Shooting up in popularity on the workout charts, most people still don’t know what the HIIT workout comprises of. We bring you all you need to know about the HIIT workout. From what it means to its various types as well as the best equipment to use for this workout.
High-Intensity Interval Training, or as we all know it, HIIT is currently gaining popularity among fitness enthusiasts. They devised this routine to attain various fitness goals like muscle building, strength and endurance, and weight loss.
High-intensity interval training is a routine that involves alternating short bursts of intense or explosive anaerobic activity with brief rest periods till exhaustion, relying on “the anaerobic energy release mechanism almost to its maximum capacity.”
Exercises are performed in short spurts at peak or near maximum effort, with rest periods or low activity in between the sessions.
Because the term “high-intensity interval training” is now used to cover a wide range of training methods, it’s not always clear what it is beyond the basics of work, rest, and repeat. That phrase isn’t inaccurate, but it does not entirely describe what high intensity interval training includes.
In this blog you will find everything you should know if you want to add the HIIT workout to your fitness routine. With this, you can achieve your overall objectives, whether you’re trying to lose weight, get lean muscle, or improve your 5K time.
What Is HIIT in Practical Detail?
While the basis of HIIT is intense work and brief pauses, five primary elements can drastically alter the structure of this workout. The first two are the periods of your work and rest. Then there’s the work period’s intensity. To get the most out of this, you need to push yourself hard, and you should strive to maintain a constant level of effort throughout the workout.
The fourth element is the style of rest you take — do you entirely stop or engage in active recoveries, such as slowly pedaling on an exercise bike? The latter might aid in the removal of lactic acid in preparation for your next exercise.
Finally, there’s total volume, which refers to how many periods you complete. With HIIT, it’s easy to do more than required, which has no natural effect because you‘re unable to keep the intensity after the routine. Generally, start with a low-volume exercise and work your way up. Add a round or two when it feels comfortable, but reduce the RPE somewhat.
You can either do a circuit of multiple exercises for your session or do one or two for all of your reps. Because you don’t have to change exercise equipment between your rest times, the latter makes it easier to meet your time goals, but executing a circuit with a variety of exercises allows you to target more muscle areas during your training session.
Why Should You Add HIIT Workout To Your Routine?
At this point, you most likely have understood this exercise and are ready to quit reading. But, there is more.
There are so many benefits of the HIIT workout. Whether you have high stamina or want to build it, you should include HIIT in your exercise routine. See some of the benefits below:
HIIT Helps You Lose Weight
Cardio training is helpful for fat mobilization, as you may already know. When it comes to burning resistant fat, it is the ideal aerobics because it is high-intensity cardio. You burn more calories in a HIIT workout than any other form of exercise.
The workout intensity causes a rise in fat oxidation in the body. It also causes an increase in post-exercise oxygen demand, which occurs when the body recovers from its oxygen-depleted state during the HIIT. Fat tissues are burned down and turned to fuel during this stage.
HIIT Helps To Control Your Hunger
If you are the type who binge eats, you can use HIIT to keep your hunger in control. The intensity of the exercise induces a reduction in ghrelin, an appetite-regulating hormone. At the same time, It briefly raises your blood sugar and lactate levels, which suppress your appetite.
HIIT Improves The Quantity Of Oxygen Your Body Absorbs In A Minute
The rate at which your body absorbs oxygen in a minute is called VO2max, a term that experts frequently use in the context of HIIT. VO2max is significant since it influences your athletic performance’s physical capacity.
Your body will have more stamina in aerobics if your VO2max is higher. A higher VO2max improves not only athletic performance but also improves your overall health.
The condition of your telomeres, which are elements of your DNA system that regulate your cells’ aging, is highly linked to VO2max. Healthy telomeres indicate that cells are more youthful. So you guessed right! It also guarantees that youthful glow.
HIIT helps to keep blood glucose levels in check
People with prediabetes or type-2 diabetes can benefit significantly from a HIIT workout. This sport improves glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, allowing blood glucose levels to be in a healthy range.
High-intensity interval training is a much more efficient kind of cardio
Because HIIT is significantly more time-efficient, it makes it easier to complete the required number of training hours. In fact, one hour of high-intensity interval training is nearly equivalent to four hours of traditional endurance training!
It is beneficial to everybody who participates in sports. Outside of sports, it enhances your general health by making you fitter, stronger, and more athletic.
Types of High-Intensity Interval Training
Most fitness experts agree that there are just four types of High-Intensity Interval Training workouts. They also agree that others are just mere improvements on the basic ones. These basic workouts include:
- TABATA
- FULL BODY HIT
- HIIT WITH WEIGHTS
- HIIT FOR RUNNERS
Tabata
This is one of the most common kinds of high-intensity interval training. The workout consists of eight cycles of 20 seconds of labor followed by 10 seconds of rest until you reach four minutes. The Tabata works the following muscles: Gluteus maximus, quadriceps maximus, abdominals maximus, and back muscles.
