HIIT, a high-intensity interval training, is a workout that takes you out of your comfort zone. It's structured to help you lose unwanted pounds, boost your metabolism and also build muscle. HIIT burns more calories within a short period when compared to many workout routines.
In addition to these, this training improves your fitness level and overall health if done consistently for a long period. HIIT is also performed over a short period of time, therefore saving you a lot of gym hours.
As a fitness instructor, I have personally tried out HIIT, and yes, it's one of the workout routines I would recommend. Also, I have seen most of my clients benefit from this training.
Quick Summary
- HIIT Is an intense exercise attributed to a low recovery period when working out.
- Outdoor sprinting, burpees, jumping rope, rowing, and spinning bike are examples of HIIT workout routines to choose from.
- HIIT burns calories within a short period, making it ideal for individuals struggling with weight loss.
- The intensity of HIIT, when combined with protein, can see increased muscle gain.
- Research proves that HIIT reduces blood sugar levels by improving insulin resistance.
What is HIIT?
High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a form of exercise that gets you alternating between periods of very intense, all out bursts of exercise with active rest periods that are usually one to three times the length.
For example, you might do 30 seconds of exercise, going as hard as you possibly can, and then back off and perform 60 seconds of active rest.
Think going from a sprint to a walk.
This is then repeated, 10-20 times (or however long you want), always starting with a brief warm-up and finishing with a cool-down.
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Your work intervals will typically range from 15 seconds up to 60 seconds in length, however take note that the shorter the interval, the more intense it should be. If you are doing intervals of 60 seconds, you simply can’t maintain your 15 second interval pace for that long.
This doesn’t mean they will be low intensity, but on a scale of one to ten with ten being the fastest you can possibly go, your 60 second interval may be done at around an 8 where as your 15 second interval will be done at that 10 level.
Choosing your interval length - this will all be based upon your goals.
The more intense the interval, the higher the ratio needs to be.
Use the following as a good guideline for structuring your intervals.
Keep in mind the total number of repetitions you do will be dependent on your overall fitness level, so feel free to adjust those accordingly.
Generally speaking though, these workouts should never be lasting much longer than 15-20 minutes. If they are, that’s a sign you aren’t pushing yourself as hard as you should be during them.
Best HIIT Workout Exercise Examples
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This type of training can be done anywhere and usually doesn’t require equipment and may be more efficient in terms of time commitment. This type of training also burns more fat effectively than typical endurance cardio.
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Benefits Of High Intensity Interval Training
Now that you know what interval training is, what benefits does it offer?
Let’s look at a few of the major advantages of including this workout in your routine.
Fat Loss - you’ll burn more calories not only during the workout, but for hours after the workout is completed due to post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). The end result is you expend calories at an increased pace for up to 48 hours after the workout is completed, giving you an edge on fat burning.
Studies showed that when test subjects performed 3 interval sessions per week for 6 weeks, they showed decreases in total body fat percentages, body mass index’s (BMI), as well as waist to hip ratios [1].
Pro Tip: Supplement your high intensity interval training with a tested fat burner like LeanBean or Instant Knockout will dramatically improve your fat loss results. Find out which fat burners suits you best, click here.
Related Article: Do HIIT Workouts Burn Fat?
Decreased Gym Time - Because these workouts are so very intense, you’ll be in and out of the gym in no time. Including the warm-up and cool-down, you’ll be looking at no more than 20-30 minutes. A Tabata session is as little as 4 minutes long.
Enhanced Lean Muscle Mass Retention - Many people who diet lose a combination of fat mass as well as lean muscle mass. HIIT can help prevent this. When subjects perform either HIIT or lower intensity, long duration exercise, those who do HIIT lose less muscle overall.
Improved Cardiovascular Fitness Level - With aerobic training, you’ll improve your VO2 max level, which represents how much total oxygen your body is able to use during intense physical exercise. As this improves, you’ll notice you become far less fatigued while doing everyday activities.
Reduction In Disease Risk - Regularly performing HIIT will help to lower your blood pressure levels, decrease bad cholesterol levels, and lower your risk for cardiovascular disease. Study [2] show that after just 3 sessions of less than 10 minutes per week, test subjects were noticing a reduction in disease risk after just a few weeks time.
Learn More: Benefits of HIIT
Advice For Beginners
If you are a beginner who wants to get involved with HIIT cardio training, there’s a specific approach to use. You’ll be best off easing yourself into it, gradually adding an interval or two into your standard cardio session.
Emily Servante, certified personal trainer and global trainer education manager at Ultimate Performance, highly suggests starting slow to assess your fitness levels as HIIT can be very demanding, especially for those who are new to the exercise.
Maximum of 2 HIIT workouts per week - Beginners should aim for no more than two HIIT cardio workouts per week to ensure they are giving their body enough recovery time between workouts. Don’t fall into the trap of doing too much, too soon.
Fuel Up Before Each Session - Attempting this on an empty stomach would not be a smart move as your body needs glucose in order to exercise at the intensity you’re going for here. Try a simple snack of around 200 calories about 60 minutes prior to the workout.
Avoid HIIT Workouts Before/After Leg Day - Let’s face it, leg day is hard. Don’t make it any harder on yourself. Avoid doing HIIT on the same day you have a leg workout scheduled. Instead, try and separate them by at least one day for rest.
Gauge Your Recovery Often - Because HIIT workouts are so intense, it’s much easier to overtrain yourself doing it. Be sure to gauge your recovery often. Are you feeling recovered? If the answer is no, you may be doing too much.
Defend Against Injury - Finally, your injury risk during HIIT is much higher due to this intensity. Always watch that you are using good form on whatever exercise you are doing and never skip your warm-ups.
You can start with a guide first. You can try out the daily burn fitness app, along with some of the best weightlifting trackers and best cycling trackers
Read More: Does Running Build Muscle?
References:
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MohammadReza Kordi, The effects of six weeks high intensity interval training (HIIT) on resting plasma levels of adiponectin and fat loss in sedentary young women. Retrieved from http://jmj.jums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_id=35&sid=1&slc_lang=en
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Jenna B. Gillen, Martin J. Gibala, Is high-intensity interval training a time-efficient exercise strategy to improve health and fitness? Retrieved from http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/abs/10.1139/apnm-2013-0187#.WYG4V4iGOUl
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