The Number-1 HIIT Workout Tip a Trainer Wants Women Over 50 to Know
Estrogen—which is cardioprotective—declines post-menopause, but HIIT, a type of workout that alternates between short bursts of intense effort and recovery periods, can help improve heart health, says Sara Shihab, M.D., a women's health internist and associate chair of the Research Division of Women's Health at Mayo Clinic.
The training modality has other perks, too, says Dr. Shihab, including boosting aerobic fitness, building muscle, maintaining muscle power, and helping to regulate glucose levels (important to prevent diabetes and/or improve diabetic control). In a small study of healthy older (in their 60s/70s) and younger (in their early 20s) people, HIIT training led to gains in muscle mass, strength, and power for everyone—but the power improvements were seen mainly in the older adults.
The best part? You don't have to invest tons of time to see results—and 'intensity' is relative. HIIT workouts are 'an efficient way to achieve benefits in shorter time than moderate intensity exercises,' says Dr. Shihab.
Now, while it's never too late to start exercising, and HIIT is scalable, it's imperative talk to your doctor before trying HIIT, especially if you're over 50 and/or new to exercise, or you've had heart issues, high blood pressure, diabetes, joint problems, or any other medical conditions. HIIT pushes your heart rate near your maximum, so medical clearance ensures it's safe for you. Dr. Shihab also recommends gradually building up your fitness before jumping right into it to avoid injury.
Meet the experts: Sara Shihab, M.D., is a women's health internist and associate chair of the Research Division of Women's Health at Mayo Clinic. Tina Tang, C.P.T., is the owner of Iron Strong Fitness.
Listen to your body. This is the most important component of HIIT training (and any type of exercise, really). Pay attention to how you feel during and after exercise. If you experience lightheadedness, sharp joint pain, or you just generally feel 'off,' stop what you're doing and seek medical help. If you feel sudden chest tightness (some say it feels like an elephant sitting on your chest), shortness of breath, or fainting, call 911—it's critical to get medical attention right away.
And if you're wiped out for hours after a workout, you may be pushing yourself too hard, or not hydrating or eating enough. It's your perceived effort that matters, and what's hard for you now might be different than six weeks from now, says Tina Tang, C.P.T., owner of Iron Strong Fitness.
Don't skip the warm-up. People tend to be tighter in the hips, spine, and shoulders, and you especially want to focus on mobilizing the hips and thoracic spine, says Tang. (Try her eight-minute warm-up routine here.) Exercises like world's greatest stretch, lateral lunges, and quadruped thoracic spine rotations are great, but don't get too hung up on a specific warm-up—just make sure you're getting full-body mobilization. Dr. Shihab adds to stretch afterwards as well, to prevent injuries and ensure muscle recovery.
Focus on good form. 'Form declines when we are spent,' says Tang, and keeping good form is key for injury prevention. Even experienced exercisers can let form go out of the window when fatigued, as you're just trying to get through. Consider working with a trainer for a few sessions if you're unsure if yours is on-point.
Use low-impact options (like swimming or biking) if you have joint issues. High-intensity doesn't mean high-impact.
Don't compare yourself to others. We are not all built the same, says Dr. Shihab. Adjust the frequency and intensity of your sessions based on what feels right to you. 'More HIIT isn't better,' says Tang. Twice a week is plenty for most people over 50. Avoid back-to-back HIIT days, and alternate with strength or recovery.
You can do HIIT on your own, says Tang, but 'people love classes because HIIT can be hard to push yourself when alone.' Classes can also help with motivation, timing and structure, and provide safe form coaching. Either way, you should ease into this type of exercise, especially if you're new to intense exercise or are just getting back into it after time off. Start with just two to three rounds, says Tang, plus shorter intervals (e.g., 20-30 seconds), and longer rest (e.g., 1:3 work-to-rest ratio).
Dr. Shihab says an easy way to start is to incorporate HIIT into a workout you already enjoy. For example, if you like swimming, alternate between leisurely laps and more challenging ones. Try for a total of 20 minutes, and build up from there.
HIIT workouts are usually short, 20 minutes or less of total high-intensity work, not including your warm-up and cool-down, says Tang. They're meant to be intense, which means aiming for 85-90% of your max heart rate with your doctor's approval, says Tang. (But again, you can work up to this.) The idea is to work hard for 30 seconds to two minutes, then rest for one to three times the work time, until you're recovered enough to go hard again.
If you don't have a device that tracks your heart rate, you can also use rate of perceived exertion. During the work intervals, you might push to an eight or nine on a scale of one to 10, and your recovery intervals could be around a three out of 10. Tang says that if you're working as hard as you can sustain for that work period, you're doing it right, even if you're not nearing that max heart rate.You can apply HIIT to many different types of movements—running, cycling, jump squats, kettlebell swings, etc. The key is varying the intensity and recovery. Here are two examples from Tang:
Bike intervals: 30 seconds hard effort on an assault bike, 1-minute rest → Repeat for 6 rounds
Treadmill intervals: 1 minute running hard (but controlled), 3-minute rest → Repeat for 4-5 rounds
HIIT is a tool, not the whole program, says Tang. Combine it with other types of training for longevity and resilience.
'You should always be strength training,' says Tang, who recommends two to three sessions per week. Mobility or flexibility work is also key, especially as we get older. Incorporating low-intensity cardio, like incline treadmill walking and biking, and recovery days—with total rest or active recovery (like yoga or stretching or walking)—is key to a well-rounded fitness routine.
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