Staying healthy throughout life is important — but how should you exercise to maintain your health in retirement?
“Even a small improvement in physiological function can lead to better physical performance and greater independence in older adults.”
(Source: Effects of High-Intensity Endurance Training on Maximal Oxygen Consumption in Healthy Elderly People)
"Maximal oxygen uptake is perhaps the most important physiological indicator of physical health today," says Jan Helgerud, professor of medicine at NTNU. He has dedicated much of his career to researching the effects of exercise. While the benefits of high-intensity training for younger people are well-documented — helping prevent lifestyle diseases and reduce early mortality — relatively few studies have explored its impact on older adults.
"Most research on older populations has focused on moderate or low-intensity endurance training. We wanted to investigate whether interval training could be just as effective for seniors. Does it work the same way? And is it practical?" says Helgerud.
To answer these questions, Helgerud and his colleagues conducted a study with 21 healthy but previously inactive men and women aged 69 and older. Participants were divided into two groups: one group trained three times a week for ten weeks, while the control group was asked to maintain their usual activity level.
"Unlike many earlier studies, we equipped participants with heart rate monitors to ensure they trained at the correct intensity," explains Helgerud.
Previous research suggests this type of training can improve oxygen uptake to a degree equivalent to turning back the biological clock by ten years — in just ten weeks. But what drives this improvement?
"The increase in oxygen uptake is primarily due to the heart’s enhanced pumping ability, especially a greater stroke volume — meaning more blood is pumped with each beat," says Helgerud. "This results from both higher cardiac output and stronger heart contractions. The biggest gains in oxygen uptake come from high-intensity intervals — specifically, four sets of four minutes each."
So what were the results for the older participants?
"After ten weeks, their oxygen uptake improved by 4 ml/kg/min — a change equivalent to reversing ten years of biological aging," Helgerud reports.
The term "high-intensity" may sound intimidating, but it doesn't mean pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion. The 4x4 interval method is about staying at a challenging, but manageable, pace — whether you’re walking, jogging, or running.
Start each session with a six-minute warm-up at moderate intensity. Then follow with four intervals, each lasting four minutes. Between intervals, take a three-minute active recovery break.
For best results, aim to exercise at 85–95% of your maximum heart rate during the intervals — intense enough to make you breathe heavily, but not so hard that you feel pain or muscle stiffness. During recovery periods, stay active at about 70% of your max heart rate.
"You should feel like you could go one more minute at the end of each interval, and still manage one more round after completing all four intervals," Helgerud explains. "If you can carry on a conversation during the intervals, you're not working hard enough."
“Fitness is perishable. Three weeks of bed rest can age you by 30 years.”
(Dallas Bed Rest and Training Study, 2001)
Helgerud notes that although work capacity naturally declines with age, inactivity often causes an even steeper drop. That’s why staying active is critical to preventing lifestyle-related illnesses as we grow older.
Research shows that just two sessions of effective exercise per week, over a ten-week period, can:
This translates to just 62 minutes of effective exercise per week, including warm-up and cool-down — something any active retiree can fit into their schedule. According to Helgerud, if you add a weekend hike or walk to your routine, you could maintain the biological health of a 20-year-old well into your 80s.
So what are you waiting for? It’s never too late to start.
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