Ot cardio
- Thread starter Scrappy3
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If you listen to some of the top longevity guys like Attia, you want to mix up your zones. He actually stresses cardio more than many who are pumping resistance as key, as he has data suggesting your VO2 max is a huge indicator of longevity. Sprinting is great for you as it kicks out some unique proteins that stimulate muscle growth. There is some stat out there that after a certain age (fairly young) there is a very low % of people that will ever sprint again, yet it’s really good for you.
Whatever makes you breath harder do more often for as long as you can.
Whatever makes you breath harder do more often for as long as you can.
CL82
NCAA Woman's Basketball National Champions
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Agree. I try to watch Rocky workout sequences 3 to 4 times a week, with a couple of days rest, usually on the weekends, for recovery. On my off days, I'll usually do something less demanding, like a Gilmore Girls or something.This
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At age 51 and after 26 years in the military taking one iteration of the annual fitness test or another, my days of sprinting and running long distances are over. I currently train just enough to pass the test (I have one next Saturday, sigh :-(. With that said, I still get 15000-16000 steps (not watch steps, but real moving steps) a day via walking and hiking, and limit my runs to two or three 3-mile very slow runs per week. My annual physical numbers have never been better. I think 10000 steps a day plus regular light weight training (which I need to add back in) will do the most for you, with the least physical impact on your knees and joints (not knowing your age). In other words, while the sprinting may be good for you, adjusting your ratio of sedentary to more (lengthy) non-sedentary time would probably do the most for your health, if that’s your ultimate goal. Gotta keep moving.
Waquoit
Mr. Positive
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I saw this awhile back so I don't have a cite, but I read that overall the most important factor for improved cardio fitness is distance travelled. Five miles will give you x, whether you run or walk it. Of course, if you run you achieve that fitness in a shorter period of time or achieve more in the same amount of time.
Chin Diesel
The timing could not possibly be worse
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51 years old and taking military fitness tests? You could lose to a tortoise and still pass. And at your age, max'ing out on fitness tests ain't affecting career progression.
As a vet to a current service member, thank you for your cervix.
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ChatGPT says.
Both workouts challenge your body differently, and which is “better” depends on your goals (e.g., fat loss, endurance, cardiovascular health, muscle building). Let’s break them down:
Treadmill at 11.5 mph for 45 sec (flat run)
- Type: High-speed sprint
- Intensity: Very high
- Cardio benefit: Excellent for anaerobic conditioning
- Muscle use: Primarily quads, glutes, hamstrings (fast-twitch fibers)
- Calories burned: ~14–18 kcal
- Recovery needed: Higher; this hits your nervous system hard
- Good for: Speed, explosiveness, improving VO₂ max, HIIT
- Type: Uphill run
- Intensity: High, but more sustainable
- Cardio benefit: Strong aerobic and anaerobic overlap
- Muscle use: More glutes and calves, due to incline (still hits quads/hamstrings)
- Calories burned: ~45–55 kcal
- Recovery needed: Moderate
- Good for: Endurance, fat burn, cardiovascular health, lower-body strength
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It depends on your age I’m in my 80’s
I’m a huge believer in walking
and I still do between 300,,000-350,000 steps every month ..
There comes a point in your age where riunning can do more harm than good as it eventually can take a toll on your knees.
I also believe in strength training with light weights as you naturally weaken with age and it slows the process. Balance and Flexibility are also important.
I think the two critical things about maintaining your energy as you age are keeping active .and keeping your weight down .
I live in and active adult community the couple across the street are in the 90’s a still walk a mile every morning
But we have swimmers , golfers , Pickleball , players, serious walkers , and simply dog walkers all over .80 . Just keep moving
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Staying fit keeps you in shape for the real important things in life . Like getting down on the floor to play with a great grandchild and not worry about how you’re going to get back up .
Also a big fan of Attia. Another good follow is Rhonda Patrick (she’s a PhD and synthesizes research). Foundmyfitness.com
Rhonda is bullish on more HIIT with less zone 2. Also need to do weights. For HIIT she likes Swedish 4x4 (sprint for 4 min, slow for 3 min done 4 times) or 10x 1 (1 min sprint, 1 min slow 10x). I can’t run so use the bike for cardio. Works fine. Though I miss being able to run
Using the above protocol and a 1 hour long walk or bike drs were able to knock off 30 years of heart aging in sedentary folks
Need to mix it up. HIIT, zone 2, weights.
Also things like ping pong and hiking on irregular surfaces are very good for maintaining brain plasticity…as it forces new connections. Riding a bike or jogging don’t do that.
Rhonda is bullish on more HIIT with less zone 2. Also need to do weights. For HIIT she likes Swedish 4x4 (sprint for 4 min, slow for 3 min done 4 times) or 10x 1 (1 min sprint, 1 min slow 10x). I can’t run so use the bike for cardio. Works fine. Though I miss being able to run
Using the above protocol and a 1 hour long walk or bike drs were able to knock off 30 years of heart aging in sedentary folks
Need to mix it up. HIIT, zone 2, weights.
Also things like ping pong and hiking on irregular surfaces are very good for maintaining brain plasticity…as it forces new connections. Riding a bike or jogging don’t do that.
This
Google "Lauren Jumps."
Resistance training is only good for you if you’re under 30, and really bad for you if you’re over 40, give or take. Cardio (running, swimming, stairs) is good for you no matter what age you’re at. The reason is you’re working your cardiovascular system with volume work, basically training your heart to pump more blood per beat, but with resistance training (pressure work), everything is contracting (and raising blood pressure) to move some heavy weights, instead of moving your own two feet, or if you’re swimming and you’re buoyant. Light and moderate resistance training is OK if all you’re trying to do is staving off brittle bones as you age.
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Resistance training/weight lifting is the most important form of exercise you can do as you age. Everyone should be doing it through their 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's. If you have your health in your 90's you should still be doing it.
It’s not a “take” as you love to call it, it’s knowledge. You people think you know everything, and you don’t. Heavy weights are bad for your cardiovascular system as you age. Cardio (swimming, running, and the stairs) is the way to go if you want to live longer.
Lol. Professional bodybuilders have an average mean lifespan of 47.7 years. Look it up genius. Weightlifting is ok while your body is growing but it’s bad for the cardiovascular system as you get older and grayer.
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You have no idea what you're talking about.
I didn't say people in their 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's should pump their bodies full of anabolic steroids, GH, and insulin. I said resistance training/weightlifting is the most important form of exercise you can do as you age.
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Holy false equivalency.
You do realize a 60-year-old doing some resistance training a couplefew times a week =/= Ronnie Coleman squatting 700lbs, doing more steroids, HGH, etc. than he can even remember? That's not even considering how bad constantly cutting weight is for your body.
If you can give me a SHRED of evidence to back up what you're saying from a reputable source, I will eat my own shorts.
Here, I'll start with (literally) the first result if I research "should we lift weights as we age": https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/how-can-strength-training-build-healthier-bodies-we-age
Oh yes I do, you’re on the wrong side this time. Eat it…….and I never mentioned steroids , GH, or insulin, you did, and Olympic lifters are in that same group. The research is there.
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Show the research then, bucko. I'll stop lifting today if you can show a single decent source that we shouldn't lift as we age. Just one.
I’m not talking about Ronnie Coleman, whoever he is, or NFL foot players. I’m talking about the average population. You and the op can only bring up steroids, HGH, and god knows what else. I feel sorry for you because you don’t have a clue as to how wrong you are.
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What if you do both equally?