On the hunt for the best exercise regime for you? You might have heard of high-intensity interval training or “HIIT” for short, but you’re not sure if it’s worth the hype (or the effort).
Let’s see what the research says.
First, what is HIIT exactly?
HIIT training is a workout where you push yourself to the limit in any activity for anything between 20 seconds and 1 minute and then have a recovery period of something longer. Then you repeat this set multiple times.
It can pretty much be any type of exercise like running, swimming or whatever you like to get your heart rate going. You don’t even need to go out. You can do HIIT exercises at home with an exercise bike or push ups.
It’s meant to feel like you just ran up a mountain with concrete shoes on. It completely takes you out.
Don’t let that put you off, though. The benefits are astronomical and are totally worth the effort.
How is HIIT good for me?
In so many ways.
Starting with your heart, loads of research confirms that interval training reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and death in both men and women. Thanks to its intensity, it makes your heart fitter. That means it improves oxygen uptake, reduces blood pressure, improves endothelial function and reduces arterial stiffness. Many scholars also agree that it is much more beneficial than moderate intensity continuous exercise (MICE) like continuous running.
It’s a popular fat burner. When you’re running or pedalling for your life, your body uses the glucose in your cells first. But after your third round, the glucose is all used up and your brain releases the human growth hormone (HGH), which releases hormone sensitive lipase, which breaks down fat.
Fat gives your body twice the units of energy that glucose does, but only gets used once you’ve run out of glucose first. That’s why HIIT is so effective. It really targets your fat stores.
Specifically, it targets visceral fat which is associated with metabolic diseases. Handy!
Unsurprisingly, it improves your muscle mass, but it also gives your body better appetite control.
HIIT is also amazing for your metabolism. It improves your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels, increases HDL (good cholesterol) and decreases LDL (bad cholesterol). It improves the efficiency of mitochondria and cell energy production, too, so you feel more energised overall.
Going back to the human growth hormone, did you know this hormone increases blood flow to the skin, and this slows down ageing? That’s right, this type of exercise slows down ageing.
HIIT also has an excellent reputation for improving mental health and cognitive function. It’s been proven to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improves your cognitive performance.
Lastly, it even takes down inflammation, as one study on the liver found.
Convinced?
So how do I do it?
The important pattern in HIIT is short bursts of vigorous energy followed by a period of recovery. So, this can take whatever form suits you best, as long as it gets your heart pumping.
People do sets of work and recovery with different timings. One Olympic coach trained his figure skaters with 20 seconds of intense activity followed by a 1-minute rest and repeated this set 6 times and got noticeable results.
A heart doctor called Dr Doug McGuff found the fittest person can do 30 seconds of intense exercise followed by a 90 second rest and can repeat this 6 times too.
Note this about recovery time: it’s not totally resting, you need to be moving a bit. Maybe walking, stretching, anything easy that still lets you get your breath back. You’re ready to start the next intense set because your breathing will come back to almost normal.
By the way, it’s in recovery time that your body uses up the lactic acid you made during exercise and turns it back into energy.
Your recovery time is the indicator of your fitness, so you need to listen to your body. Maybe you’ll start off with a 10 second sprint and then a 90 second recovery and do 6 reps of it. Slowly, you can build it up.
I’m no athlete and I’m not super fit, but 6 sets of 20 seconds intensity followed by a 1-minute rest is a good challenge for me, so it’s within reach if you have a basic level of fitness.
For those of you who are pretty fit, you could try the 30 seconds sprint and a 90 second rest.
The best thing about this workout? It only takes 15 minutes so anyone can fit it into their day.
Are there any cautions for HIIT?
For those who have pre-existing heart conditions, it’s wise to do HIIT carefully or not at all. HIIT definitely strengthens your heart, but it’s recommended to do it with thorough monitoring.
Make sure to do a proper warm up and cool down routine to avoid injury.
Watch out for overtraining and burnout. It’s easy to forget, but too much exercise has detrimental effects like decreased performance in your workout, a compromised immune system and constant fatigue. It’s best to balance it with low intensity workout days or rest days.
Lastly, if you have a chronic condition of any kind, it’s best to consult your doctor about what exercise you can do. HIIT can be tailored for almost any fitness level, but make sure the challenge is within your capabilities.
Excited for your next workout?
There are so many benefits to reap from HIIT that I’ve found to be totally worth the effort. It hurts for sure, but as it’s so short and yet so powerful, your body’s getting a good deal.
Let me know if you’ve ever tried HIIT in the comments below!
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