If you’re someone who runs regularly or maybe you’re looking to start, then this blog post is for you. We take a look at High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and why it’s becoming so popular. It’s a major game changer for exercisers everywhere, yet very few people are actually doing it right. In this article we cover all the basics to get you going; what, why and how. Use the information contained within and you’ll soon be on your way to faster weight-loss and superior performance, all in less time than ever before.
HIIT, what is it?
Quite simply: work hard, rest and repeat. The best example of HIIT is repeat sprints. You sprint hard for a brief period followed by a rest to get your breath back. Then you’d repeat 5 to 10 times. The major difference between HIIT and traditional cardio (going for a long run) is the intensity. When doing HIIT you work as hard as you can for that brief period and really earn the rest break.
Why should you care?
When compared to going for a long slow run, HIIT gives you superior results and only takes a fraction of the time. Studies show that HIIT is superior for weight loss, maintaining muscle and improving fitness. Work less and get more, how can that be? It’s all about the intensity. By pushing your body to the limit, it responds in amazing ways. When completing HIIT your body continues to burn energy for hours after the workout, giving a boost to your metabolism. We also see benefits in muscle tone and growth hormone release. On the other hand traditional cardio weakens the body and tends to increase your appetite following the workout, meaning you eat more and undo all your hard work. Best of all is the time spent exercising. According to the research, doing HIIT for just 5-15minutes is as beneficial for weight loss as completing up to an hour of traditional cardio at moderate pace. This means no more slogging it out in the gym – you can get in and out in just 15 minutes and be done for the day. Too easy.
So how can you start to implement it?
Once again: work hard, rest, repeat.
Work hard – it can be running, riding, on the cross trainer or doing anything else that gets you puffing. The aim is to work as hard as you can for around 30-60 seconds. After a few sets your lungs will be burning, your heart pumping and muscles burning.
Rest – give yourself enough time to get your breath back. Allowing about half the time you were working for is a good guide. So if you ran for a minute, rest for 30 seconds.
Repeat – Start with 8 repeats and build from there, adding another set each week until you get to around 15. Aim for a total time working of just 10-15 minutes. Don’t be fooled, doing more does not get you better results.
Tips for beginners!
Simple right? Here are just a few extra tips to avoid the major pitfalls. Keep it brief, your entire session should be less than 30 minutes (even under 20). Start slow and build up – sprinting at 70-80% initially will help keep post-workout soreness to a minimum. Lastly, this stuff is tough so don’t overdo it – follow each workout with a day or two of rest.
I promise you this, add HIIT into your weekly fitness program and you will not be sorry. Whether you’re an athlete, mum or fitness enthusiast, HIIT will leave you fitter, faster, stronger and slimmer.
So there you are, HIIT in a nutshell. Of course there’s a lot more to it if you’re serious about your fitness. If you do have any questions, leave a comment below and I’ll be happy to get back to you.
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Chris – Exercise Physiologist