involves single-leg strength,” says Jubeck. Practicing single-leg exercises like the ones in the workout below will help older cyclists build the strength needed to climb hills, which will also improve power, she adds. Plus, this is a full-body workout so you’ll also build the core and upper-body strength you need for the ride.
How to use this list: Practice the exercises as described in the order listed, resting for 15 to 20 seconds after the last exercise. Complete 5 rounds of this list.
For this workout you will need a set of dumbbells, a box, and a mat is optional.
1. Single-Leg Step Up With Dumbbells
Stand in front of a box or step holding a dumbbell in each hand
Step on to the box with right foot, keep right knee over laces and left foot on ground.
Drive weight through the right foot to stand straight up.
Lower back down.
Repeat on other side.
Continue alternating for 15 reps on each side.
2. Body Saw Plank
Start in the plank position with forearms on the floor, elbows under shoulders, forming a straight line from head to heels.
Using toes and forearms, shift bodyweight forward.
Then shift it backward.
Continue alternating for 30 seconds.
3. Band Twister
Loop one end of a large resistance band around a sturdy object, like a pole or rig, about at chest height.
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart facing the pole.
Hold the band with both hands and arms outstretched. Stand far enough away from the pole so that there’s resistance on the band. This is the starting position.
Engage core and twist torso to the right or left to push the band away from body with straight arms.
Return to starting position.
Repeat on other side.
Continue alternating for 15 reps on each side.
4. Squat to Press With Dumbbells
Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, toes slightly pointed out, with dumbbells racked at shoulders.
Send hips back and down, bending knees to lower into a squat.
Press feet into ground to stand back up.
Then press arms straight up overhead, biceps by ears.
Bend elbows to bring dumbbells down back to shoulders
Repeat. Do 15 reps.
5. Box Jump Step Down
Start with a low box, like a step. (As you progress, increase the height.)
Squat down, then jump up with both feet onto the top of the box.
Squeeze butt and extend knees and hips to stand up on the box.
Step back down, one foot at a time.
Repeat.
Do 10 reps.
6. Single-Leg Deadlift
Stand on right leg, soft bend in knee, left foot lifted slightly off floor.
Hinge at hips by sending glutes straight back. Keep back flat, shoulders down, and core engaged as torso reaches toward floor and left leg lifts straight back behind you. Only lower until you feel a slight pull in right back of leg.
Drive right foot into floor to stand back up, engaging glutes.
Repeat. Do 10 reps.
Then repeat on left side.
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