You may have heard about HIIT training, but you may not know exactly what they are or how to incorporate them into your routine.
HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training and is one of the most popular forms of exercise as it can be effective in a short period of time. As a certified personal trainer and private weight loss coach for women, I focus on training that can be done quickly and efficiently. This is one of the many reasons I like to recommend HIIT training to my clients.
What is HIIT?
High-intensity interval training is a challenging workout performed at an intense level. Interval training means that the exercise is done in bursts, with a short recovery period in between. They can start slowly and get faster from one exercise to another. You typically combine aerobic exercise with strength training to create a balanced, high-intensity interval training workout.
Your heart rate may rise, your muscles may become tired, and the wind may become stronger. Combining high-intensity bursts of aerobic exercise with short breaks and circuit-style strength training keeps you guessing. In this way, HIIT training is strategically designed to physically accomplish many things in a short amount of time.
Related: I want to lose weight. Should I take a long walk or a short HIIT training?
Benefits of HIIT training
HIIT provides great calorie burning, boosts metabolism, helps weight loss, and builds strength and muscle. HIIT training has few pauses, so you can enjoy these benefits in less than half the time of steady-state exercise.
Other benefits of HIIT include increased muscle mass, improved oxygen consumption, lowered blood sugar levels, and improved blood pressure.
Studies show that interval training like HIIT is great for fat loss. HIIT training not only boosts metabolism during training, but also remains elevated after training is complete. That is, the body burns more calories at rest.
Who should do HIIT training?
HIIT is suitable for both men and women, and most people, including people of all ages. HIIT is very effective, allowing people to enjoy the benefits of exercise in less time and making it easier to consistently commit.
I always recommend that clients change their HIIT based on their fitness level and goals. For example, if you are stressed and have elevated cortisol levels, complete HIIT training may not be your best option. If you do your best during a cardio burst, your body will be stressed and elevated cortisol can prevent weight loss. So, instead of doing a full-out sprint or a super-powerful cardio burst, you don’t push yourself to the maximum, just add a low-intensity cardio.
You also need to be aware of physical limitations. It is important to note that high strength does not have to mean high impact. If you are suffering from joint problems or pain, you should incorporate low-impact but high-intensity exercises such as speed squats, climbers, and marches. If you don’t have joint problems or pain, it’s safe to try more impactful exercises such as high knees, jump jacks, and burpees. As always, you should consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.
What does HIIT training look like?
Whether you’re doing pure aerobic exercise such as walking or jogging, or strength training, you can do all forms of movement in HIIT style.
Adding intervals to your cardio routine is an easy way to start your HIIT training experiment. If you’re doing steady-state aerobic exercise like walking, play at speed and add intervals. For example, walk at a slow pace for 1 minute and then at a fast pace for 1 minute.
Another way to incorporate HIIT into your workout is to alternate between strength training and aerobic bursts. It looks like you’re doing a minute of strength training (such as squats) followed by a minute of aerobic exercise (such as high knees), and thus alternating between aerobic exercise and strength during your workout. ..
HIIT training for beginners
You can easily turn walking and strength training into HIIT routines. Here are two sample workouts to try out:
For walkers, follow these HIIT routines:
- 3 minutes: Walk at a normal pace and warm up.
- 1 minute: Walk at a fast pace. (You can also measure by distance, eg walk a block or a quarter mile at a faster pace.)
- 1 minute: Walk slowly.
Alternately like this during your walk.
If you are doing strength training, follow these HIIT routines:
- 3 minutes: Warm up with steady-state aerobic exercise such as walking or marching.
- 1 minute: 3 times of strength training with 10 repetitions each. You can do 10 squats, 10 push-ups, and 10 biceps curls.
- 1 minute: Perform a cardio burst, such as running in place, doing squat jumps, or riding an elliptical machine to move quickly.
Repeat this during your workout.
