High Intensity Aerobic Interval Training

In my posting of November 18, 2009, I mentioned some strong advantages to interval training. The type of interval training discussed involved cycling for 10 seconds at all-out intensity followed by 20 seconds of easy pedaling, repeating this 10 times. This 5-minute workout produced aerobic improvements similar to those of running steadily for 20-25 minutes and, in addition, produced improvements in max power output and in resistance to fatigue from repeated work bouts.

A different type of interval training is discussed in an article by Schoenfeld and Dawes in the Strength and Conditioning Journal (vol. 31, no. 6, December 2009). The High Intensity Aerobic Interval Training (HIIT) described involves work intervals of about 1 minute each, interspersed with recovery intervals (1 minute long for trained athletes and up to 4 minutes long for the less fit. The following program for the highly fit is included with the article.

Time (min)            Perceived Difficulty
                   (1-10 where 1= very easy, 10 = very difficult)
     3                              3 (warm-up)
     4                              5
     1                              7
     3                              5
     1                              8
     1                              5
     1                              9
     1                              5
     1                              9
     1                              5
     1                              9
     1                              5 
     1                              9
     2                              5
     1                              8
     3                              5
     1                              7
     3                              3 (cool-down)

The authors cite research evidence for the advantages of this type of training over steady-rate endurance training. They include greater improvements in maximal rate at which oxygen can be used to produce energy, blood-vessel wall health, blood pressure, insulin action, and reduction of body fat deposited under the skin.

CAUTION: No-one should engage in an exercise program without first determining whether a doctor's clearance is needed first. See our Exercise Risk Questionnaire. Even if you are cleared for general exercise, you may not be ready yet for interval training, which should only be undertaken by people who are already well-conditioned. It is an intense form of exercise that puts considerable strain on the heart, lungs, muscles, and bones. Running intervals can easily cause muscle pulls or other musculoskeletal injuries, so very thorough pre-interval warm-ups are necessary. Cycling and rowing intervals involve less impact and peak force on the musculoskeletal system than running and are thus less likely to produce injury. However, any interval training must be approached with caution. Overtraining can occur with excessive high-intensity training. Symptoms include fatigue, decline in performance, unexpected weight loss, poor sleep, fast pulse, and lack of motivation. The key points are to start with a well-conditioned individual, warm up very thoroughly, and start at a moderate level of difficulty, increasing the intensity of intervals over a period of several weeks.

Places Where People Live Long - What They Have In Common

Dan Buettner, in his book, "The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest" reveals the factors in common among cultures that have very long life expectancies. In his lecture, televised on CNN, he delves into the cultures of the highlands of Sardinia (which has the longest male life-expectancy), Okinawa (which has the longest female life-expectancy) and Seventh-Day Adventists (who have the longest life-expectancy in the U.S.). There are 9 factors that he states are common to all these societies:

Move Naturally
1) In these societies, people don't perform programmed exercise. They just exercise as part of their daily lives. Okinawans get up off the floor 40+ times a day. Sardinians walk and garden a lot. Seventh Day Adventists take nature walks regularly. The common denominator seems to be a large volume of low-level physical activity.

Right Outlook
2) Downshift daily: That means to take some time daily to calm down, meditate, contemplate, or pray.
3) Purpose now: Have a purpose in living, either work, taking care of others, creating something beautiful, etc.

Eating Wisely
4) Wine in moderation (although the 7th Day Adventists discourage alcohol consumption)
5) Plant-based diet: Meat may be consumed but in relatively small quantities.
6) 80% Full Rule: Stop eating when you feel 80% full.

Connect
7) Loved ones come first
8) Belong to supportive groups
9) Right Tribe: Associate with other people who have good living habits

Strength Training Helps Seniors in Daily Living Activities

A study by Hanson et al., published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol 23, no 9, 2009) tested the effectiveness of strength training in improving the ability of elderly people to perform activities of daily living. 35 men and 65 women, all initially sedentary, were trained 3 times per week for 22 weeks on Keiser pneumatically-resisted machines. The first 10 weeks involved only knee extension training, but the routine for the final 12 weeks included knee-extension, chest press, seated row, seated leg curl, abdominal crunch, and alternating leg press. The subjects improved significantly in knee-extension strength and power, leg-press strength, and fat free mass. They also became significantly faster in functional activity tests such as a 20-foot walk, repetitive (5x) standing up from and sitting down on a chair, and getting up from a chair and walking 16 feet. Improvements in strength, power, and fat-free mass correlated positively with improvement in the functional activities. This study shows that resistance training can improve strength and power at any age and such changes lead to improvement in performance of daily life activities.

Balance Can Be Improved By Training

A review by DiStefano, Clark and Padua of the effectiveness of balance training was published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (vol 23, no 9, pp. 2718-2731, 2009). The article assessed the effects of training on the following 3 types of balance:

Static balance on a stable surface: For example, holding a stable body posture while standing on one leg on a flat floor.

Static balance on an unstable surface: For example, holding a stable body posture while ice-skating on one leg (the skate is the unstable surface).

Dynamic balance: For example, performing a dismount from a balance beam or high bar and landing stably; snow-boarding; skiiing.

Effective Exercise for Improving Each Type of Balance
The following training methods were shown effective for improving the various types of balance when performed at least 10 minutes per day, 3 days per week, for 4 weeks.

For static balance on a stable surface:
     Wobble board (a board with a cylindrical roller under it)
     Ankle disc (a board with a hemispheric ball attached to the underside)
     Balance sandal (with a hemispheric ball under the midsole)

For static balance on an unstable surface:
     Wobble board
     Foam pad
     Balance trampoline
     Tilting platform
     Jump to hold (dynamic)

For dynamic balance:
     Wobble board
     Foam pad
     Balance trampoline
     Single leg balance with contralateral limb and trunk motion
     Single leg balance with external perturbations

NOTE: The authors stated that effective balance programs started with comfortable, less challenging exercises (e.g. static, on two legs, on stable surface, eyes open) and progressed, according to the individual's ability, to more challenging exercises (dynamic, on one leg, on unstable surface, eyes closed).

Visceral Fat

Visceral fat is the fat around the abdominal organs. Because such fat is under the abdominal muscles, it cannot be detected by pinching the skin over the abdomen. In contrast, subcutaneous fat is located right under the skin and can be detected by a pinch and quantified by using a skinfold-caliper. Unfortunately, visceral fat is the most dangerous kind in that it produces hormones and inflammatory agents. Framingham heart study researchers reported that visceral rather than subcutaneous fat was associated with an indicator of cholesterol deposits in the aorta, the body's main artery.

Fortunately, exercise can have an impact on visceral fat. A study by Gary Hunter Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, showed that, among a group of women who lost an average of 24 lb by dieting, only those who stuck to an aerobic or strength-training exercise program of 40 minutes, twice a week, managed to keep off all of the visceral fat they lost. Those who did not exercise or who quit their exercise programs increased their visceral fat an average of 33% in the year following their weight loss.

Comparing weight training periodization programs

Weight training periodization has been widely recognized by strength and conditioning coaches to be a more effective means of increasing strength than staying with the same combination of repetitions and resistance over an extended period of time. Periodization basically involves making programmed changes from time to time in the number of repetitions performed in each exercise set, along with an increase in barbell weight as repetitions are decreased, and a decrease in barbell weight as repetitions are increased.

Periodization may be of the linear variety, by which the athlete makes progressive changes in the weight/rep combination during every training block of 1 or more weeks. For example the athlete may do 10 reps with a lighter weight for 2 weeks, then 8 reps with increased weight for 2 weeks, then 6 reps with more weight for 2 weeks, followed by 4 reps with even more weight for 2 weeks. A single repetition max lift may then be attempted before returning to the 10-rep scheme. This cycle may be repeated over an extended time period. The athlete generally gets stronger between cycles so that the weight at all repetitions is adjusted upwards, resulting in a continued increase in strength. Even more complex periodization models have been developed by strength coaches. For example, in daily undulating periodization, the athlete may change the repetition/weight scheme within a single week, with other changes occurring over more extended time periods.

A recent article in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (Vol 23, no 9, pp 2437-2442, 2009) entitled, “Comparison between linear and daily undulating periodized resistance training to increase strength” by Prestes et al., compared these two regimens using 3 sets per exercise 4 times per week with 20 subjects in each training group. The linear program used 12, 10, 8, and 6 reps for a week each, repeating the entire cycle 3 times for a total of 12 weeks. The daily undulating program used 12 reps for half a week, 10 reps for the second half-week, 8 reps for the first half of the following week, and 6 reps for the second half-week. This pattern was repeated 6 times for a total of 12 weeks.

Although the results did not reach statistical significance because of individual differences in training response, the average increases in isometric strength (bench press, leg press, and arm curl) were considerably greater for the daily undulating periodization group than for the linear periodization group. This supports previous research showing the effectiveness of daily undulating periodization programs.

Heavy weight training improves running economy

Previous research has shown that weight-training improved the running economy of distance runners. To further explore this phenomenon, recent research was undertaken to find out if traditional weight training or explosive weight training had different degrees of effectiveness for increasing running economy. An article entitled, "Effects of strength training on running economy" by Guglielmo, Greco, and Denadai of the Human Performance Laboratory, UNESP, Rio Claro, Brazil, published in the International Journal of Sports Med. in January 2009, presented the results of a study. Sixteen well-trained runners engaged in either traditional heavy weight training or explosive weight training, all for 4 weeks on the same equipment. They were then tested while running on a treadmill to see how much oxygen per unit body weight they used to run at a set speed. Only the group that trained traditionally improved in running economy. The observed 7% increase in economy could translate to a marked increase in running speed sustained over a distance. This study demonstrates that weight training can be beneficial for endurance athletes as well as strength and power athletes.