June Q&A

Thanks to Silas, Michelle, Vincent, and Adam for sending in questions.

Jun 18, 2024

High Intensity Interval Training Over 50

From Silas: HIIT over 50, bad idea?

Answer: Well Silas, I don’t think it’s a good idea, but not necessarily a bad one either. It’s a matter of proportion and prioritisation.

First of all, context is important here. You are in your early 50s, in good general health, and you want to continue to be healthy and capable and build upon your healthspan.

I am going to advocate for three things before we think about HIIT (which, for our readers, means High Intensity Interval Training and basically consists of multiple bouts of short and very intense exercise sandwiched between periods of recovery). The first thing is strength. You will want to train your musculo-skeletal system through barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, or other types of weight training. The second thing is endurance. You will want to build up your ability to put a lot of time into cardiovascular training, mostly at fairly low intensity. Thirdly, you will want to put effort into improving the quality of your movement by working on mobility, flexibility, and a variety of movement types. Let’s call these three things your foundation.

HIIT can come in once you have established a solid foundation. It should not replace the first three things but can be seen as an adjunct. Let’s think of it as the fourth thing. HIIT has its benefits, which can be quite seductive, such as providing fast results, being very time-efficient, and sometimes fun. And, it also comes with risks. It can lead to injury, burnout, and can lack a long term arc of improvement. To do HIIT without the other elements in place is like building your fortress with a deck of cards.

courtesy of Unsplash. Image by Pascal Bernardon.

Neurodivergence and Type Two Fun

From Michelle: Do you think there is a connection between neurodivergence and type two sport enthusiasts?

Answer: First for the reader, I believe that Michelle is referring to “type two fun” i.e. “it completely sucked while I was doing it but it felt freaking amazing after I was finished, or maybe a couple of days after I finished.” Type two fun, and therefore “type two sports” are generally associated with long endurance efforts and extended bouts of suffering.

To address Michelle’s question: this is purely anecdotal, but I suspect that high focus pursuits such as rock climbing often attract people with ADHD. Many recommend climbing as a form of self-management or even “therapy” for those with the condition.

Rock climbing, however, isn't really a Type two sport, at least not typically. So who does type two sports? Anecdotally again, as I have no stats on this and have never really thought about it before, I am going to venture to say nerds and people with autism have a prevalence in type two sports. Are nerds neurodivergent? I would hazard a guess that many are but I am the wrong person to make any pronouncements on that. As far as autism goes, there are many who write on the benefits of endurance sports for people with autism. When I looked around I found an article entitled “The Rise of Autistic Ultrarunners.” So, I think that my gut response to your question, Michelle, has some merit…

Starting Powerlifting With a Stent

From Vincent: I am a male 61 yrs old, seem to be in ok shape, had a stent in an artery but otherwise had ran in times past ( longest was 13 miles and some 10Ks ), but interested in powerlifting and gaining some weight. Pretty active in terms of 10,000 steps walking at work or outside. Would be great to get your input. Thanks Al.

Answer: Especially with that stent, I would advise you to talk to your doctor or a trusted medical practitioner. Explain that you are interested in taking up powerlifting and what the training might involve. Explain that powerlifters use the valsalva manoeuvre and experience elevated blood pressure during their lifts. Really listen to what the practitioner has to say.

Follow the practitioner’s guidance. If they give you the go ahead and do not provide specific direction, then I would be inclined to give the following general advice about getting into powerlifting training:

Spend at least one year learning and practising the main barbell lifts. When searching for a mentor, coach, or even online resources, look for someone who is experienced and understands the difference between a 61 year old with a stent and a 21 year old competitive athlete.
At every turn, prioritise health, longevity, and capability over short term performance.
Do cardiovascular exercise regularly and make it just as much of a priority as strength development. This can include walking, swimming, biking, running, hiking, and any number of activities. Variety is important here. Try and find things that you enjoy. This will make the transition much more sustainable and the exercise will be more consistent.

After a year passes and you have given yourself a chance to learn some basic movements and familiarise your body with barbell training and cardiovascular work, then it would be a good time to revisit your progress and goals and decide whether or not you would like to delve into the more specific training required for the sport of powerlifting.

Beginning Strength Training with a Herniated Disc

From Adam: I'm wondering whether it makes sense to start some kind of weight training exercise. I'm 57 and am starting to feel it, for the first time. I guess this is when you lose muscle unless you do something about it.

I have a chronic lower back issue, a herniated disc from decades ago. I keep this well under control with a clinical pilates routine at home, a series of core exercises that (when things are going well) I do three times/week, along with daily stretches. I haven't had a serious back incident for a few years now, and I certainly would not want anything to flare up if I start with weights and don't know what I'm doing.

I have a pretty sedentary work life: I'm a professor and spend much of my time sitting at a desk. I used to swim regularly but the pandemic put a stop to that, and I have not found my way back to the pool with any regularity. I used to have a pretty serious tai chi practice but the teacher I used to go to has vanished.

Answer: Thanks for reaching out.

A herniated disc...I have a few thoughts.

Have you spoken to your physician, physiotherapist, or other specialist about their thoughts on you beginning strength training?

I have worked with a few people with serious back injuries but rehabilitation is certainly not my specialty. I tend to take a cautious approach but I mostly work with barbells and free weights. If your practitioner thinks it is a good idea for you to begin strength training I would suggest that you discuss with them the idea of beginning with cable exercises and machines to help isolate and protect your back for at least the first while. Though I am generally not an advocate for machines, in your case it may make sense. I think that beginning to build some strength that way, while also testing how your back does under those conditions, would be pertinent if your practitioner agrees.