After you’ve checked with your doctor to find out any limitations as it relates to exercise intensity, then it’s time to get after it—not to lose a whole bunch of weight, not to win the next 5k, not every day—but to make your heart and body stronger and fitter.

Modes of Exercise for HIIT

The approach remains the same no matter what mode of exercise we choose: increase speed or resistance for a specific amount of time ranging from 15 to 90 seconds, and then actively rest for 3 or 4 minutes, repeating the cycle 4–6 times. Here are some ideas.

Friends
There’s probably no addition to your HIIT exercise routine that’s more fun than getting several people together and doing it as a group. Someone can be the designated timer to keep track of the intervals and rest times. Walking is the logical choice, but group exercise can be done in a pool, indoor bikes, calisthenics, or some other group activity or class. It may bring about a little competition, which can be motivating. It especially helps on those days when you really don’t want to work harder. Obligation to someone else can keep you on track.

Trampoline Rebounder
These are available at moderate cost at big box stores or online. They come with a variety of aerobic workouts. The simplest thing is to increase your foot speed as you bounce. I’d recommend one with a bar to hang onto while working out. You can also bounce higher, but if you do that, you have to remember your ceiling height. Also, hit the rebounder straight down dead center or you could bounce yourself off the equipment onto the floor or whatever else is in the way.

Pool
If you have access to a pool, you can always use pool walking as your mode of exercise. There are a number of ways to increase the intensity: you could walk faster, move from the shallow end to a deeper section, or increase the resistance by using your arms to push the water to propel you faster as you walk. If you want to have some more fun, skip across the pool.

One more thing: you could hang onto the side of the pool and practice your freestyle leg stroke. Same idea, go faster for a specified time and then chill by walking for the rest interval. Be cautious if you have a large hot tub; that adds another stressor: heat. One stress at a time, done in the correct fashion, is a better idea.

Walkers and Wheelchairs

If you have difficulty moving without assistance, you can still do some interval training. Using your walker for balance, depending on how much room you have in your home, your driveway, or in a local park, you can simply walk faster for 15 seconds to start. If you have a wheelchair, the same approach applies. I know from observation that some people like to use their wheelchairs to scoot along using their legs. As long as you’re always under control, that would be acceptable—just not down a hill!

They also have rollers that wheelchairs sit on for people who want to exercise indoors. That’s another way to train your arms as well.

The Bottom Line

If you really want to try HIIT, you might have to be creative. Just remember that the basic time of interval is 30 to 90 seconds. The rest interval is 3 to 4 minutes, and don’t do it more than 2 or 3 times per week with a rest day between each session.

If you’ve found other ways to do HIIT, let me know and I’ll include them in a follow-up Memo in the future.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet