5 Benefits Of HIIT – How To Do High-Intensity Interval Training


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Regular aerobic exercise has been shown to be beneficial Heart health, keep blood sugar levels in check, and get the health of our minds for the long haul. But just as there are a multitude of ways to exercise and keep your body (and mind) healthy and strong, there are a plethora of different approaches you can use while cardio. Enter: HIIT or high intensity interval training.

The definition of HIIT is a lot simpler than you might think it says Annie Mulgrew, Founding teacher for CITYROW in New York City and NASM certified CPT. “High-intensity interval training is a form of interval training that alternates between brief bursts of intense energy or activity followed by minimal rest, ideally until the person can no longer continue,” she explains.

What is HIIT training?

And, as Mulgrew notes, HIIT can be pretty much anything – from swimming to running to mountain climbing in your home to weight training. The key, she says, is to make sure the “short burst of energy” is at least 80 percent of your maximum effort (8 on a scale of 10).

“For HIIT to be effective, your ‘on” intervals must be complete, “she says. Mulgrew also notes that your rest time shouldn’t exceed your active period (try 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off). This rest period can’t have any movement or moderate exertion movement – that part really doesn’t matter, she says. It is in those bursts of maximum effort that the gains are made, Mulgrew repeats.

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In Mulgrew’s CITYROW classes, for example, this on / off scheme means both meters rowed on the rowing machine and resistance training from the rowing machine. “You might find repetitions with short rudders or hip thrusters programmed to 40 seconds on and 20 seconds off,” she says.

If you’re using weights for your HIIT workout, choose a weight that allows you to do 10 to 20 repetitive reps during your “on” periods, Mulgrew recommends. Beginners should aim for no more than 20 minutes of HIIT in total. And if you’re a total HIIT fan, don’t hold it for more than 50 to 60 minutes (so the actual HIIT portion of the workout is around 30 minutes and the warm up / cool down is around 20 minutes). “Increasing the amount of time you exercise would most likely mean that you can’t maintain the intensity you need to get the benefits of HIIT training,” she says.

5 benefits of HIIT

Speaking of benefits, here are five key health benefits associated with HIIT and how you can maximize your next interval workout.

1. You burn a boatload of calories – even after you finish exercising.

    Although aerobic exercise is a great tool for maintaining your heart health, it is in terms of weight loss tactics Endurance running isn’t the best calorie burner. And while strength training is usually the most reliable weight loss tactic when it comes to fitness (but remember, weight loss is achieved through a calorie deficit, which is most easily achieved through diet), if there is some form of cardio that blows calories, it’s HIIT.

    A study from 2015 (by healthy men) who compared calorie expenditure after 30 minutes of HIIT to other forms of steady state exercise found that HIIT burned 25 to 30 percent more calories. Other studies (also in men) found that HIIT increases your production of human growth hormone, or HGH, by 450 percent in the 24 hours following a session, increasing total calorie burn.

    2. They can help you lose fat faster (especially in the mid-range).

      Yes a to learn in Journal of Diabetes Research confirmed this. The researchers divided obese, sedentary women into groups: those who participated in a HIIT program and those who followed a routine of moderate intensity (but continuous energy expenditure). The former group achieved similar body composition and aerobic capacity in half the time.

      3. It doesn’t require any crazy exercise movements.

        A major (perceived) downside to HIIT, of course, is the idea that you have to fly, hit, jump, and sprint (with a number of complicated tools, no less) to get a solid workout. But, as Mulgrew points out, the hallmark of HIIT is effort, not modality, so pretty much any form of exercise will fit – and that includes the simplest form of cardio there is: walking.

        In a Japanese study, over five months, 700 middle and older adults who occupied themselves in walking intervals (shorter bursts of speed with periods of rest). At the end of the study, the subjects had noticeably improved endurance and strength.

        4. HIIT keeps your brain in shape.

          Studies have shown that regular HIIT exercise can strengthen your memory and sharpen your daily decision-making skills. One (possible) reason for this, according to Mulgrew: “You have to stay focused during HIIT training,” she explains.

          5. It is the perfect exercise for the strapped person.

            Plus, you don’t have to sweat a long time to see results. A study from 2006 compared two groups of college men for two weeks: those who cycled stationary for about an hour and a half to two hours at a moderate pace three times a week, and those who completed six 30-second sprints with four minutes of rest.

            Surprise, surprise: at the end of the study, the HIITers were just as fit (in terms of training performance and muscle growth) as those with medium intensity – with significantly less expenditure of time.

            How to get the most out of your HIIT workout

            This is where Mulgrew shares her top tips to ensure you get through your next HIIT session.

            1. Prepare to go all out. “Pick exercises that you know how to work well and that you can do at an intense level (again, at least 80 percent intensity),” says Mulgrew. “Monitor the calm and keep it strict.”
            2. But don’t sacrifice form. With that in mind, choosing exercises that you are good at will ensure that you are not trying to get your body into a new (and potentially hurtful) position. When in doubt, keep the “burst” simple.
            3. Warm up especially well. Mulgrew recommends five to 10 (or more) minutes dynamic elongation before embarking on a HIIT workout. “When you do traditional cardio HIIT training, you set a baseline of intensities of 50 to 70 percent and then build from there,” she explains. “I always suggest doing the exercises that you will be doing during your HIIT workout, but unloaded so your body knows how to move well before you start with higher intensities.”
            4. Put your phone away. “HIIT requires attention and focus,” says Mulgrew. “You can’t get distracted. Otherwise you will lose track of the clock. Use HIIT as a great way to give yourself your full attention. “

              A 25 minute full body HIIT routine

              Be sure to Warm up for at least five minutes before jumping in.

              Squat jumps


              How one:
              Start with a squat (feet under your shoulders, toes forward, thighs parallel to the floor) with your torso upright and your hands clasped in front of your chest. Push through your feet to straighten your legs and jump off the floor as you swing your extended arms behind your body. Land back in a crouch. This is a repetition. Do as many repetitions as possible for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds. Repeat five times.

              One-armed kettlebell push press

              How one: Start with feet just wider than your hips, a kettlebell in your right hand, your right arm bent with your elbow close to your body so the weight rests on your shoulder, and your left hand on your hip. Slightly lower your hips into a quarter squat. Then, quickly push through your feet to straighten your legs while simultaneously pushing the kettlebell straight up until your right arm is fully extended over your head. Lower the kettlebell with control. This is a repetition. Do as many repetitions as possible for 45 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds. Repeat for five rounds.

              climber

                How one: Start with a high plank, shoulders over your wrists, pelvis pulled in, and ribs pulled down to your hips. Move your right knee towards your chest, then your left. Pull your right knee back towards your chest and pause. Repeat the pattern starting with your left knee. The goal is to complete 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of rest. Complete five rounds.

                Plank get-up

                How one: Start on a low plank with your forearms on the floor and parallel, elbows under your shoulders. Raise your right forearm and push it through your palm to straighten your arm. Then repeat with your left to get to a high plank, keeping your hips as level as possible. Reverse the movement to return to the start. This is a repetition. Do as many repetitions as you can for 50 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat for five rounds.

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