How to HIIT and alternate days to optimize a daily program?
1. HIIT: I want to work out as hard as is beneficial to my hypertension, optimum health, and longevity so, HIIT is "HY" on my to-do list. The common knowledge is to do a HIIT program no more than twice a week. I understand HIIT requires driving the muscles (or cardio?) to the limit briefly, pausing, then doing it again. If I work out 6-7 times this week pushing myself, does stopping for breaks every 30-120 seconds make it HITT? If I do brief aerobics pushing myself, is it the breaks? If I workout today alternating between intense jumping jacks, pushups, and situps, isn't that HIIT? Are you not supposed to push your self to the limit muscularly or intensity-wise 5 days per week?
2. ALTERNATING: I am also not clear on how best to apply the principle of not working a part of the body two days in a row or while the muscles still feel like they are recovering. FB breaks down workouts into upper, core, and lower. But normally, you can't isolate those 3 completely. If I did a core workout yesterday, doing pushups today involves the core straining more than if I had not done core the day prior. My core is weak so I will feel some of that good pain from an intense core workout for more than one day.
3. MINI: In this same direction of balance and best practice, like a large percentage of workers, my work is often on the computer all day long. I am standing sometimes 1/3 the time. There are various recommendations for brief rounds of exercise to counter the negative impact. If I have a stationary bike in my office, per day: how long, how frequently, and what intensity is best as far as we know...in addition to my half-hour per day FB workouts.
My partner and I are in our early 60s and have been loving the fitness blender approach on and off for 3 years 1-6 times per week. We are working on this program primarily to fight against the negative physical effects of aging. In our youth, I rowed crew for 3 years and my partner did advanced dance daily for 5 years. We are not athletes. Our main goal is something like a half-hour daily workouts 5-7 times per week based on common medical guidelines like this:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" states
• Adults should move more and sit less throughout the day. Some physical activity is better than none. Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits.
• For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes(2 hours and 30 minutes)to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) to 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. Preferably, aerobic activity should be spread throughout the week.
• Additional health benefits are gained by engaging in physical activity beyond the equivalent of 300 minutes (5 hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity a week.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities of moderate or greater intensity and that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefits.
How to HIIT and alternate days to optimize a daily program?
1. HIIT: I want to work out as hard as is beneficial to my hypertension, optimum health, and longevity so, HIIT is "HY" on my to-do list. The common knowledge is to do a HIIT program no more than twice a week. I understand HIIT requires driving the muscles (or cardio?) to the limit briefly, pausing, then doing it again. If I work out 6-7 times this week pushing myself, does stopping for breaks every 30-120 seconds make it HITT? If I do brief aerobics pushing myself, is it the breaks? If I workout today alternating between intense jumping jacks, pushups, and situps, isn't that HIIT? Are you not supposed to push your self to the limit muscularly or intensity-wise 5 days per week?
2. ALTERNATING: I am also not clear on how best to apply the principle of not working a part of the body two days in a row or while the muscles still feel like they are recovering. FB breaks down workouts into upper, core, and lower. But normally, you can't isolate those 3 completely. If I did a core workout yesterday, doing pushups today involves the core straining more than if I had not done core the day prior. My core is weak so I will feel some of that good pain from an intense core workout for more than one day.
3. MINI: In this same direction of balance and best practice, like a large percentage of workers, my work is often on the computer all day long. I am standing sometimes 1/3 the time. There are various recommendations for brief rounds of exercise to counter the negative impact. If I have a stationary bike in my office, per day: how long, how frequently, and what intensity is best as far as we know...in addition to my half-hour per day FB workouts.
My partner and I are in our early 60s and have been loving the fitness blender approach on and off for 3 years 1-6 times per week. We are working on this program primarily to fight against the negative physical effects of aging. In our youth, I rowed crew for 3 years and my partner did advanced dance daily for 5 years. We are not athletes. Our main goal is something like a half-hour daily workouts 5-7 times per week based on common medical guidelines like this:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" states
• Adults should move more and sit less throughout the day. Some physical activity is better than none. Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits.
• For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes(2 hours and 30 minutes)to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) to 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. Preferably, aerobic activity should be spread throughout the week.
• Additional health benefits are gained by engaging in physical activity beyond the equivalent of 300 minutes (5 hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity a week.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities of moderate or greater intensity and that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefits.