Use HIIT, get FIT!
Are you looking for a way to add some intensity to your workouts? Do you like to push the limits of fitness and see how hard you can train? If so, it’s time to start a HIIT program.
You may have noticed that personal trainers are increasingly adding HIIT classes in the gym. Well, there’s a reason for this—it’s the best training method out there. HIIT has also become the training method of choice for fitness seekers and athletes alike.
What is HIIT?
HIIT is an acronym for high-intensity interval training. It refers to training in short bursts at maximum effort (85-95% of your maximal heart rate) followed by a period of low effort or complete rest.
A ratio of 2:1 work/rest is one of the more common ways you’ll see HIIT workouts performed. This simply means that you would exercise at high-intensity for 30 seconds, then low-intensity for half that time (15 seconds).
Calorie Burning
If you’re looking to burn calories and destroy fat, HIIT may be unequaled. The key to HIIT’s fat burning ability is due to something called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). You may have also heard this referred to as “oxygen debt”.
EPOC is brought on by the intensity of the workouts and not the total length. This makes HIIT the most effective method of exercise to trigger the EPOC effect. Long after you have completed a HIIT workout, your body will keep burning calories in an attempt to restore oxygen levels.
Health Benefits
Besides being an enjoyable and challenging way to burn calories, HIIT also provides you with some major health benefits. From consistently performing HIIT workouts, you can expect to see a drop in your heart rate and blood pressure.
Another important health benefit of HIIT workouts is that it can reduce your blood sugar and improve your insulin resistance. This is extremely beneficial to those who are at risk of type-2 diabetes.
Time Efficiency
What if there was a way for you get more time back during your week? Well, by investing in HIIT workouts, you can. HIIT take considerably less time to get results than most (if not all) training methods.
You can see benefits from HIIT in as little as 4 minutes a day if you’re a beginner. But even more-advanced fitness enthusiasts only require 15-30 minutes a day. This will leave you with a lot more time throughout the day to accomplish other important tasks.
Variety
HIIT workouts will allow you to add a lot of variety to your workouts. This will keep you interested and prevent boredom from setting in. Running for an hour straight may give you a lot of time to think, but it can get quite dull.
During a HIIT workout, you could be performing anywhere from 2-15 different exercises for short periods of time. Any of the following can be added to a HIIT workout to increase the diversity
Sprinting
Rowing
Bodyweight exercises
Plyometrics
Battle ropes
Kettlebells
Boxing drills
HIIT training is the superior training format for a number of great reasons. If you have been debating whether or not you should add them to your training program; the debate is over.
TeamRACKS