Conditioning?

[3sweeties]

I'm 50 and have been lifting for quite awhile. I just started 5/3/1 and it suggests 2-4 conditioning sessions a week. What type of conditioning can I do at home? I have a treadmill and a good basic weight set. How do I start? I usually just walk a couple times a week.

[Charlie Davies]

The trouble with conditioning is that it tends to interfere with recovery from lifting. Biking and prowler pushing are nice because they are low impact and have no eccentric component, so they don't cause much muscle soreness.

I bike in the summer and do loaded carries in the winter. This morning I carried an old backpack with 27lb of gravel for a 1.5 mile walk in the snow. It was beautiful. Doing my conditioning outside is very good for my mood. Maybe it's the sunlight.

[ColoWayno]

I do treadmill incline intervals. Don't set the speed too fast, just make the incline nice and horrible. That way there's much less impact on the knees,etc.

I like 20 seconds on and 1:40 off. I just use the rails to lift myself off at the end of the interval and lower the treadmill speed until the next interval (the 20 seconds doesn't start until it's back up to speed).

If your treadmill has a heart monitor, it's nice to keep track of your HR recovery after the last interval. Just note your HR after the last interval, stay on the treadmill for a 2 minute cool down and note your HR at that time. If you are out of condition you should see the difference between those two numbers go up.

[Brian C]

First of all, I’d never consider 50 as elderly. I’m not far from 50 myself and this thread is making me feel old. :-) In any event, I recently went through a period where I did burpees for cardio (full chest to ground version). They can be done anywhere, don’t require equipment, and you can get a kickass cardio workout in a short period of time. Try 100 burpees straight and you’ll understand. When I don’t feel up to burpees, biking works for me.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I'm 63 and do a GXP twice a week for cardio. This consists of 5 minutes warmup until the heart rate reaches 85% of maximum heart rate. Stay at that level for 5 minutes. Then ramp down for 5 minutes. I have consistently tested a VO2 MAX of +36 which is in the execellent category for geezers. You can do that on anything, a treadmill, a bike, or an elliptical.

[AK49]

Take a look at some crossfit workouts. Many of them involve weights and bodyweight exercises you can do at home. Also, Men's Fitness magazine has a nice set of articles called Weekend One-Up. they are crossfit style workouts where you can compare results with their "expert" and other in their community. While I am not a fan of their abs focused articles, these are pretty good for conditioning.

https://www.google.com/search?q=site...9i58.10595j0j7

[Joe Murphy]

I'm 50 and have been lifting for quite awhile. I just started 5/3/1 and it suggests 2-4 conditioning sessions a week.

Are you doing a 4-day per week 5/3/1? I am and am trying to do conditioning twice a week, HIIT-style, on the off days after my press day and after my bench day. I'm sprinting outside, :30 on/1:30 jog/walk/rest for 4 to 6-7 intervals. "Sprint" is relative at 52. It's been hit and miss and I only started about 3 weeks ago. Goal is to drop some fat after the first of the year.

[3sweeties]

Are you doing a 4-day per week 5/3/1? I am and am trying to do conditioning twice a week, HIIT-style, on the off days after my press day and after my bench day. I'm sprinting outside, :30 on/1:30 jog/walk/rest for 4 to 6-7 intervals. "Sprint" is relative at 52. It's been hit and miss and I only started about 3 weeks ago. Goal is to drop some fat after the first of the year.

I'm doing the 3 day per week and really like it. I've been trying to decide where to place my conditioning.

[3sweeties]

Thanks for the responses.

Mark, what is GXP?

Brian, I don't feel old except I can tell I don't recover as well between workouts.

I've been trying to figure out which routine doesn't leave me feeling worn out by the end of the week. I've tried some of the New Rules for LIfting programs and hated the volume and some of the exercises. I like Starting Strength when I had done. I've done a couple couple months of 5/3/1 and felt best with that routine. I'm going to commit to it for several months.

I've not been very consistent the last couple years and I can tell it has really effected my strength.

[Joe Murphy]

I'm doing the 3 day per week and really like it. I've been trying to decide where to place my conditioning.

My logic was the lifting days give you enough stimulus for THAT day. The off day after is good for HIIT. I do it after the bench and press days so I have a full day off (of lifting and conditioning) after both the dead and squat days for full recovery. So, Bench on Monday, HIIT on Tuesday, Squat Wednesday, OFF on Thursday. Lots of lower body recovery between a lower body day and the next one. Seemed logical. I'll see, I guess.