Joe Friel: Science-Based Training Advice for Older Athletes - Part 1

// Key topics in this episode:
00:00 - Intro
05:54 - Healthspan vs. Lifespan
08:39 - Hormonal changes affecting aging athletes
12:00 - Age-related physical declines
17:46 - Importance of weight lifting and varied activities
24:02 - Emotional responses to aging as an athlete
26:57 - Do older athletes respond to training?
// GUEST
For endurance athletes and coaches, Joe Friel needs no introduction. A legend in the endurance coaching profession, Joe is the author of some of the most successful books on endurance training, including "The Cyclist's Training Bible", "The Triathlete's Training Bible", and "Fast After 50". He was a founder of Peaksware, creator of TrainingPeaks software. As a coach, his clients have included elite amateur and professional road cyclists, mountain bikers, and triathletes and duathletes.
// LINKS
- Suggestions for the Aging Athlete - Joe Friel: joefrieltraini...
- Motivation: Thoughts on Training #5: Motivation - Joe Friel: joefrieltraini...
- Consistency: Thoughts on Training #3: Consistency Is Key - Joe Friel : joefrieltraini...
- FastTalk, Joe’s New Training Bible: www.fasttalkla...
- Joe Friel’s Blog: joefrieltraini...
- Fast After 50: Fast After 50 - Joe Friel: joefrieltraini...
- New Edition of The Triathlete’s Training Bible - Available January 2024 - Joe Friel: joefrieltraini...
- The "All New" Cyclist's Training Bible - Joe Friel: joefrieltraini...
// HOST
Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.
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[@Gabrielle4870]

The concept of taking 10,000 steps a day as a fitness goal originated in Japan in the 1960s. It was popularized by a Japanese company called Yamasa Tokei Keiki, which produced a pedometer named "Manpo-kei," meaning "10,000 steps meter" in Japanese. The number 10,000 was chosen primarily for its simplicity and appeal rather than being based on scientific evidence. Over time, this goal has been widely adopted as a standard for daily physical activity, although individual needs can vary.

[@gordonv.cormack3216]

But 10,000 was a pretty good guess. Arguably, you get almost as much benefit from 7,000, but 10,000 gives a bit more.

[@philipvitkus2109]

I'm an athlete with aging muscles, I've always said.

[@oldnatty61]

Anybody still eat Wonder Bread? This is a great example of what I'm talking about. "10,000 steps." In the '60's you buy a "Manpo-kei" pedometer made by Yamasa Tokei Keiki. Today (2024) you still chase those 10,000 steps, and you track it w/ a Fitbit by Google. Yet, very few are fit?

[@oldnatty61]

@@gordonv.cormack3216 "Pretty good guess" for what?

[@gordonv.cormack3216]

@@oldnatty61 Pretty good guess for how many steps you need to achieve most of the benefit. Arguably, you get diminishing returns after about 7,000 steps, so the extra 3,000 provide less benefit. Diminishing returns and all that.

[@gcostagcosta]

Consistency is the key

[@oldnatty61]

True, as long as what you're doing "constantly" sends the proper adaptive signal to your body that aligns w/ your training goal. Nowadays w/ all these online self proclaimed experts it can be hard to figure that out.

[@CarnivoreDMD]

WAS a semi pro triathlete in the 1990’s. Then a dad, business owner & had metabolic syndrome, NAFLD, arthritis, obese, sleep apnea…..eating raw Mediterranean diet.. then a kidney stone. Went KETO & regrew meniscus, & reversed ALL DISEASE. My max HR is the same now as it it was in 2001. Zone 2 70%, HIIT the rest 3x day. KetoVore. Red meat & avoiding plants has COMPLETELY changed my life & vitality.

[@225rip]

Same here age 71, high A1C and Capp but ket0 for 4 years now and much better. Cac score 1000

[@oldnatty61]

I see numbers, % signs, acronyms,, excuses, and stupidity.

[@scarred10]

All total nonsense,nothing can regrow meniscus and you cannot reverse arthtiris.Furthmore the med diet is the most proven diet for health,you didnt get any kidmey stone from diet,dehydration is a major factor

[@scottheitmanmarinesurvey3557]

Word. Then there's that 70-year-old guy that competes in American Ninja Warrior

[@philipvitkus2109]

Consider walking with poles (Nordic walking-trekking), walking with weight vest.

[@gybx4094]

Yes. I use old bamboo ski poles. It engages my upper body and it's safer, especial up and down hills. I put weights on my ankles and wrists.

[@oldnatty61]

Weight vest? Yes! But!, remember 1 lbs. at the end of a limb equals 5 lbs. on the body. Poles not so much, unless you need 'em? Instead look to Dr. Schwartz and Steve Reeves. What mad Superman so super?

[@oldnatty61]

@@gybx4094 "I put weights on my ankles and wrists." So you simulate planet Krypton's conditions? I wonder what the out come of that would be?

[@gregripp]

You should train with your goals in mind. Train with a road racing bike if you are going to road race bicycles, ski with your race skis if you are going to ski race (the right ones for your event obviously). Hike with the gear your going to carry on your hike. Weighted baseball bats, ankle weights are appropriate for using weighted baseball bats (why would you?) in sport and ankle weights could screw with your gate. A high intensity resistance training program may be the best all-around training method for older athletes. Consider reading Body by Science by Doug McGuff and John Little. They will give you an in depth explanation of the science of exercise. And remember, recovery makes you improve.

[@philipvitkus2109]

Consistent weight lifting can be achieved through 3x week commitment to work out in a fitness class at a gym.

[@bobbullethalf]

The couch and TV or being active? I take being active.

[@oldnatty61]

You could have both if you want?

[@mattmcfall4970]

covering great info...lifting weights has certainly been a go to but in develop[ing skillset at any age has its foundation in high level neuromuscular activation...the drive...this is also a big piece of return to sport after injury...it must be addressed the question of every level of atrophy in the injury discussion...I digress, development across the board requires a level and type of speed training few have any knowledge of...Iso kinetics which requires very specific equipment which is very rare but not a unicorn....train my athletes with this apparatus all year. It changes ALL their training and skillset. We change those neuromuscular foundations with the VERT. Just like numerous elite athletes have over the past 40+ years

[@evanshaw17]

Please read the latest research on people over 50 only doing max workouts 15-20 percent of the time and actually not at all as they lead to damage to the heart that cannot be reversed. I am 75 and ride25 miles a day at 20-25 mph but not at my maximum. I was a pro racer as a young man.

[@philipvitkus2109]

Even Jesus was a peripatetic teacher. 😊

[@gybx4094]

Yup. He walked everywhere, never riding horses.

[@oldnatty61]

Very good!👍

[@EastbayGolfer]

Our ancestors moved a lot , true, and the life expectancy was like 40.

[@joehamilton464]

Irrelevant. Life expectancy has changed mainly because of improvements in medical care and disease control.

[@oldnatty61]

I think it was less than that?

[@oldnatty61]

@@joehamilton464 Totally relevant!? Exactly his point.

[@MatzeMumpitz]

And now think how old they could have become if they had had the living conditions of today.

[@cyclingfreak56]

Where’s the science?🤔

[@scottheitmanmarinesurvey3557]

Did you even listen? 23:30

[@oldnatty61]

"Sciences" is a creation of our hard work putting our kids through school. You want to be fit? Leave science alone. Use what our Grandparents gave us. Common sense.

[@MojoGene]

Where's the science, indeed. This is a 30-minutes waste of time. It could have been summarized in 30 seconds -- getting old is affects performance, dig in your heels and get off your butt and you will slow the process down.

[@jacklauren9359]

@@MojoGeneif you think you can have the same strength and fitness as you age then you are delusional 😂 common sense is not so common right?

[@michaelvrbanac6923]

WTF? DO YOU KNOW WHAT SCIENCE IS? SERIOUSLY. 23:30 is not scientific in the least bit. It's an opinion and recommendation. ​@scottheitmanmarinesurvey3557

[@philipvitkus2109]

"Science"- repeatable observations- does not prove anything evolutionary - anything with the theory of evolution.

[@oldnatty61]

"Science" is a modern construct designed to replace commonsenses.

[@terrymcmaster2787]

Relevance?

[@oldnatty61]

Yes it does?

[@ohthatshim]

Question: why every single "science yapper" looks either like a Homer Simpson or like one of those worms from "Men in Black" when they clip a gentle age of say 45? Could it be that they dont actually know jack?

[@oldnatty61]

Conventional endurance training is the worst choice for older athletes. Consequently make sure you understand this and know why you're doing it.

[@johndavies7626]

What is a better choice for older athletes?

[@oldnatty61]

@@johndavies7626 Some Form of shorter duration higher intensity circuit training mixed w/ lower intensity recovery days. Doesn't mean you can't bike or do some other form of endurance training. Just can't build a program around it.

[@johndavies7626]

@@oldnatty61 build a program around?

[@oldnatty61]

@@johndavies7626 First this is just an example off the top of my head. This is for a fit advanced trainee. Everything is scalable. You've got to start where you're at and build up slowly. Also, there's 1000 and 1 ways to do this. On m and f do. (Squat x 15, pull-up x 5, push-up x 10) x 10. On t walk. On w short to medium bike interval workout. th walk. s or sn longer hard bike.

[@oldnatty61]

@@johndavies7626 I did?