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Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

maturitas.org

21–30 of 194 posts

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#21
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No joke. I go to the gym a couple times a week so that I'll maintain mobility and won't injure myself as I age - unfortunately 80% of my injuries come from the gym.

If most of your injuries come from the gym, I recommend you get a trainer.

hahah, so true. Also, there are multiple ways to do high intensity exercising that are very unlikely to injure you, like stationary bikes. High intensity only means going to a very high heart rate, you can do this in any way you like it.

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#22
post #16
post #2

I’m genuinely confused. Was there any doubt before this study that sport makes people healthier?

I have met people who figured, because they don't excercise they don't wear their body out, so their joints etc. will last longer. Same for injury, no sport no injury, that must be good!

In a way this is right with high intense/extreme sport. (I did Thai Boxing in my youth, but stopped at some point)

But it is very wrong otherwise, joints for example will suffer if not moved. Blood will only flow into all the areas of the joints if they are moved. And if you don't move, your muscles will be gone and without muscles to hold your joints, loss of stability, great risk of injury, etc.

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#23
post #20
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really depends on how you define high-intensity. To build muscle, you need to push yourself to a limit. You can reduce the weight and increase the repetitions. This approach is just as effective and lowers the risk of injury.

This is what I do. When I was beginning with weight training, I followed other's recommendations back then and pushed hard. Had quite often minor issues or injuries in the joints which set me back for weeks or even months, my tendons seem to be my weak spot and it does get worse with age, both limits and recovery. Lowered the load, increased repetitions and basically nothing for a decade. I can still go almost to the…

So, how many reps did you start with and how many do you do nowadays?

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#24
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No joke. I go to the gym a couple times a week so that I'll maintain mobility and won't injure myself as I age - unfortunately 80% of my injuries come from the gym.

80% of my injuries occurred while sleeping, which seems very weird.

I knew someone who dislocated her shoulder often while sleeping. If I remember right, she's dislocated it 17 times or some ridiculous number.

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#25

> “High-intensity training reduced fat and maintained lean mass […] though changes were small and not clinically meaningful compared with exercise of lower intensity…” High intensity does border on leading to injury — just making the wrong move — and you’re back to zero intensity?

This is specifically cardio. High intensity interval training can be safe, for example, air bike, battle ropes, etc. High intensity running does have higher injury risk.

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#26
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why is it powerlifting? general prescription these days for Hypertrophy is 10 sets per muscle group per week 0-3 RIR.

Because hypertrophy is generally pointless compared to strength. The hyperthrophy that naturally accompanies strength work is sufficient but the strength that accompanies hypertrophy work is far less beneficial.

one of the best proxy we've for Hypertrophy is getting progressively stronger in medium rep range. (8-12)

The title says they are focused on improving body composition which is boosting lean mass, lowering of fat mass which kinda seems achieved best by focusing on Hypertrophy and fat loss?

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#27
post #16
post #2

I’m genuinely confused. Was there any doubt before this study that sport makes people healthier?

I have met people who figured, because they don't excercise they don't wear their body out, so their joints etc. will last longer. Same for injury, no sport no injury, that must be good!

Charlie Munger thought of exercise as adding mileage to the car.

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#28

> “High-intensity training reduced fat and maintained lean mass […] though changes were small and not clinically meaningful compared with exercise of lower intensity…” High intensity does border on leading to injury — just making the wrong move — and you’re back to zero intensity?

Calisthenics is a really easy way to push intensity at basically 0 risk of injury. They're all compound and depending on the variation could require high reps, but between push ups, pull-ups, squats, their numerous variations, and accessory work, I would challenge anyone to actually injure themselves while also being able to push to true technical failure.

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#29

> “High-intensity training reduced fat and maintained lean mass […] though changes were small and not clinically meaningful compared with exercise of lower intensity…” High intensity does border on leading to injury — just making the wrong move — and you’re back to zero intensity?

In my experience, there's a middle ground. Don't go for 1 to 3 rep maxes. Go for 4-6 rep maxes for a set and then follow it by set to failure in the 8-12 rep range. That gives a good mix of both intensity and volume while still reducing risks of injury as the weights are heavy but not crazy heavy to compromise form.

Re: Exercise intensity influences body composition in healthy older adults (2025)

#30
post #22
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have met people who figured, because they don't excercise they don't wear their body out, so their joints etc. will last longer. Same for injury, no sport no injury, that must be good!

In a way this is right with high intense/extreme sport. (I did Thai Boxing in my youth, but stopped at some point) But it is very wrong otherwise, joints for example will suffer if not moved. Blood will only flow into all the areas of the joints if they are moved. And if you don't move, your muscles will be gone and without muscles to hold your joints, loss of stability, great risk of injury, etc.

And don't forget benefits of weight training in improving bone density and preventing osteoporosis as we age.
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