At ifeelgood24/7, we believe that a quick workout is a good workout. We mean it when we say we’re an express health club! Not many of us have hours and hours to spend at the gym every day, and – let’s face it – people that do tend to spend more time flexing their muscles and winking at girls than actually burning fat. The fact is, most of us have bigger and better things to do than spend our lives working out.
What is HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
Enter, high intensity interval training (HIIT). These workouts are intense (go figure!), rewarding and super quick. The best thing is, they actually burn more fat. We’ll keep the science simple, but basically the demands of HIIT mean that your body doesn’t bring in enough oxygen during your workout – you thus accumulate an oxygen ‘debt’. This means that your metabolism is peaking even hours after you leave the gym, this process often referred to as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.
Another great thing about HIIT is that it requires you to go full strength and full speed. Ever feel like you’re at the gym, mindlessly going through the motions? For seasoned gym goers and newbies alike, this challenge keeps your mind and body engaged in your workout.
Don’t worry though, HIIT isn’t about stressing your body out – one of the most important parts of this regime is remembering to let your body rest. The latent intervals between exercises increase your ability to recover, meaning that you’ll be able to recuperate faster in future sessions!
HIIT – How To
So, if we haven’t completely sold this concept to you, why don’t you try it yourself?
Try three different rounds of exercises completing three sets of each.
For example, round one might include:
- 10x burpees,
- 10x mountain climbers and
- 10x pushups.
For the second and third sets, increase the repetitions to 15x and then 20x.
Rounds two and three could include exercises with kettlebells and weights, or you could do short bursts of sprinting on the treadmill.
Who Can HIIT?
It’s important to note that HIIT isn’t for everyone. People with current or historical orthopedic injuries or cardiac and/or respiratory difficulties should check with their doctor whether HIIT is a viable form of exercise for them. In reality, a combination of HIIT and Low Intensity Steady State (LISS) exercises are ideal. Think a brisk 35 minute walk on a Monday and then an intense and rewarding HIIT session on Tuesday. It’s all about listening to your body and striking the balance between pushing yourself and respecting your internal signals.
So come into your local ifeelgood24/7 gym sometime this week and have a chat to our (incredibly good looking) staff. They’ll be able to tell you all about HIIT and how you can make the most out of your precious gym time!
