You’re not alone if you’ve recently heard a lot about HIIT, or high-intensity interval training for short. Over the last decade or two, HIIT has been increasingly popular among fitness enthusiasts as more people learn about its effectiveness in producing an intensive exercise.
High-intensity cardiovascular exercise interspersed with rest periods, or HIIT, is what it sounds like. “an extreme form of exercise that increases strength, endurance, and aids in weight loss more rapidly than low-intensity cardio.”
In more detail, HIIT enables the body to sustain a greater heart rate for brief intervals of time. When you are completely out of breath or unable to carry on a conversation, you have reached the high-intensity threshold, which is typically around 80% of your maximal heart rate.
So what does a complete HIIT workout entail?
HIIT includes exercises like sprinting for 30 seconds every three minutes while jogging or performing as many chest presses with the heaviest weight possible for 60 seconds during between treadmill walks.
Active rest, a sort of moderate activity like walking or jogging that lasts longer than the length of time you spent on the severe exercise phase, is frequently incorporated into the rest periods in HIIT exercises. Additionally, the majority of HIIT exercises may be finished in 10 to 30 minutes, which is frequently less time than is required for a full cardio or strength training session.
The HIIT method has many advantages, including efficient training, weight loss, and health advantages.
“HIIT is a fantastic way to lose weight quickly,” The majority of people can burn just as many calories during a 20-minute HIIT workout as they can during a 45-minute session of continuous cardio or weight training. Additionally, HIIT improves the body’s blood flow and lung capacity.
According to Brown, HIIT can increase your resting metabolic rate and cause you to continue burning calories for up to 24 hours after your workout. Then, HIIT can aid in burning more fat as opposed to muscle, which is possible with steady-state cardio.
HIIT can also help you reduce your waistline.
“People can continue to add muscle while losing extra fat in places that are difficult to access like lower abdomen and thighs”
Limitations of HIIT
“High-intensity interval training can help you lose weight, as long as it’s combined with a low-calorie diet or nutrition plan,” he says. “Think team or circuit training that involves walking from station to station with little to no downtime.” “A poor diet cannot be out-trained.”
There needs to be a balance between what you’re doing in the kitchen and the gym. You might not lose weight if you’re not in a caloric deficit, which is when you burn more calories during HIIT workouts than you take in.
What Is Cardio?
HIIT is merely one type of cardiovascular workout.
Roe defines cardio as “any form of exercise that increases heart rate, blood and oxygen flow throughout the body, while using large muscle groups.”
Common illustrations include:
- cycling,
- running,
- jogging.
- swimming a long distance.
- Workout on an elliptical or treadmill.
- Rowing.
Cardio exercises, unlike HIIT, last at least 20 to 30 minutes at 60% to 70% of your maximal heart rate. Additionally, they lack the explosive bursts of action, and some people may find the lengthy duration and constant pace monotonous.
These lengthy activities are a fantastic strategy for weight loss because they can increase your stamina. Cardio still burns calories and fat, even though the burn may be less than with a standard HIIT workout.
Cardio is excellent for your cardiovascular system, which includes your heart and lungs, in addition to supporting weight loss. The heart is strengthened, and endurance is increased. These are essential elements of general health, wellness, and longevity.
He claims that he always inquires about the client’s time constraints and any potential physical restrictions when working with them. These exercises don’t have a one-size-fits-all method.
On the other side, HIIT might be a better choice if you enjoy a lot of variation in your workouts because you switch between various exercises more frequently.
In order to prevent injury, she advises alternating HIIT workouts with less strenuous exercises like yoga or strolling. “You may be overdoing your HIIT exercise if you feel exhausted, have heavy legs, or find it difficult to go about your daily activities.”
Choosing a workout that doesn’t feel like work is crucial when picking the optimal exercise to help weight loss attempts.
“Choose an exercise you enjoy doing and stick with it, even if you don’t see results,” You will experience plateaus; during those times, you might want to switch up your routine or level of effort.
If you detest exercising, you’re probably doing the incorrect kind of exercise. And if you’re having trouble figuring out the best protocol for you, think about hiring a trainer; they might be able to show you some fresh possibilities that you hadn’t considered.
“Aim to maximize the opportunity. Even only 20 minutes of treadmill walking is preferable to 20 minutes of couch time. However, if you’re going to exercise for 20 minutes, attempt to increase your heart rate and your level of effort, she advises.