Mixed
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT) improve cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic risk factors in older adults with safety comparable to or better than moderate-intensity steady-state training, while requiring significantly less time.
Incorporate high-intensity intervals into your routine 2-3 times per week. You can use the '4x4' method (4 minutes of hard effort, 3 minutes of easy recovery, repeated 4 times) or 'Sprint Interval Training' (3 sets of 20-second all-out sprints with 2 minutes rest). These sessions take about 30 minutes total and have been shown to be safe and effective for improving heart health and fitness in older adults, often with better enjoyment than long, slow walks.
Recent lab-based research has adapted these interventions for even older adults and demonstrated their safety with beneficial outcomes on cardiometabolic risk factors comparable to or surpassing the usual lower- to moderate-intensity endurance training, and their potential translatability by showing the efficacy of much lower duration and frequency of training.
Why this rating
Based on multiple meta-analyses and controlled trials cited, though long-term adherence data is noted as limited.
Source
Evidence-Based, High-Intensity Exercise and Physical Activity for Compressing Morbidity in Older Adults: A Narrative Review
Richard A. Winett et al. · Innovation in Aging · 2019
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