Whether you’re an aspiring athlete, a longtime gym rat, or a devoted home fitness enthusiast with a penchant for Peloton, YouTube workouts, or another on-demand platform, you’ve probably heard of HIIT. Formally known as high-intensity interval training, HIIT has gained unprecedented popularity over the last few years as exercise aficionados and media outlets have sung praises of this quick, efficient, and tough form of fitness. But what is HIIT and is it really all it’s cracked up to be?
HIIT: What is it?
Any type of exercise that includes a brief interval of high-intensity activity followed by a rest or low-intensity exercise phase is known as high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
Intense activity might last anything from a few minutes to less than forty-five seconds. Before repeating the process, people relax or engage in mild activity for a comparable amount of time. Even though a full HIIT workout only takes 15 to 20 minutes, it offers several advantages. For those who struggle to commit to lengthier sessions, its brief duration might make it a highly useful and efficient option. Additionally, HIIT doesn’t require any special equipment or gym membership, so anyone can do it whenever and wherever it’s convenient for them.
How an HIIT workout is performed
Consider it a sequence of smaller tasks. Essentially, you exert more effort for a brief period of time (20 seconds to several minutes) and then decelerate for an equivalent or somewhat longer active recovery phase. This back-and-forth motion should be repeated during the workout. Ten minutes, plus time for a warm-up and cool-down, might be enough for a productive HIIT exercise. Usually, twenty to thirty minutes. HIIT exercises are rarely more than one hour. Aerobic workouts are the kind of activity that may raise your heart rate rapidly, work well in an HIIT session. Among the possible activities are:
- Running on a treadmill or in the open air.
- Walking briskly wherever it suits you most.
- Riding either a stationary bike or a bicycle.
- Stair climbing in your home or on a stepper machine.
- Rowing on a river or machine.
- Body weight movements including burpees, squat leaps, lunges, and jumping jacks, as well as callisthenics.
The intensity of your workout will determine how frequently you perform HIIT, but two to three days a week is a decent goal.
What More Do I Need to Know?
- Cost: Free of charge
- Suitable for newbies: Indeed. As you improve, you may increase the pace from the three to four speed intervals you started with.
- Outdoor Activity: Yes, outside. Go for a bike or run outside. For every pace interval, you could even try chasing your dog.
- Indoor Activity: Yes, at home. This is an excellent exercise to perform on a stationary bike or treadmill. Alternatively, you might perform intervals of weightlifting at home.
- Equipment: None unless you want to use a weight set or cardio equipment like a treadmill or stair-climbing machine.
Advantages of HIIT
- Heart health. Researchers discovered that if you are obese or have a few extra pounds on your body, regularly pushing your heart rate up a notch will assist lower high blood pressure.
- Burn calories. Compared to a steady workout, shorter, more intense bursts of activity can burn more calories. An extra benefit? It saves time, which is always advantageous in a world when schedules are hectic.
- Increase in metabolism. Because HIIT increases your metabolism, it provides a lasting effect that lasts for hours after you finish exercising. Long after your workout is over, that continues to burn calories.
- Loss of fat. You can reduce body fat with HIIT, particularly if you are obese.
- Lower blood sugar levels. HIIT is a great choice for those with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes since it helps lower blood sugar and improve insulin resistance, according to research after study.
- Improved motion. According to a 2018 study, HIIT cycling improved physical function more than a continuous moderate-intensity cycling program for persons with osteoarthritis in the knee.
How to Perform HIIT at Home
Never forget that more does not necessarily equal better. Aim for one to three days a week if you’re new to high-intensity interval training. Start by deciding on your favourite exercise, such as squat jumps or cycling. After that, you may begin experimenting with varying workout and rest times until you find the pace comfortable. You are able to
- For 30 seconds, cycle as quickly as you can on a stationary bike. After that, pedal slowly for two to four minutes, and then do this again for ten to twenty minutes.
- For 30 to 90 seconds, perform as many squat leaps as you can, and then take a 30- to 90-second stroll. Do this again for ten to twenty minutes.
- Another option is circuit training, which is a type of fitness program that consists of a sequence of exercises with no breaks.
- Perform bodyweight exercises such as lunges, step-ups, squat jumps, and push-ups to customise your workout routine.