Time to HIIT It
- October , 2021
- Adam Neylon
- 0
What is HIIT?
Time, the one thing in life we could always use more of. It’s hard enough to make time
for the essential things in our life let alone finding time to work out. Most times our main
excuse for not working out is simply because we don’t have the time. What if I could tell you
that working out doesn’t need to take a ton of time. What if I also told you that this type of
workout burns an insane amount of calories and combines strength and cardio based activities. Here’s your solution, HIIT.
High-Intensity Interval Training also known as HIIT is a form of working out. It is composed of exercises involving quick spurts of energy followed by short rest intervals. This is repeated multiple times to create a circuit. HIIT workouts come in many forms and last as short or as long as desired. A typical HIIT workout can range anywhere from 10-30 minutes depending on intensity and time available. There are typically about 5-7 exercises used to create a HIIT workout. While intervals may vary, the rest period is always shorter than the period that you are working. For example, this can be a 20 second working period followed by a 10 second rest. HIIT workouts are amazing to complete when in a time crunch, but they have other amazing benefits as well.
Burn more Calories
HIIT training burns a ton of calories within a short period. Instead of going for a run
complete a HIIT work out! By combining strength movements and cardio you’re doubling the amount of exercise you would regularly during a run. Research shows that HIIT workouts burn 25-30% more calories than traditional strength and aerobic exercises. Not only are you burning more calories during this form of exercise, you’re doing it in a shorter period of time than you would complete a traditional strength training workout.
Increased Metabolism
Not only does HIIT burn more calories which means you burn off more fat, it continues
to keep your metabolism working after your workout. How does this workout continue to burn calories even after the workout? Think of it as adding gas to your car, the more fuel you add to the tank the better and farther your car will go. Same concept with your metabolic consumption instead of jogging at a constant rate for thirty minutes you complete a HIIT workout that you constantly push yourself with high intensity making your “car” go farther because you are adding more gas to the tank. This is also known as EPOC. EPOC refers to the elevation in metabolism (rate that calories are burned) after an exercise session ends. The increased metabolism is linked to increased consumption of oxygen, which is required to help the body restore and return to its pre-exercise state. Thus, your body is burning more calories post workout!
The Heart’s Happy
Our heart is our car engine. It is what keeps our blood flowing, muscles moving, and our
body oxygenated. The heart is the most important muscle in the body so we need to keep it healthy and in good working condition. HIIT can help maintain heart health. By
increasing intensity during HIIT training it increases blood flow to our muscles. Thus,
increasing levels of oxygen and essential nutrients that are used for the repair of damaged
muscle fibers and cells. This form of training also has been proven to lower blood sugar levels and blood pressure. A 2017 study published in Experimental Gerontology followed 39 men ages 56 to 67 who performed a HIIT workout five days a week for six weeks. At the end of the study, the group had “clinically relevant improvements in blood pressure” — an average reduction of about 5.5 mm/HG. In addition, a 2017 study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that a session of HIIT resulted in a more immediate reduction in blood pressure than a session of steady-state cardio. All of these have lasting benefits to our health and help maintain a strong and efficient heart.
How and Where Do I Get Started?
Getting started is easy, you just need to show up! Your class instructor/coach/trainer will
walk you through your workout and explain the exercises and then you dive right in! Starting Point Fitness in Germantown is one of the few gyms in Germantown that specializes in this form of training. Their team has a dedicated staff who is trained on how to program HIIT intervals. Multiple classes are offered during the week at various times which can accommodate anyone’s schedule! Overall, HIIT training has many benefits that range everywhere from health to fitting into even the busiest person’s schedule. The only question is, why haven’t you signed up already?