HIIT, which stands for high intensity interval training, can be confusing to those who are new to it and interpreted differently by different people. When you watch the tube and see commercials for Intensity, P90X, or other "research-based" methods to exercising that guarantee results in small segments of time don't be so gullable.
While P90X and Intensity will absolutely get you the results you need, the program requires you to workout almost every day of the week at very high intensity while simultaneously following their diet plan. These programs are not for beginners and I recommend starting out with a program that gradually incorporates high intensity training in to your weekly training regimen.
Why HIIT works.
HIIT takes intervals which increase your heart rate to sub-max (even maximal) heart rate levels burning calories at a fast rate while also improving cardiovascular function. By incorporating a recovery period, your heart is able to return to a moderate heart rate, still burning calories and allowing you to oxygenate your muscles and give your body a chance to recuperate from the intense burst just before it fatigues. A cardio session done for 1 hour burns the same amount of calories you would burn in a 30 minute HIIT session, cutting the amount of time you exercise for in half. This method of training is extremely effective because at high-intensity levels you're recruiting muscles that you wouldn't normally recruit exercising at moderate levels for long periods of time. The more muscles you recruit, the more energy you use thus burning more calories. You're also "shaping" these muscles at the same time.
You don't have to spend a lot of money on exercise programs to get great results. All you need to know is a few simple rules about HIIT.
Rule #1. HIIT is a method of training for beginners to the more advanced that uses alternating short bursts of all-out, high intensity levels back to recovery, moderate intensity levels. Be sure to keep the higher-intensity bursts short. The purpose is to be able to do this for at least 20 minutes.
An example of this might be sprinting on a treadmill for 30 seconds then bringing the speed back down to a slower jog for 45 seconds to 1 minute for recovery. As your stamina improves over time, increase the amount of time you're at an all-out sprint to 45 seconds-1 minute.
Rule #2. Always warm-up first and cool-down after. This is important for several reasons, which I will go deeper into another time. Most importantly, warming up loosens your muscles and improves blood flow throughout the body, which will give you a better workout.
Cooling down is important because it allows the blood stored in your muscles from exercise to properly flow back to the areas of the body that need it. Blood-pooling in the legs is a common side effect of not cooling down.
Rule #3. Give yourself time to recover after HIIT. If you find that you're sore after HIIT it's probably because your body has been shocked (since it's not used to this type of training) and your muscles need proper nourishment in order to recover. Take an active-rest day such as going for a long walk or swimming the next day or exercise the bodyparts that are not sore.
Rule #4. Incorporate HIIT into both your cardivascular exercise session and your strength training program for optimal results.You can incorporate HIIT into any type of workout. An example of HIIT incorporated into your strength training program might be adding burpees after a shoulder press or mountain climbers inbetween squat sets.
Like I said, HIIT can be confusing because often times we see information in the media telling us the "best" way to exercise. The best way to exercise is to have a diverse training regimen that includes variety. Strength training and cardio, which are important for over-all health. If you're doing the same thing in the gym over and over again, include 1-2 HIIT workouts in your schedule and cut-out one or two of the continuous cardio sessions. You will see results, and feel them.
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