Full Body HIIT
Regardless of fitness level, anyone can benefit from a full-body HIIT workout. This type of workout is more efficient than a prolonged cardio workout and is suitable for weight loss and muscular toning. It is named full body HIIT as it works all of your body’s muscles.
HIIT with Weights
Including weights in your HIIT routine can help you build muscle, improve bone density, and work your heart muscles. If you have not worked with weights before, we recommend starting HIIT without them at first. After you’ve mastered the moves, you can gradually add some weight to your exercises.
HIIT for Runners
Runners who incorporate high-intensity intervals into their training can boost their muscular endurance on race day. You can increase your explosiveness by including squats, mountain climbers, or springs in your fitness routine.
If you are new to HIIT workouts, then it is suggested that you keep your HIIT and running days separate––at least at first. With a little more expertise, you can finish your runs at home with a brief high-intensity interval training session.
Intensify your HIIT training with this gym equipment
EXAMPLES OF HIIT EXERCISES
Do not forget! High-Intensity Interval Training is a regular training routine with a spice of intensity and calculated interval. Read on to see some regular exercises that you can change
Kettlebell Intense Training For Fat Loss
According to a standard sprint training regimen, the maximal heart rate was only marginally higher in sprints, although calorie expenditure was higher with the bells. Finish with a 30-second rest, then repeat for three to five rounds. You can use any of the following variations
Swinging back and forth (30sec) The upper section of the lift is similar to the typical swing, except the arms alternate.
Clean & press (15sec left arm, 15sec right arm) Press the kettlebell above your head at the end of each 15-second work block.
Squat with a goblet (30sec). Keep your back straight and the kettlebell snug to your chest.
HIIT Routine With Battle Ropes
Battle ropes outperformed 13 other exercises (including burpees) in terms of energy expenditure and average heart rate in a research conducted by the College of New Jersey.
The routine is as follows: 15 seconds of single-arm waves, 15 seconds of double-arm waves, 60 seconds of rest, and so on.
High Intensity Interval Burpee Workout To Increase Endurance
In the same New Jersey study, burpees outperformed four other bodyweight routines and every free weights activity. If you don’t have time, use the Wingate protocol: Do this four to six times: 30 seconds all-out, then four minutes of rest.
Workout To Boost Your Strength
Workouts including “production training” boost your ability to work at maximum effort with minimal recovery. They’re fitness routines that combine ultra-short, super-hard exercise intervals with extensive pauses to increase your power. When you’re attempting a 500m row personal best or training for a boxing match, use them.
a) Mountain Slinger
Work 15 seconds, rest 1 minute and 30 seconds, do 6 rounds.
Begin in a press-up posture with your feet on a pair of small towels or Valslides, then quickly bring one knee to your chest, then the other. Consider it a crawling sprint.
b) Thruster
Work 15 seconds. Rest for 1 minute and 15 seconds
Drop into a squat while holding a light pair of dumbbells at shoulder height or a light barbell on your shoulders. Drive the weight above as you stand up, then lower straight into the next rep.
Longer work intervals and somewhat shorter rest intervals are used in “maintenance training” sessions to improve your body’s ability to sustain HIIT while engaging both your aerobic and anaerobic systems.
Power Runners; Assault Air Runner And Assault Air Runner Elite
Treadmills are great gym machines for “Maximal” exertion, which excite every possible muscle fiber. There are lots of good treadmills out there, but none beat the Assault Air Runner and the Assault Air Runner Elite.
In a tiny package, the Assault Runner Elite provides an explosive exercise. This treadmill is unlike any other you’ve ever used. It was created keeping hard training in mind and designed to replicate on-road running.
Exercisers will be astounded by the intense workout they can get from their own two feet. Because of the Runner Elite’s small footprint, running normally done outside or in a different part of the facility can now be done in the same area as small group training, improving exercise cooperation with trainers.
When Should You Avoid High-Intensity Interval Training?
If you’re already exhausted, high-intensity interval training is not the workout for you.
Also, this high-intensity training puts a lot of strain on the heart. Your working muscles require more oxygen when you do a HIIT workout. Your body has to work harder to transfer oxygen, putting a lot of strain on your heart and cardiorespiratory system. In general, this type of stress strengthens your heart.
However, if you have a cardiac condition, it can be dangerous. If you smoke, your risk increases even more. To be safe, seek medical advice before engaging in this exercise.
CONCLUSION
High-Intensity Interval Training should be part of your routine to wrap it all up. On your next visit to the gym (hopefully soon), apply any of the suggestions in this piece and give us feedback.