HIIT… What is it?

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. To be honest a lot of people are immediately put off by the name, it sounds a bit hardcore!

What is it?

HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with low intensity recovery periods. It is a really time-efficient way to exercise, and there are so many ways you can do HIIT, with or without equipment!

Because of the intensity level, usually a HIIT workout lasts no more than 10-30 mins (excluding warm up and cool down).

HIIT is accessible to almost everyone, unless a medical professional has advised you to avoid vigorous exercise. Remember High Intensity isn’t  the same as High Impact. It’s totally possible to do HIIT without jumping up and down!

How do I do it?

The main aim during the workout is to get your heart rate up for a short period of time. You should feel like you are working at around 80% of your maximum possible effort. For example, a 30 seconds run (or even a walk) at 80% of your maximum effort, followed by 90 seconds at a slow and steady recovery pace. Repeat 5 times.The length of work and rest periods will vary depending on the type of exercise you are doing, and your fitness levels. Usually the rest period as a minimum would be at least the same length as the work period, usually more.

Benefits of HiiT sessions

Can use 25–30% more calories than the same length traditional exercise session.

You carry on burning calories after HIIT due to a phenomenon  known as EPOC (Excess post exercise Oxygen Consumption).

Helps you lose fat and gain muscle -Studies indicate HIIT may be most effective for fat loss in people who are overweight. This is also true for muscle gain, and is most likely to occur in people who were less active to begin with.

Boosts your muscles’ ability to use oxygen in the same way as long endurance workouts, so it’s a great addition to your training regime!

Can reduce heart rate and blood pressure in people who are overweight, for whom high blood pressure is common.

Reduces blood sugar – Studies have shown HIIT reduces blood sugar and improves insulin resistance more than traditional, continuous exercise.

Makes you fit for life! Whether you train regularly or just want to run around with your kids, HIIT training can improve your ability to do these things in just a few sessions a week.

Get started with HIIT

Pick something you can already do at lower intensity. For example, if you can walk comfortably, but find jogging a challenge, walking will be your low intensity rest period and jogging will be your high intensity work period.

If you have joint pain, pick something low impact such as cycling or swimming.

Your  rest periods must be equal to or longer than your work periods.

Keep work periods under 30 seconds. Work periods longer than 30 seconds will be difficult to sustain at the intensity required to count as HIIT.

Start with just a couple of sessions per week. Adequate recovery between training sessions is a must to avoid injuries.

Examples

Below are a few simple examples of HIIT workouts, but remember you can make almost any form of exercise into a HIIT session!

Exercise Bike. Pedal as hard and fast as possible for 30 seconds. Then, pedal at a slow, easy pace for 1-2 mins. Repeat this pattern for 15–30 minutes.

Jog at a challenging pace for 30 seconds. Then, walk for 1–2 minutes. Repeat this pattern for 10–20 minutes.

Do the following exercises for 30 seconds each, resting for 60 seconds before moving onto the next exercise. 1)Squats 2) Push ups 3) Sit ups 4) lunges. Repeat for 15-30 minutes