Great job summarizing the latest science. I'm 67, was not an athlete growing up, and now follow the formula you write about. In 2017 I ran every single day for a total of 2,000 miles; one marathon 3:58; two 50 K ultra trail races and the Cascade Crest 100 miler in 90+ degree heat and 25,000 ft elevation gain (34 hours). There were many other seniors along side me smiling and looking very healthy. By all medical measures I am healthier than two decades ago and rarely even get a cold. While it has helped my backpacking (hiked the Pacific Crest Trail) and cross country skiing, it has not improved my golf....something to work on for 2018!
At nearly 67 years old, I am slim and fit, devoting 4 Sessions weekly for 40 minutes each , in intense step aerobics with pylometrics and 5 lb. wrist weights (2.5 per wrist). I breathe heavily, unable to speak more than two words and perspire profusely. I take no medications and have no medical conditions. I eat sensibly and healthfully as well. I plan to maintain this regimen for the long term, as I plan on living well into my 90’s. I feel fantastic!
1
About 25 years ago, my wife became essentially paralyzed by MS and I had to maintain my strength in order to safely move her. Fortunately I read an article in the NY Times that advocated an intensive exercise program that could be accomplished in a short time and I have followed it with great success. They should reprint it!
Basically, go to a decently equipped gym, choose a machine, set a weight point that will permit you to just be able to do 4 reps – you couldn’t possibly be able to do 5! Next, go to a series of machines that will stress a different portion of your body and repeat the cycle. Do this for about 15 minutes with little rest between sets. Next, rest for a day and repeat the exercise regimen at the same weight level but this time do 6 repetitions. Rest for a day and then do 8 repetitions. Rest for a day or so and now go back to 4 repetitions but at a higher weight, etc., etc. until you hit a plateau where you can stay at that weight level with 8 reps.
I am now age 80 and in probably the best shape of my life with none of the expected aches and pains of old age. I have long ago hit a plateau of weight but now, because you supposedly will lose 10% per year of muscle after age 55, I each year increase my reps by 10% on my birthday to stay even. It works!
11
My hat is off to you! You are a true inspiration to all of us. I'm in my mid-sixties and started more intense exercise some 15 years ago and can confirm what you said about never having been as fit as I am now!
Forget old mice, what's good for old chimps?
3
“High Intensity” means one thing; High Force Levels created by the muscles. Runners and cyclists have just discovered this, but resistance trainers have known it all along, heavy exertion prevents musculoskeletal aging and maintains youthful appearance and function. Lift weights at 60-80% of your max effort, especially in the larger muscle groups.
4
Michael: High intensity running, i.e., interval training and speed work wasn't just discovered. It dates back to at least Paavo Nurmi and the other world class Finnish distance runners in the 1920s, through to Emil Zatopek in the 1950s continuing to modern day middle and long distance runners (sprinters too) and nearly all high school and college track and cross country programs the last 60 years.
1
Good news for septuagenarians, octogenarians and nonagenarians:
The time of cane is over. Please use a walker to walk faster and safer. Using a walker outdoors is like using a treadmill in fresh air. All walkers have bags for shopping many have seats for resting when you are tired. Put it in a car, take it on a bus or train. This is the best guarantee against falls which can confine you to your home or your bed for the rest of your life! Trust me, five years ago I became a happy nonagenarian and started to use a walker. One does not need costly and boring exercise equipment, advertised aggressively on TV, neither costly Gyms far away from your home. All you need is Just a walker which costs less than 100 dollars.
7
Do an exercise with a low risk of injury, like walking, and step it up. Do it on a flat surface, like a high school track. Use a fitness app on your cell phone to measure time and distance. An excellent time for one mile for a person age 60 to 69 is said (go to Sparks people website) to be 14 minutes 6 seconds or better, 50 to 59 is 13:24, 40 to 49 is 12:56, 30 to 39 is 12:23. So get out there and push your time lower. Learn the technique of walking quickly. Use a HRM. push yourself to 85% of maximum HR for your age. I am 71. I regularly go sub 13:24, I often go sub 12:56. I sometimes try 2 miles with a target of 26 minutes but usually fall a little short. I did a 12:13 mile last summer, showing off to my daughter, but I experienced some cramping in my legs afterwards - I think that was too much.
Ignore the "maximum HR for your age" formula. It's bunk. According to it, my maximum HR should be 157 but I regularly see it in the 170s when going hard on the bike. People differ, and max HR isn't an important number anyway.
3
I exercise to live better now and care little to nothing about whether or not it extends how long I live.
5
I realised on the eve of my 50th birthday that I was getting fat and unhealthy. I quit smoking and bought a bicycle. Within a couple of years I had lost 10 kilos (22 pounds) without dieting and could ride 100 hilly miles in a day, no problem. I even took u racing for a couple of years. If you want an intense workout, try a bike race.
Now, at 63, my favourite holidays are bike tours, the most substantial so far being an 8 week, 2500 mile, loop through eastern Canada and New England starting and finishing in Toronto. It has become part of my life and a massive contributor to my mental, as well as physical, health.
4
Congratulations on your finding exercise you love to do! I started doing Crossfit in 2013 at 54 years old, still doing 5-6 classes a week at 59 and love it (and like you I also lost weight without dieting). I would love to do extensive hilly biking like you but as I live in a city not currently practical and definitely not in winter here. I hope to possibly retire at 63-65 years old and perhaps I can take it up then. Maybe I will see you on a tour!
High intensity exercise can improve your life so much!
If it be really true that 60% of the "adults" in this country are way overweight perhaps a little exercise would have some long term benefits in that arena as well. As for living longer, good luck... if we are not able to control our addiction to burning carbon fuel, it might not be worth it.
1
How wonderful to read all of your positive comments about the benefits of exercise and your experiences in "doing" it. It is very motivating and refreshing. I have just printed the pdf of strength training. It is Summer in New Zealand now and I cycle and swim most days. Our bodies are precious and we must keep using them. Thank you for the article it has generated such positive discussion.
2
At 74 I go to the gym about 3 X per week. I normally ride a bike to and from for 3.6 miles of biking except for when I grocery shop for my wife and I. It is all weight training and I literally fell myself aging backwards. Stairs are still not easy but, overall the feeling of good health is great. I am enrolled in two "fall" studies- one at Yale and the other at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. Been in one for about 15 years and the other about 2 years; but I am a lousy candidate becuase when I go to the gym, I do football exercises for balance and I am happy to report no falls for 15 years. I suggest to both programs that they have Julian Edelman from NE Patriots teach seniors football balance exercises to prevent falling' but no one listens to me.
1
Where can I find the football balance exercises? Sounds great!
I've been lucky. I discovered the Fitness Center at the local community college. I've done about 6 months now of circuit training and bosu ball and facial exercises and treadmill. I'll be back at it tomorrow. I'm 66 and I feel like I'm going to live forever.
They also have swimming, basketball, general conditioning, dance and on and on. So, I've got plenty to do. Happy New Year to everyone.
1
Here's my story: I am 58 and in the best shape of my life. I do HIIT workouts and strength training on alternate days, 6 days then 1 day off to prevent injury. I have had physical therapy over the years, but not recently, partly because I learned what to do to prevent injury and treat it before it gets debilitating. Self-massage is remarkably effective; ice is amazingly effective. I highly recommend physical therapists -- they are amazing professionals who know every part of the body.
But I didn't like it when a PT told me I couldn't do X or Y activity anymore. So I changed PTs to someone who didn't tell me that. I also don't believe in the notion that you slow down as you get older. If anything, I speed up, because I have a lot to do and less time left.
Because I had chronic back problems for awhile, I cut back on things like yardwork. I went back to it. People ask me won't I injure my back. My response: if I do, I'll deal with it then.
My fave TV show is Steve Austin's Broken Skull Challenge. Super-inspirational.
1
Rediscovered cycling at age 46 joined club and raced the young member up the hills of coast range averaging 10,000 miles/year on the bike to age 68. Came to China at 73 and switched to walking with an aerobic push at end of mile or two. Not bad for fellow with C.O.P.D. acquired from 30 year of smoking before 46. Now 82 and heart rate ‘admirable.’ But need my respirators.
3
Gretchen, I also trained for and ran a half-marathon, then another, in 2017, and I hope to finish one faster and stronger in 2018. I'm 65, and inspired by this research. This winter I am focusing on strength training to improve my running performance. I feel that I have never done anything better for my physical and mental health than pushing my limits through running. Even if it doesn't add many years to my life, I'm hoping it will allow me to live the years I have left with decent health and mental clarity. I encourage everyone who is healthy enough to exercise, to do more than you think you can.
3
After 3 years with chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosed at a university medical center, I began HIIT at age 73 to improve strength. After 3 months, upper and lower body strength improved and fatigue had markedly improved. I decreased HIIT for 3 months then resumed it for another 3 months and now am aware of no fatigue. HIIT Ned’s to be evaluated for people with CFS in prospective controlled trials.
1
You may have been in poor physical condition, but you didn't have chronic fatigue syndrome if high intensity exercise interval training helped you to get stronger and feel better. Sufferers of true chronic fatigue experience extreme exercise intolerance. That translates into: One's body does not recover, much less get stronger, after attempting to exercise. Attempting to exercise simply makes you feel worse -- much worse than you can imagine! And no, it is not psychological, or "all in your head." It's devastatingly physical. I've lived with it in varying degrees of severity for many years. There is nothing I love more than being able to get outside and move -- walk energetically or better yet, take a hike in the hills. However, when I'm experiencing a chronic fatigue flare-up, I am simply unable to do physical exercise, no matter how much I might wish I could.
1
The posts from the "older" folks are great. Inspirational.
10
I am 81 yrs. and have a wonderful active life. I have been physically active throughout my years and have experienced my share of mishaps, including a multi-month confinement to a hospital bed due to a biking accident. However the benefits more than make up for any injuries. I believe the body literally "rusts" unless it is exercised and challenged. I continue to ride my bike and associate with a group of mostly senior citizens who love to ride and stay fit. Life is good - make the most out of it!
9
I have found that the secert is to have fun and sharing that with others. Every day spend time,walking , hiking, mountain biking, on the road bike, skiing, cc skiing, ornsnow shoeing. Follow an executive order, do something! You'll feel better.
3
Fit for what? Running a marathon or surfing the internet. I am 72 years old and my daily exercise is walking or strolling inside my house listening to music coming from my 4 Sonos speakers, at least 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. Of course I walk up and down my stairs several times a day. Occasionally I will be carrying a 5 or 8 lb weight in my hands while walking.
I still remember the tragic news about the editor of a popular running magazine who died of a heart attack while jogging. The guy was 52.
And speaking of gene expression there is a supplement that has been
clinically proven to affect 1711 genes, 9 times better than calorie restriction
which only affected 198 genes.
.
1
Yeah that guy was Jim Fixx. He suffered from a congenital heart defect and was a serious smoker before giving it up and developing a regimen of exercise to include running. I read his book and it inspired me to take up jogging, quit smoking and reclaim my good health. A year later at the age of 26 I was fit enough to rejoin the Marines and serve in an infantry regiment. After that hitch I joined an Army Soecial Forces Group and served for three years as a scout/tracker. And I feel as though I owe a debt to Mr. Fixx. Even he acknowledged that running helped extend his life beyond what was predicted to be a premature demise. Sempre Fi!
2
Never liked running much. I do like swimming. I've had an Endless Pool in our house for 18 years now and, when I can't swim outdoors, I swim inside at home, only for about 15 minutes most days but after my first 200 strokes, my heart rate gets over 150 usually. When the house is cold, it's hard to contemplate but i know i feel better for the rest of the day afterward. I'm 82, still working as a part time rheumatologist at nearby VA about 8-10 hours a week.
I am greatly looking forward to a week in Dom. Rep. and outdoor swimming in 3 weeks but I hope I never look forward to 3 months in Florida.
9
Once you hit sixty, it must be nice to still have a decent set of knees and a healthy back. After 45 years of manual work (farming, soldiering, firefighting) I have neither, and have webbing holding my stomach muscles together, which kinda grates, and a nice shiny set of steel pins in my lower back - just below the lovely new herniated disc. Exercise, therefore, is relegated to what I can do, and not what I would like to do. Without being able to run, I speed hike in the hills for a few miles, which leaves me in some pain but not so much that I cannot stand. To offset the compression in my spine, I do pull-ups every day, a necessity, not a joy. I also plank each day, while the porridge is cooking, to help my core, and intersperse slow push ups into the routine at one every five seconds for three to four minutes. I also have a nice big redwood in the backyard which I free climb using a forty-foot manilla rope to get me to the lower branches, before scrabbling through the branches and rappelling from the top. I find that that routine keeps me fairly trim, considering the beer I drink and the whiskey I need to offset the pain from years of injuries and allow me to sleep. Wish that I could run, ski or play tennis, but they are an impossibility these days. So basically, do what you can do, and just do it hard, even for a few minutes. But more to the point, convince your brain to enjoy it; especially when busting a lung on that last hill. That be the trick of life. Happy New Year!
35
Mr. Devlin. You rock!
10
I've grown weary over the years of touting the benefits of exercise. I simply do it and no longer talk about it. I have a gym at home and belong to 2 gyms. Since I workout so much, I like to mix it up and not get bored. The benefits are outstanding. I sleep well, eat properly, have twice the amount of energy a woman of my age would have and I'm strong and not a target. If you wait to be told by a doctor that you need to lose weight and exercise, you'll resent it and not do the work you need to do to have a healthier life. Do it because it's good for you and because you choose to. You won't regret it.
25
I suggest that teh Well pages, and Ms Reynolds in particular, make a resolution to write science-based articles in 2018 that cover all aspects of wellness, rather than the usual small-sample research that confirms their own opinions. This page could be SO much better.
12
I highly recommend the website " fitness blender".
7
Enough with these idiotic "maybe" studies. I'm 73. I swim 1/4 mile everyday. When I was 16 I used to swim 1 mile everyday. A yearly checkup confirms I'm "good to go."
I don't swim because I'm afraid of death. I swim because I enjoy it.
14
I'm 55 and exercise regularly but listen to my body more and take a break when needed. My theory is injuries equal time off from exercising maybe lots of time. Taking a day off when your body doesn't feel right is less time off than injury time off. So it's very important to exercise regularly but do it smartly and pay attention to your body's communication.
12
I am 64 - three years ago, following a freak accident where I fell on crutches and tore apart both of my shoulders, I began a formal strengthening and conditioning program. I have worked with a personal trainer for 3 years, doing stretching, weight training, core strengthening and aerobic fitness. Prior to my accident I was in decent shape but had never worked out formally...I can now do interval running, a minute off and a minute on, up hill, for about 3 miles. I no longer need my bone density medicine, and I feel sharper and better about myself physically. To say it has been life changing understates it.
14
Here's to you Anne Flink! Bravo and many many more years of heath and fitness for you!
1
At 74 i walk up 27 flights of stairs a day. No running, just a good pace. Have a good diet, weight is right, and health excellent. Intense exercise seems counter produtive to me, the harder you push your body the more prone to the injuries. As the say everything in moderation.
Happy New Year to all.
10
Without mentioning any downside of intense exercise for old bodies, this article paints a lop-sided picture. If I hurt myself while intensely exercising and then can no longer exercise at all, what benefit was gained?
7
The goal of living yet another year as if you were a teenage athelete is questionable. Enjoy every sandwich.
7
You can enjoy more sandwichs the longer you live. I'm pretty sure Warren Zevon (whom I love) wished he had never smoked and ran more than he did.
5
The evangelism of the work-out may be to the good. Or maybe sometimes not. While exercise and one or another kind of diet may add years to some lives, the idea that this is the whole reality lacks truth. It also creates a tendency toward judging people who do get sick or die when we think they ought not. Most of us know a person who worked out and ate right and had a long life. We also know of people who didn't and lived long lives, and of people like my sister, who lived a life exemplary for health and fitness, who died at 52 of aggressive breast cancer. Many of us know people whose deaths were the subject of suspicious questions by people who considered themselves paragons of right living. It's hard not to mind that, frankly. I can understand the desire to live a healthy life, and certainly why insurance companies with actuarial tables and profits to make do push the concept. But let us not buy into the idea that these behaviors are a way out of sickness, suffering, or dying--even young sometimes--lest we make a false reality that serves to promise us a safety we don't have, or a means to cast down people who don't deserve it. And frankly, even a person who has lived a less than healthy life, but has loved and worked and helped, doesn't deserve scorn from us, either. Some healthy people haven't done those things, to tell you the truth. Virtue really doesn't cut this way.
13
Job: This is a very important point to make. It is not only authors of articles who may inadvertently, or more consciously, imply that those who do not follow whatever protocol or strategy is being described are somehow "less than...," commenters on these pages may, and often do, make similar judgements.
In addition, articles may highlight achievements that, while admirable, apply to very few readers and members of the general population. As an illustration, citing the centenarian in this article, who has achieved a record relative to other centenarians, is interesting but hardly relevant to the vast majority of NYT readership who will not achieve 100 years in age.
