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Types of HIIT for Women Over 50

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HIIT workouts are efficient, effective workouts that can be modified for most people, even if you have never worked out in your life.

If that’s your situation, you’ll like this because the workouts are short compared to traditional cardio or strength workouts and they’re effective. The types of HIIT for women over 50 offer unlimited options for fun (I said fun) workouts that you make your own.

four people in a step HIIT workout class

The basic idea behind HIIT for women over 50, is to do short intervals of work followed by a short rest for a certain number of rounds or sets. The rest is just enough time to catch your breath but not enough to completely recover. (It’s the reason why these workouts are effective).

You can adjust the work/rest timing but be sure to work as hard as you can, then rest before the next work interval. 

HIIT workouts come in an unlimited number of formats. 

As with all workouts, include a 10-minute warm-up before your workout and 5-10 minute cool down after. 

Here a few that may be offered at your gym or you may want to try at home:

Tabata

Tabata is arguably the grandfather of today’s HIIT craze. Named after Japanese researcher, Izumi Tabata, the timing has become a standard in the workout world. 

Tabata has 8 sets, or rounds, each consisting of 20 seconds of work followed immediately by 10 seconds of rest before going right into the work interval. This timing has been shown to be the most effective at reducing body fat while improving strength.

As with all HIIT, it’s very important to rest during the rest interval. It’s just enough time to catch your breath but not fully recover before the next set.

Basic Tabata uses 1 cardio exercise such as Fast Feet (running or marching in place as fast as you can).

  1. Start your timer and GO for 20 seconds!
  2. Rest by stepping side to side for 10 seconds.
  3. Continue this pattern for a total of 8 rounds. 

Don’t sand bag! IE hold back in anticipation of a long workout. It’s 4 minutes!

  OR

Tabata with Strength: Using Fast Feet and Squats

  1. Start your timer and go with Fast Feet for the 1st work interval
  2. rest
  3. then squat for the 2nd interval
  4. rest and
  5. keep alternating between the 2 work exercises, being sure to rest when indicated. 

You can modify the workout by starting with 4 rounds and adding additional rounds up to 8 as you feel more capable. 

Tabata maxes out at 8 rounds. If you can keep going you need to turn up the intensity.

Beginners can also adjust the length of the work and rest intervals. Shortening the work or lengthening the rest is a good option. 

For example: start with 10 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest for 4 sets. When you are ready, add sets or go to 20 seconds of work with 20 seconds of rest gradually working your way to the Tabata workout.

All HIIT formats can use the same adjustments to make these workouts fit your personal needs and abilities.

While Tabata is a type of HIIT, not all HIIT is Tabata.

Other types of HIIT for women over 50 may be made up of circuits that combine different lengths of work and rest depending on the type of exercises chosen.

30/20/10

As a trainer, this format is one of my favorites.  The research shows results almost as good as with Tabata, so it’s become my favorite alternate HIIT workout.

I choose 1 cardio exercise such as High Knees, and use just the 1 exercise for the entire sequence. My timer is set for 30,20 and 10 seconds with no rest periods in between and repeats 2 to 3 times. Beginners may want to limit the work to 2 sets or rounds. 

If you complete 3 sets you will have done 3 minutes of work!

  1. The workout starts doing High Knees at a cruise pace (I can talk to my buddy) for 30 seconds. That’s Level 1. 
  2. When my timer changes to 20 seconds, I continue High Knees at a harder pace (the conversation gets short) for 20 seconds, Level 2. 
  3. When the timer changes to 10 seconds, I go as hard as I can, Level 3. Then I repeat, twice if possible, for a total of 3 rounds. 
  4. If you can do more after 3 rounds, you need to up your effort for Levels 2 and 3. You should need a to take a rest break.
woman over 50 doing HIIT workout

Other Interval Pattern Options:

You can use an unlimited number of repeating interval patterns with cardio or cardio combined with strength exercises. The first number is work, the second rest. The number of rounds or sets should be limited to 4 if using cardio only. 

You’ll have to do a little trial and error to see how your selection of exercises works with the timing.  HIIT workouts get harder as you repeat the work so when designing your workout, start with combos or circuits you feel might be a little easy for you.  Beginners should make sure the rest interval is no less than half the work when using cardio exercises.

