Member
Mark, thanks for that last post. I think it’s very interesting and helpful.
For how long can a person continue to achieve "architectural" adaptations? I’m 52 and have been doing SS (sort of) for 6 months now. “Sort of” meaning I need more rest days and can’t really commit to the GOMAD thing. I do eat well though and get plenty of rest and have made slow but steady progress.
Should an older person go balls to the wall and get “architecturally” adapted while the gettin’s good or does slow and steady still hold reasonable potential?
I participated in my first senior Olympics (sprints) this past July and am having a blast focusing on strength training in preparation for next year.
Member
I have read many things on this board and elsewhere, and just wanted to say thank you Coach. That reply was well-thought out and chock full of common sense. You really summarized many issues that I'm sure a lot of us juggle. Most of all, thank you for relieving me of the burden of conditioning! I think there are many here that are looking for more of a balance, to keep "in shape," especially among us older readers/"the elderly."
Member
Rip,
Thanks for the long and detailed response to this question. From it I take three conclusions relating to my own situation. (Age 61. First time strength training Novice):
1) For my goal of just being strong into my old age and avoiding thin bones and weak muscles, a steady progression from novice to intermediate to advanced Strength Training is sufficient with maybe a little walking a few times a week. Basically I strength train until I drop at age 95 or so. (Hopefully!)
2) For my goal of Surfing, Skiing and Mountain Biking as long as possible into old age I just plan to replace the "medium" strength training day that week with whatever sport opportunity comes up, once my Novice phase is over. (Until then, I've sworn off anything that interferes with recovery.) 3-5 sporting "days" per month can keep me in condition for these sports without special conditioning work as long as I keep getting stronger.
3) For my once per year "guy trip" which usually entails paddling down a river for a week or climbing through the rain forest for 5 days, I do appropriate "conditioning" work for 3 weeks prior to the trip and I'm all set.
Do I have this right? Thanks!
Member
Tactical fitness
Great post Rip, thanks.
What about the "third" element of fitness, mobility/flexibility? From an adaptation perspective of gaining/losing, how does that fit into the discussion?
The easy answer is probably "just squat"
TMPHBITEU
Depends on the task you're preparing for. We're training, remember?Originally Posted by OCG
The rower is fine, but cannot match the prowler for high-intensity conditioning.
He won't be ready to understand this for a few months. The Kool-Aid runs strong with baby CFers.
Your potential is lower than it would have been had you started younger, but it's still there. Develop it efficiently, and you'll make the most of the potential you have left. Slow and steady is efficient, because it drives progress but doesn't get you hurt.
This sounds good to me, with the exception of a 2-week prep instead of 3. It's just a float trip, right?
If your ROM is sufficient to do your training and play your sport, why would you need to stretch at all? Really, this has been discussed at length and papered to death. The act of stretching is not training, and it's not even exercise. If you lack flexibility, stretch -- if not, don't.
Member
Thank you for making this tactical mistake. Any time I see Mark write more than a few sentences, it is always a good read. (be it a forum post or an article).
✓ Member
I can't speak to tactical fitness, I've never been in the military. I was cop a number of years ago and obviously the types of engagements are different than the OP has potential to deal with. But that said the need for sustained aerobic capacity for more than 30 seconds almost never happened. Most foot chases lasted 100-200 yards and ended when the person running away fell, puked, ran into an obstacle like a fence which slowed them enough for capture, or they just plain got run down in the pursuit.
Armed engagements are 99% over in under 3 seconds. Unarmed engagements under 30 seconds and most of those in fact under 10 seconds. These latter, by the way, are true for Joe Citizen and not just Da Boyz in Blue.
Implications of the above for Joe Citizen seem to shake out along the lines of: run if you have to but be able to haul ass and remain mobile, agile, and hostile until you can get or attract help in about 100-400 yards or 30 seconds or so.
It's funny how a few of the other geezoids and geezers here have also chimed in on this matter of conditioning. My own strength and aerobic capacity training consists of this these days at age 62.
When I lift I giant set my warm up sets. Like this past Sunday did a pullover and press, hammer curls (yeah I know, but vanity dies hard even at my age), and dead lifts. I do 2-3 warm up sets with the first two and 4-5 on the deadlifts. But I move straight through the three lifts with only the time it takes to get to the next one as a rest period. Then, as I hit my working sets, I slow down and rest between them 2-3 minutes. I do just one working set of 3 reps in the squat and deadlift alternating weeks. But then I'm old and I can't handle the volume younger folks can. Or maybe I'm just being lazy and pampering myself in my declining years.
It also gets my heart rate up around 75% to 90% of my MHR. So I'm getting some pretty good generalized cardio conditioning as well during the 20 to 30+ minutes it takes me to lift. It might take a little off my top weights used in the latter work sets, but while I am breathing medium to hard as I proceed it doesn't seem to sap my strength. I lift three days a week and toss in two 15 minute GXP's where I ramp up 5 minutes to 85% MHR, stay that level of intensity for 5 minutes, and ramp down over 5 minutes. I test over 37 and as high as 42 in the VO2 max when I use the "Fit Test" on an elliptical every 4-6 weeks to monitor if I'm maintaining this capacity. This puts me in the "excellent" category for the over 60 dwindling herd.
Just some further food for thought.
Member
You don't know our organizer: former Army Special Forces Sargent. When we are on the water we paddle. When we hike, it's straight up, straight down or wading through a stream, lengthwise. But I get you.
Member
You have to combine them at the same time. You can't leave conditioning work out for more than a couple of weeks or you will lose condition. You can't leave strength training out for more than a couple of weeks or you will lose strength. Obviously an all-round athlete is not going to excel in either discipline, but that doesn't matter if its not your goal.
Member
I train martial arts a bit.
I stopped going to classes, due to an injury, the conditioning for which is usually some derivative cardio/bodyweight strength training and have just been squatting and deadlifting and pressing, etc.
Every few weeks I might do the 2.5K in 12 minute army entrance fitness test thing once.
I still go to the club sometimes and have a bit of a wrassle and a spar. I have not noticed my ability to perform 5 minute rounds particularly decrease.
My Round 1 goes a lot stronger, and despite the fact that I'm no longer training my skills, which are very important, I find it easier to push guys around with my additional 10KG.
Round 3 gets a bit messy, but when you don't train skills, you become less efficient. I'm definitely doing a lot more work, and have the capacity to do more damage in the first 10 minutes.
I think if I were to fight again I might not do that well, due to the conditioning aspect, and the fact a man just as big and strong as me would be cutting weight down, and be much more conditioned and likely as strong as me.
However, in class, where there are not any weight classes (just like reality), the performance increase against the others I've sparred against has been noticed.
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