And relating but not identical to the points you have raised, is the perhaps sizable population who have made often significant changes in their lives that correct for, but perhaps do not fully reverse damage done by past behaviors. For example, excess alcohol consumption has been correlated with a higher risk of breast cancer in women. What do the data show for women who later enter sobriety? Is the risk reduced? Are there even data addressing such issues? If an indivual woman in sobriety develops breast cancer do we blame her for her past behavior or applaud the changes she has made?
Certainly, articles such as this are interesting; but authors may be oblivious to, or at least not sufficiently conscious of, the value-laden nature of that which they discuss.
1
One thing I'm increasingly grateful for with every passing year is that I have 100 stairs to climb to get into my apartment. It does make me think twice before I leave the house, because if I forget something, it's not likely I'll climb 100 stairs to get it unless it's absolutely vital.
Yes, it does help; I climb these stairs at least 4 times a day.
6
High Intensity is great until you injure yourself. Was doing 20 min workouts, with either 3 x 5min intense of 5 x 3mins, then of course pulled a hamstring on one of the intervals. Even when I was younger, running fast was always playing with fire.
4
One has to ask, Why is there so much obsession with strenuous exercise at ANY age? A fad? Feeding a high-profit industry? The realization by Baby Boomers and Millennials that they are closer to the end than the beginning? Surely it's not to achieve an idealistic benefit for humanity.
We all know that if we eat right, exercise, and don't smoke, we'll live forever. Well, maybe not. Perhaps there is some relationship to the QUALITY of life we experience as we grow older. If so, that's nice. But, the old adage applies: "Everything in moderation." That applies to exercise, also. Maybe it's as simple as just keeping moving!
5
It's hard to reconcile this with real life experience. Studies show over and over the health benefits of vigorous snow shoveling. And it's still deadly. Think maybe it's something special about exercise? 1st time triathletes over age 50 have a measurable death rate (usually in the swim) of 1/10,000.
6
One glass of red wine daily.
2
All of those concerned about injury and stress must simply find a safe exercise for them to do. Whether it be walking in the pool for beginners with joint problems, riding a stationary bike for moderate athletes or kick boxing until you want to puke for high intensity junkies, nearly everyone can find a way to benefit from the high intensity principles.
As others have noted, it is very difficult for most beginning exercisers to exceed a 90% max heart rate. Fortunately, many physiological benefits can be attained in the 75-85% range without a worrisome danger of injury. Sure, a beginning runner seeking to start interval training at 90% is likely to have some problems. That is why no physician or trainer would recommend this. This is the range for athletes pursuing performance gains. I am a fit 50 year old cyclist and do 2-3 interval sessions a week. Only one of these is above 90%. This increases my performance without overtraining. The other 75-85% sessions help me maintain weight with minimal dieting, sleep better and feel better overall. Find a safe exercise, start to gradually increase your heart rate target and intensity duration as your capacity improves. You will feel better.
3
I only came here to read the naysayers. Of course not everybody can run a fast mile, or do pull-ups or pedal a bike like... someone not on steroids. That's not the point.
Everyone who wants to can make a modest effort. Like dieting, the results may not be immediately obvious and there will be some backtracking.
But, also like diet, exercise is a religion. If you don't practice it, you won't move on to your eternal reward.
6
Easy things to do: never use a drive thru, park in the back of lots, walk, and walk some more. The perceived loss of time will be added to the end of your life. and don't do silly, trendy "fitness" routines.
4
PETE: Why not have the time now? You may develop a fatal disease or get hit by a car and not reach that delayed end.
Also, if you die a few years earlier, you usually spend less time dribbling into your oatmeal or in the ICU.
1
Ah, to be part of the upper-middle-leisure class. Try housecleaning; it's free!
8
I love Gretchen Reynolds -- she continually fulfills my expectation that any study, no matter how small and no matter how dubious, that supports the idea "exercise is good, more exercise is better" -- whether performed on three college students, a dozen professional athletes, or two score mice or rats -- will be featured here with her full backing and yet another recommendation that we all spend a large percentage of our precious free time running or biking, preferably hard and fast. I get it -- she's a fan and fans can have opinions a bit beyond the reasonable.
But the best and most scientifically founded advice has not changed in many years -- no new study has found anything magical or life-extending about exercise beyond: "Try to get 20-30 minutes of moderate exercise most days" -- like four days out of seven -- housework, kids chasing, square dancing, zumba, and a nice brisk walks all qualify. That gives you 90% plus of all the health benefit you will see from exercise alone.
Obviously, if you smoke at all -- anything -- quit now. If you drink much -- cut back or quit. If you eat too much -- eat less and eat a well-balanced varied diet.
Your Grandmother could have told you this...and you should have listened.
8
The problem Kip is no one likes doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise - maybe 3 minutes of HIIT is something they will.
Just adding my two cents. I have been an active athletic type since I started walking 65 years ago,and my health and happiness is cross training among many different types of activities. Currently I participate in golf, yoga, tennis, basketball and have a fitness trainer once a week. The constant changing of muscle groups and intensity levels seems to keep me healthy, motivated, injury free and a helps maintain a positive attitude.
1
This isn't for everyone. Thinking more is always better, in the past months I've upped my walking to more than the usual five miles per day. I'm 62. I now have a compressed femoral nerve, a lot of pain, and no end in sight. It's clearly true that intense exercise is best, but not if it causes other problems that stop one from exercising at all.
2
In recent years, I've hung on to my unsubstantiated belief that I need to get my heart rate above 100 to gain the most from aerobic exercise. At age 72, that cutoff point has declined a lot from the one I used when I was 62. Back then, I strove to get my HR above 200. But I just never bought into the idea that walking, for example, could be as good for me as jogging.
