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

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

#61

Post by bitexploder »

Systemerror7A69 wrote: post #48

I think it's important to note that this study, at least to my understanding, compared cardio training - not weightlifting or resistance training. Participants did 3 weekly sessions of either low intensity, moderate treadmill excercise or HIIT ( 4-min @ 85–95%, 3min 60-70% ). I get the feeling some commenters here are misunderstanding this as a lot of the discussions seems to center about weightlifting. Additionally…

This study is completely unsurprising to me having read a lot of fitness studies over the years. Work muscles harder, muscles get stronger. That is how hormesis goes. The fat loss is simple energy expenditure. You are still producing roughly the same work as someone doing more steady state work. Only effect that might come up is post exercise metabolism elevation but that effect is relatively small and probably present for both groups.

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

#62

Post by arnejenssen »

ehnto wrote: post #16
myst wrote: 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!

I got codex to count my total heartbeats from my Garmin data. For four random days the counts were 72.252, 73.823, 68.922, 70.991.

According to google: "typical range for total heartbeats is 86,400 to 115,200 beats per day"

I run every day which would add a lot of beats, but my resting HR is 36 (pushed down by exercise i presume) with a daily average of 50 BPM. So in total a trained person may spend less of their heart beats.

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

#63

Post by bitexploder »

criddell wrote: post #42
baxtr wrote: 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.

Maybe with older adults the baseline goal should be to merely maintain or slow the loss of the muscle, mobility, and cardiovascular capacity they already have? It's not realistic for a 50 year old to think they could build muscle year-after-year for the next 30 years.

However, if you are a male and age 50 you can definitely expect to still build muscle up to 60 if you are diligent with your strength training. You can maintain mass 60-70. You do need a little more protein. I collected as much proven data and studies on this as I could: https://stealthgoat.com/building-muscle.html

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

#64

Post by username135 »

vidarh wrote: post #59
criddell wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe with older adults the baseline goal should be to merely maintain or slow the loss of the muscle, mobility, and cardiovascular capacity they already have? It's not realistic for a 50 year old to think they could build muscle year-after-year for the next 30 years.

For the next 30 years, probably not, but mostly because you can get really strong really quickly, as most adults are really weak. It's not that unusual for people to pick up e.g. powerlifting past 50 and still get to levels well beyond what most younger adults can lift. I'm 51, and recently back into powerlifting after many years out of it, and I certainly expect to build back muscle and improving week over week for…

The time off from exercise is not a bad thing; even when forced due to holidays and being sick, life et al. As we age, we need more of that rest time. For those of us on the back 9, its critical to avoid those injuries because they set us back.

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

#65

Post by yodsanklai »

alistairSH wrote: post #46
xtiansimon wrote: post #8

> “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?

High intensity does border on leading to injury Where are you getting this? The study was about various intensities of cardio - I didn't see it noted, but I'm guessing the high- and medium-intensity groups were on a treadmill, elliptical, or similar. Pretty small chance of injury for the durations they mention, especially as the subjects were monitored while exercising. And I'm not really surprised by the study - bui…

> And if you're injuring yourself regularly during weight training or other gym activities, I'd suggest you might hire a good coach/trainer for guidance and programming, because that shouldn't happen either.

After a certain age, it's difficult to train somewhat intensely without risking injury. You can always find some exercises that work and maintain a physical activity, but this may not be enough to maintain your muscle mass or your stamina.

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

#66

Post by bluGill »

ksaj wrote: post #52
ehnto wrote: 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!

Donald Trump is one who also believes this. Apparently he believes you only have so many heartbeats, and so you should avoid increasing your pulse.

People who exercise regularly have a lower resting heart rate. You can likely remove 10,000 heartbeats per day just by doing 20 minutes of exerciser per day.

I don't believe the limited heartbeats theory, but it does support the idea of exercise.

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

#67

Post by bluGill »

username135 wrote: post #64
vidarh wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For the next 30 years, probably not, but mostly because you can get really strong really quickly, as most adults are really weak. It's not that unusual for people to pick up e.g. powerlifting past 50 and still get to levels well beyond what most younger adults can lift. I'm 51, and recently back into powerlifting after many years out of it, and I certainly expect to build back muscle and improving week over week for…

The time off from exercise is not a bad thing; even when forced due to holidays and being sick, life et al. As we age, we need more of that rest time. For those of us on the back 9, its critical to avoid those injuries because they set us back.

The only problem with time off is it breaks habits. a couple days off and suddenly you haven't done anything for months.

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

#68

Post by superhuzza »

netbioserror wrote: post #28
xtiansimon wrote: post #8

> “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.

Lots of overuse injuries in calisthenics:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.2147/OAJSM.S394044

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

#69

Post by bluecheese452 »

ehnto wrote: post #17
faangguyindia wrote: post #7

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.

Hypertrophy and strength aren't as strongly linked as we thought. Generally for wellness, injury prevention, you want strength and flexibility.

What? They are incredibly linked.

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

#70

Post by Aurornis »

ryandvm wrote: post #12
xtiansimon wrote: post #8

> “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?

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.

This is highly unusual. You shouldn’t be injuring yourself that frequently at the gym, especially if your goal Is just to maintain mobility and basic muscle mass as you age.

This is such a strange thing to hear, as someone who also has gone to the gym a couple times per week for my life with a lot of different gym buddies.

I would suggest considering a reset of your gym routine and gym knowledge, possibly with the help of a physical therapist to see what you’re doing wrong.

If you’re going to one of those gyms that encourage dumb things like doing heavy lifts in a timed competition format or other bad ideas that were trendy in the 2010s, I really recommend getting out of those environments.

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