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thaistyle
03-21-2009, 07:58 AM
I know this subject has been beat to death, but what types of cardio seems to work best for the master (older) athlete? Running seems too hard on aging joints. I've always love sprint work, but I'm not sure how long my knees will keep up.

47ronin
03-21-2009, 08:23 AM
I know this subject has been beat to death, but what types of cardio seems to work best for the master (older) athlete? Running seems too hard on aging joints. I've always love sprint work, but I'm not sure how long my knees will keep up.

For some people with knee issues the stepmill works for them. They go slow enough to where it's minimal impact but even with the slow pace it doesn't take long till your heart rateto become elevated. Hell, climbing stairs at any pace for 30-45 minutes is exhausting.

DaveV
03-21-2009, 08:30 AM
Elliptical is very easy on the joints.

bigdaddyd
03-21-2009, 09:38 AM
Shoot, we have like 20 at my gym and you can never get on them

BK
03-21-2009, 10:52 AM
I would limit the amount of Elliptical you do to no more then 2x a week. It may seem easy on the body, but you are still rotating your hips and shoulders very repetitively which can lead to tight IT bands and overworked shoulders. SLed dragging/pulling and stairmaster work pretty well for me.

Bennny
03-21-2009, 11:18 AM
Good ol'fashion walking. Fast walking. Not any of that goofy looking speed-walking shit, I'm talking about regular walking. But at a pretty decent pace for about 45 minutes. First thing in the morning on an empty stomach works best. But really anytime is good.

esplendido
03-21-2009, 11:21 AM
Walking.....and ONLY walking. Outside or on the treadmill, 4mph max. You want to keep your HR at 130 or less, otherwise you're burning muscle. Why get a leg workout on the elliptical or stepper????

Cardio is a misnomer. What we are doing, to lose fat and save the legs, is aerobic, not anaerobic. Cardio ranges are anaerobic. Running is useless for the weight athlete over 35. STOP RUNNING! Stop getting your HR into the 150 zone. Walk. It's the only way to lose fat and save muscle.

sassy69
03-21-2009, 12:21 PM
My favorite / most productive cardio approach (esp for contest prep) is stepmill + treadmill at a steep angle, walking. I still think HIIT has its place for me and might be the secret weapon to ultimate conditioning because I've not done a lot of it -i.e. it may be the missing piece. My problem is occassionally tweaky knees, but moreso is my tendency towards shin splints. I ran track in HS & Jr H and, coming from the snow belt, we started the pre-season 1-2 months before the snow was gone. So running in the halls at the school did wonders for my shins. I am now good for about 2 rounds of 30 sec sprints on a treadmill before I'm crippled for 2 days.... Still trying to figure this one out.

Generally speaking tho, I think walking is your best bet. Low impact, fat burning heart rate, keeps you warmed up & functionally correct.

I also like the Arc Trainer for good ROM and stretching.

graybass
04-12-2009, 10:17 AM
Walking.....and ONLY walking. Outside or on the treadmill, 4mph max. You want to keep your HR at 130 or less, otherwise you're burning muscle. Why get a leg workout on the elliptical or stepper????

Cardio is a misnomer. What we are doing, to lose fat and save the legs, is aerobic, not anaerobic. Cardio ranges are anaerobic. Running is useless for the weight athlete over 35. STOP RUNNING! Stop getting your HR into the 150 zone. Walk. It's the only way to lose fat and save muscle.

Shit, I could not have said it better. I am a certified PT and a sports nutritionist. I'm over 40, and a lot of my clients are too.
You are definately burning muscle at 130BPM and above. Sometimes this is hard to accept, but it's science, not opinion.
Over 40, longer cardio, not harder. I just try to get one of my hot clients to do cardio with me. Makes the time go by!! :D
GB

GirlyMuscle
04-12-2009, 10:24 AM
Wow...I had no idea that cardio over 130 for the over 40 bber/pler was a no-no. I just thought that applied to keto dieting. Good to know. Thanks!

sassy69
04-12-2009, 11:08 AM
Wow...I had no idea that cardio over 130 for the over 40 bber/pler was a no-no. I just thought that applied to keto dieting. Good to know. Thanks!

I'll throw in that my knees can't handle anything faster than a steep incline walk either :(

HeavyDutyGuy
04-12-2009, 12:08 PM
Treadmill, and recumbent bike are my instruments of torture, choice I mean choice, lol.

gman
04-12-2009, 01:09 PM
I have to incline 7 at 3.5 just to get to 115 so I don't think I will ever top 130 unless I run, which I will never do.

Dom
04-12-2009, 04:07 PM
I use the Elliptical, I have a foot problem that can get pretty painful on a treadmill. I used to haul ass on the elliptical , now I cruise on it. It took some time getting used to going at a slower pace but I find it works well and no pain in the foot.