Try out these example combos: 

  1. 4 rounds of Jumping Jacks. 30 seconds of work/ 30 seconds of rest.
  2. 3 rounds of 3 strength moves: Squats, Push-ups, Bridge
    1. Squat for 45 seconds/rest for 15 seconds. 
    2. Push-up for 45 seconds/rest for 15 seconds
    3. Bridge for 45 seconds/rest for 15 seconds
    4. Repeat the circuit 2 more times
  3. 2 rounds consisting of 1 cardio and 1 strength move: Skate side to side, Plie squats
    1. Skate side to side for 60 seconds/rest for 60 seconds
    2. Plie squat for 60 seconds/rest for 60 seconds
    3. Repeat the entire circuit.

I like to use longer intervals of work with strength exercises sometimes doing a series of exercises back-to-back before the rest and then repeating the series or circuit. You can design 2-5 circuits for your workout and choose different timing intervals for each. You may also choose to repeat all the circuits. 

Try it out. Complete the 3 previous circuits back-to-back with a 60-90 second rest before moving on to the next combo.

Don’t make the whole workout longer than 45 minutes or the intensity will decrease, making more of a traditional strength workout than HIIT. You won’t be moving as much as the cardio but you will know you’re working 

Interval Pattern Options with No Rest

Example:

Choose 4 exercises such as squats, push-up (sorry), donkey kick and bicycles. Decide on the length of the work/rest intervals and how many sets you want to complete. 

Option with Rest: 2 rounds

  1. Squat for 30 seconds /30 seconds rest 
  2. Push-up for 30 seconds/30 seconds rest
  3. Donkey kick with Right leg for 30 seconds/30 seconds rest (use Left leg for round 2)
  4. Bicycle for 30 seconds/30 seconds rest
  5. Repeat the circuit 2 more times. Shorten the rest to 15 seconds for harder workout.

Or: Do 30 seconds of squats followed by 30 seconds of rest. Repeat the squat interval for the required number of sets before moving on to push-ups. Complete all 4 exercises in the same way. Shorten the rest interval to 15 seconds for a harder workout.

Option with no Rest: Complete the workout above but eliminate the rest interval that follows each exercise, only resting after the circuit is complete.

  1. Squat for 30 seconds
  2. Push-up for 30 seconds
  3. Donkey kick Right leg for 30 seconds
  4. Bicycle for 30 seconds
  5. Rest 30-60 seconds
  6. Repeat the circuit

I’ve got to add one more to the list just because it’s fun to change things up and it’s fun to say!

Fartlek

This is basically like a game of “Simon Says”. It’s a Swedish word that means “speed play”. The workout is unstructured or uses irregular intervals of different intensities.2 Fartlek has been used by runners for years to improve their times, but the it can really pump up the fun of just about any workout.

Try saying Fartlek 4 times in a row.  

HIIT is High Intensity Interval Training. Doesn’t say anything about what how long the intervals have to be or how the intensity changes. Fartlek is like free-associating for your body. 

You don’t need any special equipment and can be done at home like the other HIIT training. It’s also great for spicing up that outdoor walk, jog or run and works great on cardio machines like the elliptical, treadmill, stationary bike or rowing machine. 

The hardest part is determining how to time your intervals. The intensity will vary randomly from hard (shorter periods) to rest/easy, to medium effort each time the interval changes. 

If you’re outside walking or running determine some landmarks where you want to change speed. Pick a sign, a light pole, the yellow house. You can change them up if you need to.

If you’ve got an app like Seconds Pro you can put in your timing. 

You can use music and decide to change intensity at a change in the music. Doesn’t have to be specific. Watching commercials is great. Your intensity changes when the ads do.

This is HIIT so it’s short and sweet, about 3-4 minutes. Keep it to 1 series of ads or 1 song if that’s what you’re using to indicate your interval.

If using an app, vary the length of hard, medium and easy/rest until you have 3 minutes total programmed. 

3 Minute Pre-set Timer Ex:

  • Medium Pace = 30 sec
  • Easy = 15 sec
  • Hard = 20 sec
  • Easy = 10 sec
  • Medium = 20 sec
  • Hard = 15 sec
  • Easy = 30 sec
  • Medium = 40 sec

Here’s how it works:

  1. Choose a cardio exercise like cross country skiing
  2. Start the Fartlek timer and start skiing at the pace my app tells me.
  3. Change your pace when told. Think “Simon Says”. Continue until the circuit is complete.
  4. Rest 1-2 minute by continue to move at an easy, recovery pace before repeating the Fartlek.

Have fun with your HIIT workouts! I’ve included only some of the options that you’ll find used in live, online and recorded HIIT workouts and that you can also easily use to design your own workouts.  

No matter where and what type of HIIT you choose, concentrate on the intensity of the work phase in order to get the best results from your workout. 

Notes:

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