Whatever goal it is you have for yourself and your body, HIIT could be the answer. Whether you’re just looking to get in shape or perhaps training for a competition, HIIT is likely a term you’ve come across by now. So, if you’re sitting there with no idea what HIIT means, it is high-intensity interval training. It holds up a strong promise and is said to be one of the most effective and efficient ways to burn calories. Although, we all have crazy, busy and stressful lives nowadays, does faster always mean better?
The reason you’re here is likely because you want to know if you should be doing HIIT every day. Well, ladies, the answer is no. It’s suggested by professionals that we get 30 minutes of exercise each day to keep our bodies healthy. Now, we don’t mean something as demanding as HIIT; if you were to work out that hard every single day, you’d be putting yourself at risk of burnout, injury and overtraining. All of these things could also prevent your muscles from getting stronger and your body recovering as it should.
Well, let’s discover all there is to know about HIIT.
So, what is HITT?
Well, as we now know, HIIT is high-intensity interval training. As the name suggests, this is a high-level, strength workout, over brief periods of time, followed by short periods of rest.
The working out section of HIIT can be intervals of 15 seconds up to a couple of minutes. Typically, a workout has between five and eight exercises at 30-60 seconds each, with 20-30 second rests in between.
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During the intense part of the exercise, you’ll go as hard as you possibly can, putting in all your efforts. Doing this will force your body into an anaerobic state in which it will then rely on glucose for energy. The fact your body will be “deprived” of free oxygen means you’ll burn fast and enhance your stamina.
In order to get the most benefits from a HIIT workout, you’ll want to push yourself as hard as you can, with a small rest in between. Another important thing to recognize is that you want to keep correct form throughout all your exercises. This is to prevent injury and get the most from your workout.
What kinds of HIIT are there?
There are so many forms of HIIT and all of them include cardiovascular exercises to get your heart going.
Cycling, running, and jumping are all types of HIIT exercises. Look at cycling, for example, which can be turned into a HIIT workout. Just cycle as fast as you can for 30 seconds and then at a slower pace for a minute. That would be one round, to complete a workout, repeat anywhere between four and six times.
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Tabata
Tabata is a form of HIIT, however, it is different from other types as it requires doing the same exercise for four minutes.
According to the Journal of Sports Science & Science Medicine, Tabata workouts require exercising for 20 seconds at maximum capacity, resting for 10 seconds and repeating. To complete a full workout do this for eight rounds, totaling four minutes.
Cardiovascular exercise
Cardiovascular exercise, also known as aerobic fitness, is any form of exercise that increases your breathing and heart rate. It’s different from HIIT as it’s not so quick and intense, but more of a slow and steady cardio exercise. Cardio includes exercises such as:
- Running
- Powerwalking
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Dancing
- Aerobic classes
So we can stop confusing you, we should explain, that aerobic and cardio exercise are the same. They’re just referring to different mechanisms; “Cardio” refers to the process connected to the heart and “aerobic” covers any exercise that uses oxygen.
The benefits to gain from HIIT workouts
Due to the fact that HIIT is so demanding and you put everything you’ve got into it, you going to want to get the most out of it too, right, ladies? Well, good news, research has shown that HIIT workouts can provide benefits almost twice that of moderate exercise.
Better calorie burn
Research has revealed that HIIT workouts can burn 25-30% more calories than other forms of cardio exercise such as running and cycling. This particular study followed a HIIT ratio of 20 seconds of exercise with 40 seconds of rest.
Something else you’ll love to find out about HIIT is that it continues to burn calories, even after you’ve finished your workout.
Women in this particular study completed six sessions including HIIT, aerobic exercise and resistance training. In order to measure how effectively their bodies were burning energy, the participants were given carbohydrates and protein. After exercise and rest, all rates were analyzed, and on average HIIT produced the best post-exercise calorie burn.
Revamped health
HIIT (High-intensity interval training) can help to improve heart health and blood sugar. Studies have shown that those who are at a greater risk of developing high blood pressure (pre-hypertensive), have noticed an improvement in resting blood pressure levels and C-reactive protein and inflammation. Both of these have been linked to the development of heart disease.
The study also revealed that the participants who did eight weeks of HIIT of stationary cycling showed the same decrease in blood pressure as those doing traditional endurance exercises. A lack of time is usually the culprit when it comes to us neglecting our workout routine. However, HIIT workouts could be a great and effective alternative.
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An analysis also discovered that HIIT reduces blood sugar and improves insulin resistance more than standard cardio exercise. Healthier blood sugar will boost your energy levels and you may also find that you experience fewer sugar cravings. Not only that, but all of this reduces your risk of developing diseases such as diabetes.
HIIT: Things to think about
The amount of HIIT workouts you do in a week will be decided by a number of factors. It can be a highly effective workout, with great results, however, it is important that we also take a look at the potential risks that come with it. As you’ll be exercising at your hardest, it is vital to ensure that you warm up, get your form right, change things up to use different muscles and allow yourself rest days.
As HIIT is a demanding workout, it can elevate stress hormones, which is why it is important to rest and not overdo it.
Warm-up and stretch
This is as simple as adding a few more minutes into your workout to warm up and stretch. Doing this can help to:
- Mentally prepare you for your workout
- Prevent injury and promote recovery
- Boost your performance and allow for growth
Strength training counts
Strength training poses many health benefits, particularly where it concerns your heart, but also bones, weight and balance too. HIIT requires exercising different muscle groups to improve muscular fitness.
In order to gain the maximum benefit from strength training, try to include different types of equipment such as dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands. Your own body weight is also a very useful tool.
Take time to rest
Whether you work out in the gym or at home and you decide to do the same exercises for two or more days consecutively, it doesn’t give your body the time it needs to become stronger and recover. Not just that, but you’ll also likely find that after a while, your body and mind get tired of the same workout.
It’s critical that we recognize that recovery and rest days are just as important as the workouts. When you get good quality rest, sleep and your muscles have had time to repair, you’ll reach your goals faster.
Now, ladies, we aren’t don’t do any exercise over your rest days, instead, try and practice active recovery. By this we simply mean light activity to keep your body moving, examples of this could be:
- Taking a walk
- A yoga class
- A light bike ride
All you’re looking to achieve here is to get the blood flowing through your muscles and joints, without exerting the heart or muscles you worked during your HIIT exercises.
Work on your form
It is vital that you keep the correct form when working out. By doing so, you’ll avoid injuring yourself and strengthen the muscles you’re using. In addition, it’s worth noting that you actually build strength and muscle when exercises are executed correctly. Now we’ve said that think about that person you always see at the gym, they’re looking at themselves in the mirror and they’re squatting lower than you. Well, not for much longer… that can and will be you, ladies.
If you’re someone that does use weights throughout your workouts, or if you’d like to, then following the correct technique is even more important. Using weights adds more stress on your joints and muscles as it is more weight than they are used to carrying. It would be the same if you were to use your body weight for certain exercises, like jumping. It’s also worth noting that when not following the correct form, you’ll be using more energy than you need to.
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