My problem now is not the HR cutoff, which I can adjust as a I age. Rather it's the injuries. As I've aged, my muscle sprains and tears have gotten more frequent, take longer to heal, and some don't seem to fully resolve at all.
I’ve always been A fan of exercise and I have been running and playing tennis and hiking for many years. However, in the last half year I’ve been training for a triathlon and intentionally engaging in regular vigorous exercise, with the help of an Apple Watch to track my activity. I feel amazing and really find it quite addictive. Yes, injuries regularly crop up and something is always hurting at least a bit, but I am optimistic and convinced by the medical evidence that all the temporary aches and pains are far outweighed by the mental and long-term benefits of regular vigorous exercise. And i look great and feel younger to boot.
1
Nice article. It seemed, however, to miss alerting to the risks of certain intense exercise to an elderly person. The word 'intense' can be understood by lay people to permit rapid, sudden movements -- which should absolutely be avoided to prevent injury. It should be very clear that the objective is to challenge cardio endurance, not to overstress muscles, connective tissue or bones.
I'm wondering, too, if the side-paragraph at the end encouraging older people to start running is a good idea. I'm not knowledgeable about the research but I seem to remember reading (though I may be wrong) that it's okay to continue running into older age if you have been a runner while younger, but that starting running fresh when older can lead to knee and back problems.
3
A comment here brings up the question of confirmation bias. Good. I'm so sold on the benefits of exercise at all ages, I was believing all and forgot to be objective. There are surely risks and benefits to be considered.
Besides the honesty of discussing contrarian studies, how about adding the qualifications of the authors of articles? Are their educations in journalism, physical therapy, physiology, sports medicine, cardiology, orthopedics or gerontology?
I, for one, would like to see more articles on the subject of exercise (types of, intensity of) and those of us who have been very active and are now entering the elderly groups. And tell us the qualifications of your authors for writing on their topics.
3
I work in an Orthopedic practice where we are replacing the knees and hips of the Baby Boomers and older at a furious pace. So many of my patients persist in pursuing exercises that damage major, weight-bearing joints. Cartilage is an amazing substance, but it is a non-renewable resource. Like tires on your car, it wears out depending on how intensively you use it.
Maybe in 2018, talk a little bit about joint health vis a vis relative workout intensity and longevity of strenuous activity. Thank you.
15
Exercise, schmexercise.
I'm 60 and work as a security greeter in a retail/grocery store two miles from my house. When my car's in the shop, I can walk the two miles to work with no problems. Could do it every day if I choose, but it's hard to carry heavy groceries that distance. Plus I'm on my feet for the entire 8 hr. shift walking around helping customers, cleaning up spills, pushing carts, etc.
5
It sounds like the old cliché "No pain, no gain" has some truth behind it.
And as always, the best kind of exercise is exercise you actually do.
2
I read about perceived rate of exertion just before I started my winter training this year, and while I have done interval training - ramping up exertion simply based on what I feel (versus what any gadget tells me) has altered my workouts significantly. A good workout will allow the athlete or trainee to establish the limit of intensity in order to avoid injury. Our bodies are gifts, vessels for the ghost in the machine. Listen to yours. It will thank you.
Physical Education should include: Challenging the mind, thinking, intensity of thought..... that brain and mind activity can be the most physically challenging work-out. Burn the most calories. This article is too narrow as to physical activity, especially intense physical activity. Actually, thinking might be the most intense activity. People who do educational activities to raise their IQ Scores, such as from Mensa to increase to Brilliant IQ, challenge themselves: Intensely (for example).
I used to be a wild animal.
Now I'm a household pet.
1
Your commuting is the biggest exercise. There is no need to go to gym. I never cycled in my childhood. Now,I have completed six decades of my existence on this wretched planet. I do household work,and it is a great exercise. Cooking,washing clothes,house cleaning,and bringing essentials from the market - all these chores are good exercise.
2
I am a 65 year old women and have been rowing for about 15 years, both on the water and for the last 2 years at an indoor rowing studio. Rowing is a low impact exercise that combines the benefits of weights, cardio and and using all the muscles in your body. I have seen people with ms coming into the studio in wheelchairs and braces and in a few months they no longer need their equipment. I have arthritis in both my knees and most of the time have no pain. So grab a friend and try it!! You won't regret it!!
2
As a lifelong cyclist please let me add a word of caution to fellow septuagenarians contemplating a quick transition from no exercise to intensive workouts. Even if your chosen sport is swimming or cycling, both known to be easy on the joints, your cardiovascular and muscle systems still need time to adjust or you risk injury or worse. In cycling this gradual build-up of effort over eight weeks or so is called building a base. Without the aerobic efficiency provided by endurance training, you cannot begin to build the anaerobic power and muscle strength required by short-burst interval training.
As for running, forget it. Ninety percent of my running friends have had to give it up around age 60 because of the damage to their joints caused by years of pavement pounding.
2
get new running shoes every 250-300 miles. I'm 48 and run maybe 35 miles a week on NYC streets. I get new shoes every 8 or 9 weeks. If I forget, I start to feel more joint soreness after 12 weeks. By 15 weeks, my legs feel tired. With shoes under 300 miles old, I tend to feel very fresh.
3
Unless you really like to exercise, don't.
If a workout is more work than fun, don't do it.
Over a lifetime, you may add a few years, but you'll have spent an equal amount of time doing something that you don't like. And wasting time that could have been spent doing things which you find enjoyable that you might not be able to do in your later years if you even get that far. Even healthy people have tragic accidents and die young. Life is uncertain.
3
At 72, now retired, I have done aerobic training for 40 years, stretching for 25, "tai chi-ing" for ten and weight lifting for four years, I tried to add intensity. I was reminded trying to sprint to exhaustion on a bike that for my entire life I was losing the precious cartilage in my hip joints and they began to hurt. Then I started to increase the incline on the treadmill and realized that power walking uphill is not good for the hip joints. I weigh less than I did in high school and have a very low percentage of body fat. I exercise six days a week. I suppose there are rare exceptions to my experience but who are you kidding? We all wear out and even die one day. Don't we?
3
" Could add about seven hours to our life spans ." Unfortunately , they are added on at the end , and probably in an ICU !
4
This column is one of the best features of the NYT!
Always informative and inspirational -- thank you!!
1
Everything in moderation! Your body talks to you, it will tell you when to cut back. And at no time should you feel guilty about that, no matter what the experts say.
3
wow - hard work = success. Thanks for the news!
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Mike: Experience has taught me that hard work often gets you nothing.
1
Let's see a study a short time ago says strenuous exercise increases your risk of getting macular deg.
Well at least with this study it will not kill you.
1
Ar 62, I have really cut back on high intensity workouts; I'm just so tired of being injured. I still run, but 14-minute miles. I still do spin and ride my bike, but I've quit boot camp and boxing. I still lift weights, but I've quit Body Pump. I still do yoga but I can't seem to get to a conditioning class. Maybe I should go back to Insanity or Grit. I don't know...
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But what this seems to say is that you don't have to do Insanity to benefit - instead, you can add some high intensity intervals to your runs or bike sessions. Push the pace for a couple of minutes, a couple of times during that workout.
I'm the same age and have had a similar experience. Had to stop running in the woods and switch to using gentler forms of exercise (elliptical) in a gym. I started doing 12 minute HITS workouts recently. I was amazed at how out of shape I was, despite regular ordinary workouts. What's nice about HITS is they're short - 7 minutes is also a popular duration - and the exercises need not be jarring, just intense, so risk of injury is low.
1
Why not get in the swimming pool? You could walk strenuously while moving your arms against the water's resistance as well. You come across as being burnt out, so why not try something new?
Having read numerous columns by Ms. Reynolds over the years, I admire her persistence, but I am concerned about what appears as an enormous amount of confirmation bias. I would be more impressed if she put more effort into finding recent reports more focused on the problems of high-intensity exercise, particularly for the elderly and seriously deconditioned. She does this occasionally, but there is more to the discussion: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4506613/ ("High-intensity interval exercise training for public health: a big HIT or shall we HIT it on the head?").
There is too much emphasis on short term animal studies--something she briefly mentions with respect to mice. There is arguably too much testimonial, too much focus on unusual individuals who are able to remain active many decades beyond the norm.
This is not to minimize the importance of chronic exercise, of getting one's heart rate up. And there are lower impact ways of doing just that. We can all quote our favorite studies--and it is possible to build a recent bibliography stressing more caution than the trends reported in these columns.
And happy new year to everyone--even those sitting on the couch.
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The best exercise is the one you'll actually do.
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Please, this New Years Eve lets remember the large segment of the population who because of frailties, injuries or chronic illness may not be able to engage in high intensity work outs and remind them that they do not need to hurt to benefit from regular exercise or more vigorous activity. Walking, gentle yoga with deep breathing exercises (pranayama), swimming or pool exercises, stationary bikes, gardening, gentle Tai Chi exercise all can help improve not only your physical health but the quality of your life and your mentation.
And many senior centers and health clubs regularly offer classes in these more gentle activities at discount rates, that offer the added benefit to their participants of bringing together people who may have some of the same physical limitations, who maybe willing to share different strategies in how they cope with them in their daily lives. So please remember you do not need to be a marathon runner, a kick boxer or a former Olympic athlete to benefit from staying active. Happy New Year to us all!
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Great comment. Eastern USA is now under a cold spell - I found I can get a good workout in my home.
"chronic illness may not be able to engage in high intensity work outs". ---- Challenging the mind, thinking, intensity of thought..... that brain and mind activity can be the most physically challenging work-out. Burn the most calories. This article is too narrow as to physical activity, especially intense physical activity. Actually, thinking might be the most intense activity. People who do educational activities to raise their IQ Scores, such as from Mensa to increase to Brilliant IQ, challenge themselves: Intensely (for example).
Thank you! I had a very sedentary childhood (in the 50s) and it has not been easy to exercise as an adult. I have had periods of being able to do it and then injuries would set me back. Joined a gym and had some gentle personal training a year ago and then tried supposedly for seniors Silver SNeakers classes at the gym. Too difficult for me. I found VERY gentle exercise classes at a senior center and have been able to do those without injury. I was astounded at how movements that seemed very simple were able to raise my heart rate... goes to show you in what bad shape I was. I used to love walking and still do, but hip arthritis makes it challenging. I have to be VERY careful not to irritate my joints. Likewise I have to be very careful about joints with upper body weight training. I do what I can and appreciate when I improve.... but I do get disheartened by the drumbeat of the message “do more, do it more intensely, etc.”.
1
Many Americans do not care to exercise nor do they. I exercise daily with Zumba, walking, weights, elliptical, cardio-aerobic, kick boxing, etc. I have no sleep problems nor weight problems. I have low cholesterol, blood pressure and no chronic diseases. One gets out of life (or a longer life) from what they put into life and that includes exercise.
27
The life is fair and just belief? That does seem to work for some, anyway. For a time. Nice that you exercise, anyway.
1
Good for you. Do you have any concept that there are many people who can't do what you do for a variety of reasons? I seriously doubt that all the exercising you do contributes to what you claim to be your great good health.
2
There are many different forms of exercise. It is probably possible to find something that you like. But remember that many people do not have the time to exercise. They are too busy working 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet. They live in slums with no safe outdoor walking nearby. They can't afford health clubs or gyms. Peole can walk malls on weekends, find classes at senior centers, churches and YMCAs, but still it's hard, but definitely worth it if one makes the effort.
4
The study I like the best, concerned men who run, added about 2-3 years to their life, but nine years of healthier living. I would also suggest don't over do it, because you won't want to continue doing it on a regular basis.
22
Thank you, Gretchen, for all your fitness reporting. A literal breath of fresh air from so much negative news! As a runner for 53 years, I've known about interval training (usually on a track) for decades but have not participated lately. Will do so in 2018! Happy New Year!
14
A good whole body exercise is a techniques called heavyhands, by Dr Leonard Schwartz. Whole body exercise check out his Physical stats you'll be amazed. As for the people who get into exercise later in life, they don't have the wear and tear that people who exercised all their life do. I've exercised since the age of 10. Boxing,running strength training,stretching, after years of it I have tendon problems and plenty of bone spurs due to it according to my doctor. I believe the biggest factor in health and longevity is one's stress levels. I had a grandmother who drank everyday and not moderately, who drove till she was 96 and passed at the age of 98. With all her mental and physical capacity intact. Her stress levels were minimal, Her favorite word. "Whatever".
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I am 64. I had been working out in the gym every day, but after reading the NYTimes article, I added interval training ever other day. Even though it is not that intense, it really seems to improve things and make me feel better. I usually do 4 intervals of 4 minutes with a heart rate between 135 and 150. This may be minor-league compared to real athletes, but it works!
27
The 9-minute workout includes exercises that are hard to do unless you are strong and fit to begin with. I would like to see a 9-minute workout for those who cannot do a pushup or pull-up. My take on Gretchen Reynolds' reporting is that she believes high intensity workouts improves people's health, perhaps because it is a research area. However, it seems like she ferrets out all the studies that support her point of view. I have added high intensity to my running - to me, it makes my runs slightly less boring. Similarly, I've added high intensity to treadmill. I am concerned about injury associated with high intensity, and I'm not sure Reynolds will tell us about this, as it would run counter to her biases. Many people have criticized Reynolds' reporting because of small samples (for example). Is there a conclusive case for high intensity? Don't know ... as Reynolds tends to report all the studies with no regard for quality (and no comment on quality), so long as it supports her viewpoint. Not sure this is a good opinion to have for a science reporter.
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Yes, I kind of laughed when I tried to do the 9 minute workout. And the printout says turn it into a 27 minute workout! But that should not deter one: Start with the 30 second workout by doing what you can do. For example, step up and step down without dumbbells. Then commit to working up to 9 minutes over the next 9 months. There is no rush, is there? I bet you will make it if you can keep doing it for 9 months.
For the last year I have done intense treadmill running and one hour of serious weight training 3 times a week....I am 80.
My body looks pretty much the same as before.... but apparently the effort has dramatically increased my testosterone. My sex life has increased to a delightfully higher level. (I live in Spain where there is a flourishing sex industry with no age discrimination which surely promotes longevity)
"No cuerpo pero bueno sexo." (No body but good sex) I say as I look in the mirror at my sagging 80 year old skin. The young Spanish guys laugh.
21
"(I live in Spain where there is a flourishing sex industry with no age discrimination which surely promotes longevity)"
Randolph, you're promoting prostitution as a health tonic? Does this include under-age prostitutes?
22
Maybe, by "no age discrimination" he meant no discrimination against people over 65?
No.
1
If you can swim, joining a masters swim group is a great way to achieve exercise balance. There's always a warm-up period followed by 20-30 minutes of high intensity effort. Personally my lipid profile as a 60 year old is better than it was at 40, so I'm seeing positive results. But the best thing is you're working out with others; so they can push you, keep an eye on you or just commiserate with you.
25
Any type of water exercise is SOOOO beneficial. I cannot find a warm enough (getting older; gotta have the water pretty toasty) pool nearby; and I know my life will be shortened due to lack of year-round indoor swimming options in my area.
You keep on swimming Pat!
3
For me, total solitude is the best part about lap swimming or hiking. You don't have to be an extrovert to exercise. Just get going! Push yourself a little -- then a little more the next time -- you'll be amazed at what you can do.
2
wear a wetsuit
Age-related arthritis sure puts a kink in intensive work outs.
20
Did I read somewhere that exercise helps with arthritis?
5
It actually helps arthritis. I always have less pain after doing a 45 minute moderately intense workout.
11
Hurts to start the day. hurts to start the run, hurts to start the lift.
Get used to it.
I'm 70.
2
It depends on the type of life you want to live as you get older. If you want to stay active and perform those activities that bring you happiness then working out and pushing yourself will help you attain this. It doesn't mean that you'll live longer than you're genes dictate just that the quality of life will be there.
11
Actually it DOES change what our genes dictate somewhat. People who exercise have longer telomeres. Longer telomeres = younger cells = younger person regardless of the chronological age.
13
Stressing ANY body part long-term is ultimately not good for that body part.
Simple common sense.
(Unless your income depends on the exercise-industrial complex...)
8
Exactly what do you mean by the "exercise-industrial" complex. Perhaps it is the many educated but gullible people being suckered by largely useless "fitness" gadgets and gizmos, not to mention so-called fitness foods and drinks?
8
Sadly your sense is demonstrably not true. It’s a u-shaped curve. The complete lack of physical or mental exertion and the reverse of daily mental-physical stress exhaustion are both harmful to wellbeing and evolutionary fitness. Www.pubmed.gov is the National Library of Medicine, which is a good place to brush up your learning.
Many tissues in the body adapt to stress and become stronger in response. This may actually improve their durability compared to the atrophied tissues of a sedentary person.
Of course, there is such a thing as too much stress.
I love these feel good fantasy articles demonstrating that death and decline are not inevitable. Keep it up NYT!
55
You should have left the "decline" out for accuracy. NYT is right about that one.
3
Actually, Phil, there will be decline for most of us in the course of illnesses such as cancer, for example, or types of dementia, or any of a number of routes to the end. The idea that you'll be strong and active and then die in your sleep is not a realistic picture of most of our ends, exercise or not.
1
"Mice are not people" yes, but sometimes I feel like an elderly mouse.
37
Yeah, please pass the cheese.
3
Okay, I learned to ice skate at age 66, started hockey at age 70. But, because my reaction time is slow, I decided to put an end to my two year hockey career. As for skating, no way -- love it. Other than those two, my routines are fairly boring -- mall walking and walking the dog. But, it's exercise and that's important to me.
I will be honest; I really look forward to doing some sort of daily exercise. And I do it throughout the day -- skate in the morning, walk when I get back from the rink, exercise bike, and so on.
Thanks to Gretchen Reynolds for giving us old folks good advice.
33
I can vouch for the benefits of intense exercise and have also experienced the downsides. At 82, I still do sprint interval training 1X/week, run 2-3 miles once a week and play racquetball 3X/week. I admit that it's tricky avoiding injury as you move up the intensity, but you can come back from most injuries if you are patient and persistent. It seems intuitively obvious to me that the more you exercise like you did at a younger age, the more likely you will experience the well-being of a younger being.
58
A good note to end the year on. Thank you Gretchen for many informative articles.
31
I started competitive running at age 44. At age 53 I set personal bests in 5k, 8k, 10 mile and Marathon races
Its was all about learning how to train hard and smart, and listening to the body
14
On the money, Paul. Did very much the same, now 76, still at it. Each year we get slower . . . BUT THAT'S OK! Just keep on keepin' on. Your last sentence says it all. I'll add Dr. Sheehan's "Magic 6." Trail running is great for us oldsters as well.
Ms Reynolds, and other reporters, need to better understand that quoting exceptions, like a 103 year old cyclist, proves absolutely nothing. An exception is an exception, there isn't a comparison, they merely confirm there is a normative value, and they do not conform to it. It would be helpful if the Times could send some of these science writers on training courses, so they would actually learn what science is, and how it is used. Again, and this is vital if you're a member of the press, exceptions prove nothing, other than that they're outside of the standard rulebook, and easy to make money on for lazy journalists who aren't bothered to understand the research. There is always some "scientists" who can get funding to do useless research - I expect the Times to use contributors who understand the distinction. I could otherwise just as easily get my science from USA Today.
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You could experiment by trying an exercise routine for several months which includes brief periods of high intensity exercise. Then feel in your own body whether or not you think this approach to exercise is beneficial.
4
Thanks Gretchen for your writing this year. Bicycling is terrific exercise but a 103 yer old cyclist holds only a small part of the truth. For the rest we have to turn to the greatest cyclist of all Eddy - The Cannibal - Merckx. He told us: "Don't but up grades, ride up grades." So put all the fancy equipment away, find something you love, and get out an do it. Sitting is the new smoking!
5
Maybe you should have kept reading past the first few paragraphs: "Other studies this year reinforced the notion that age..."
5
As Aaron Caroll points out in his article today about evidence based medicine, it’s important to talk about the upsides and downsides, not just the upsides. One downside would be my knee, which I damaged by upping the intensity of my exercise regime, and now prevents me from running at all. I would be better off if I had never read these articles about the upside of intense exercise.
128
Blaming intensive exercise for knee damage misses several important points.
There are many different exercises that do not involve placing undo loading on the knees. Also, high intensity exercise by its nature is of limited duration, because very few people are able to sustain this level of effort (>90% max. HR) for very long. And, finally , if you feel joint pain, you rest or change your activity.
So, with common sense high intensity exercise can be done safely and it does a disservice to state that it is inherently causes damage.
66
I agree. After 8 years of near daily running and doing sit-ups on an inclined bench, I developed an extremely painful and disabling herniated disk in my spine. Probably both exercises contributed to it, as the frequency probably did as well. The result is, a few months short of age 65 it's doubtful I'll ever do either exercise again. I think a better recommendation is to recognize the benefits of moderate exercise, but that increasing moderation with increasing age is probably a good idea. As well as avoiding certain exercises altogether at some point.
14
Practice Yoga in addition to aerobic exercise to keep your joints supple. I started practicing after hurting my knee running trails. It works! Side benefits are calming and strengthening. Can pay for a streaming service, take classes at the Gym, or find books or magazines which instruct various poses.
8
With heart and lung conditions, the prescription IS??? Which doctors are current, and can advise what is healthy and safe. What are the precautions and modifications in routines? , I am in group ok, and appreciate the walk, sing, talk, breathing stress analogy. A friend needs the latest science.
7
Thank you for your excellent articles this year. You are part of why I love The New York Times
36
Thanks for the all the informative reporting, Gretchen! I've learned so much from your columns about exercise science -- looking forward to your work in 2018!
15
3 things that we now know affect your genes. These are things that 'stress" the genes, wake them up and have them do things they used to do.
1- Interval exercise , as described in the article.
2- Proper diet related to bacteria health. 99% of the genes in out body are from our associated bacteria. They have far reaching effects on our total body function. A lot of our food intake needs to be with the realization that its our bacteria that decide what signals, nourishment etc. , the body will receive.Less meat, less sugar. less refined foods and more fiber (probably need supplements) will assure the right mix.
3- Too many calories. More calories, more signals for cells to divide and grow and more chance of disease. Choosing to have decreased calories a few times a week is key. Overweight has 40% more chance of cancer.
For discussion of all of this see letswakeupfolks.blogspot.com-my talk to people who want to be healthy.
16
Happy New Year, Gretchen! And thanks for all of your great reporting on exercise science.
24