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1. 16 June 2008 at 1:36 p.m.

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   rhammel (Anonymous) says…

   Fitness is aquired as a function of elevated heart rate for a period of time. I will use my workouts as an example. I am a 73 year old male. I workout 5 times a week, weather permitting. I use a road bicycle as a means to elevate my heart rate (HR). My workouts range from 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.

   I use an Internet coaching program (www.trainright.com) that lays out my workouts for me. The very first thing my coach has me do is a field test to determine my working maximum HR. It is a 3 mile course done at 90-95 rpm pedal cadence, in both directions. From the data that I record, my coach can determine what intensity my heart can endure. The 220 minus your age is not accurate and can cause some real problems.

   A typical workout will be an hour and one half moderate ride with a pedal cadence of 80-100 rpm, with an HR from 60-120 beats per minute (do not use this parameter, as it may cause severe problems). During this ride, I may be asked to do some added tasks, such as climbing repeats, ie, going up an incline for a specified period of time. After the climb will be a recovery period and then I climb again. The coach will have be do a variety of tasks over the period of a month. I wear a HR monitor and record such things as intensity and average heart rate.

   I have been on this program for five years. I have had a total hip replacement 10 years ago and a total knee replacement a year ago. The program keeps my arthritis a bay and my weight under control. Each year, my riding gets better and stronger. I am climbing hills today that were out of reach a year ago. As an indicator, I check my HR before I get out of bed. It ranges from 50 to 55 beats per minute. Resting HR that low indicates very good fitness.

   I hope that this comment will give some other senior some hope in more intense physical fitness. But do be careful. Many doctors are reluctant in suggesting such heavy physical training that I do. The above is what I do, not what I recommend that you should do.

   Rick