FLEXR6
04-28-2009, 07:38 PM
Shit, I could not have said it better. I am a certified PT and a sports nutritionist. I'm over 40, and a lot of my clients are too.
You are definately burning muscle at 130BPM and above. Sometimes this is hard to accept, but it's science, not opinion.
Over 40, longer cardio, not harder. I just try to get one of my hot clients to do cardio with me. Makes the time go by!! :D
GB

I also agree with both comments.
I'm currently in the middle of comp season (have done 2, with 3 to go - last one is May 30).
I competed last year at 78kg/172lb and have come in at 73kg/161lb and 72kg/158lb in my first two shows so far this year. I'm looking at being around 71kg/156lb this Sunday at my next show.
In the off season I put on around 2kg/4lb of muscle, so I estimate I've lost around 6kg/13lb of bodyfat.
I attribute this to a continual refinement of my diet and fast walking.
Being light also allows me to do a ridiculously slow jog (just above walking pace) and keeps my heart rate at around 100bpm. 40 - 45 mins fast walking/extremely slow jog is working for me.:D

hulkenpower
04-29-2009, 07:16 AM
Outside walking for 45 min. Better for old knees - treadmile no rough ground. long and steady HR 105 - 110

Gunz
04-29-2009, 07:37 AM
I know this subject has been beat to death, but what types of cardio seems to work best for the master (older) athlete? Running seems too hard on aging joints. I've always love sprint work, but I'm not sure how long my knees will keep up.

STOP sprinting - it burns muscle. Ask Esplendido - I am a reformed cardio whore!!!:eek:

Dom
04-29-2009, 01:12 PM
Elliptical is what I use , I have a bad foot issue and it is not a problem for me when I do cardio on an elliptical. Just watch your heart rate and you should be fine.

sassy69
04-29-2009, 01:16 PM
I've got a broken toe & no big toenail so anythign that presses on the top of my toe (i.e. most shoes) are just not options. So my alternatives are fantastic Concept2 Rowing Machine and upright (haven't tried recumbant yet) bike. I'm good for about 20 min on the rowing machine before my butt starts to get sore, but otherwise very little impact on my toe. Bike works fantastic as well.

Synth
04-29-2009, 04:02 PM
Disclaimer: esplendido (http://forums.rxmuscle.com/member.php?u=800) is in better shape than I am.
Now you don't have to belive anything I say. :)
I feel that HIIT cardio is better for the aged muscle/ham-beast, or maybe Tabata style where you get your cardio workout during the weight training, but tabata is not used to get BIG, just as a maintiance to stay cut, imho)

HIIT for the old farts, I feel we have a harder Threshold to get over to start the fat burning procress, if you Start off with a HIIT cardio and you warm up, then go hard and heavy for 3-5 minutes.. whatever to get you BPM up to 170 or somewhere in the stroke-zone, hold it there for a bit, then relax and slow it down to 130 BPM does two (or more) things,
1. Once you heart beat goes up it tends to stay up and cycling your heart-> work hard!, work slow.. Work hard!, work slow Is really great for you heart muscle and the whole breathing, blood flow, pulmonary system.
2. You get twice the cardio benefit in much less time. A good HIIT cardio you can get the fat burning of in 40-45 minutes, that normally would of taken you an hour. so do HIIT for 1 hr and your Kicking major ass.
Useing HIIT is a great excuse to swap machines.. Do a hard 3-5 minutes then walk to a different machine, you"ll be at your 130 BPM range then to start off.
I do, treadmill, Elliptical, and stair master 15 minutes each. or sommat like that.

and I don't think the body knows, you did 170 BPM for 3 minutes and then 6 minutes at 130bpm to start stealing muscle.. I think it stays in the fat burning zone, if you do HIIT. easy, hard, easy; you stay in the steady state fat burning zone longer, you just kick it up a notch every so often to speed up your total cardio time and get a little extra 'umh out of it.
Also, I don't belive a calorie is a calorie is a calorie etther. I think it's very important to do cardio in the morning, or at least not within 3 hours of you weight training.

Weight training is specific muscle adaptation, I want it all going There, I don't try to Burn fat Right after weights.

Sorry if this is not typed technial enough to be believable,, I can Bill Wrink it up and post studies if ya want.

sassy69
04-29-2009, 04:08 PM
HIIT for the old farts, I feel we have a harder Threshold to get over to start the fat burning procress, if you Start off with a HIIT cardio and you warm up, then go hard and heavy for 3-5 minutes.. whatever to get you BPM up to 170 or somewhere in the stroke-zone, hold it there for a bit, then relax and slow it down to 130 BPM does two (or more) things,.


As in "A Stroke"? I'm only 43 but all of a sudden "stoke-zone" doesnt' sound like a funny joke anymore... egads.

Synth
04-29-2009, 04:23 PM
As in "A Stroke"? I'm only 43 but all of a sudden "stoke-zone" doesnt' sound like a funny joke anymore... egads.
heh, yeah well, you know what I mean.
us fit people can bump it up there just to shock the old ticker into saying: "eh? EH??! what's That You say!!, well Alllrright, I'll do it, But If you die right here in front of everyone, your sure going to look stupid!"
.. hmm, maybe that's not funny either, (I'm 42 yoa)

sassy69
04-29-2009, 04:31 PM
heh, yeah well, you know what I mean.
us fit people can bump it up there just to shock the old ticker into saying: "eh? EH??! what's That You say!!, well Alllrright, I'll do it, But If you die right here in front of everyone, your sure going to look stupid!"
.. hmm, maybe that's not funny either, (I'm 42 yoa)


I agree but I just never thought of it as 'stroke-zone'.. maybe cuz my parents are at that age (they are very fit ..) that every time I talk to them, there's a story about one of their friends who had a stroke, a heart attack, a cancer, a something... its just getting closer to home than it used to..

Its a good point tho, makes you pay attention.