High Intensity Interval Training Benefits

High Intensity Interval Training

Are you stuck in a cardio funk? You may be ready to try High Intensity Interval Training, also referred to as HIIT.

High Intensity Interval Training is a style of training in which participants complete short, repeated bouts of high-intensity activity with short amounts of rest in between. When compared with regular intensity, cardio exercises, HIIT has been found to match or surpass results for functional capacity, muscular power, fat and weight loss.

Not only is HIIT shorter in duration to complete than traditional steady state cardio, it can be done almost anywhere with little to no equipment! This style of workout, however, is more appropriate for individuals who have been keeping up with a steady cardio regime and who know it is safe for them to perform faster, more explosive movements; it is not ideal for beginners, obese, pregnant, or elderly individuals.

Fast Facts:

• Burns more calories than steady state cardio during & after workout
• Individuals of all ages & ability can benefit from HIIT style
• Adds fun & variety to workout
• Beneficial to heart health

Research

There has been extensive research to show that for decades, HIIT training has shown a wider range of results than continuous aerobic training. For one, HIIT training requires the heart to pump blood faster and with more force, improving efficiency of cardiovascular function and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. One of the metabolic benefits of HIIT training is the increase in EPOC, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. This means that after completing an HIIT workout, oxygen consumption and thus caloric expenditure remains elevated as muscle cells work to restore physiological and metabolic factors in the cell. Endurance athletes in particular may benefit from this style of training; when implemented periodically throughout training programs, HIIT has yielded tremendous results in cardiovascular performance for runners, sprinters, swimmers, and more.

HIIT workouts are designed based on a small duration of high intensity effort followed by a specified amount of rest. As with any workout, warm up properly and start off with a level of effort and time duration suitable to your needs, and then gradually increase the difficulty. This style of training is not meant to completely replace all forms of cardio; it works best when incorporated once or twice a week, on nonconsecutive days, to resist adaptation to steady state cardio and to keep your body challenged.

Example of a sprint training/treadmill workout:

• Warm up: 5-10 minutes of light running
• Interval: 20 seconds of sprints at max running speed
• Rest: 10 seconds rest between each sprint, light jog or walk
• (2:1 work/rest ratio) to be repeated 10-15 times
• Cool down: 10 minutes jog or fast walk

HIIT allows you to be creative with your cardio workouts. Some exercises that can incorporate into an HIIT workout in your own home, at the gym, park, or beach with minimal equipment:
• Squat jumps
• Jump rope
• Row machine
• Burpees/tuck jumps

As with any exercise, be sure to consult a physician or certified personal trainer to assess your individual fitness level. Interested in starting a fitness plan? Get 3 Personal Training Sessions for $99! Call to book today.

Sources:

National Academy of Sports Medicine
https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/HIITvsCardio.html
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ask-the-ripped-dude-advantages-of-steady-state-cardio.html