High Intensity Interval Training Exercises to Build Strength
Most people know that physical activity is healthy, but an estimated 20% of people worldwide don’t get enough of it every day. However, many people feel that they do not have enough time to exercise. If so, why not try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?
“HIIT” is a broad term for workouts that alternate short periods of intense physical activity with periods of recovery.
One of the biggest benefits of HIIT is that you can achieve maximum health benefits in a short amount of time.
What is High-Intensity Interval Training
HIIT alternates between short high-intensity workouts and low-intensity recovery periods. Interestingly, this is probably the most time efficient training method.
A HIIT workout typically lasts 10 to 30 minutes.
Although the exercise is short, the health benefits are similar to his doubling the moderate-intensity exercise.
The actual activities performed may vary, but may include sprinting, biking, jumping rope, or other bodyweight exercises.
Examples of HIIT
A HIIT workout on a stationary bike might consist of 30 seconds of fast, high-intensity cycling followed by several minutes of slow, easy, low-intensity cycling.
This is considered one “round” or “rep” of HIIT and typically you complete 4-6 reps in one workout.
The specific time for training and recovery depends on the activity you choose and the intensity of your training.
Regardless of how you implement this strategy, high-intensity intervals should include short bursts of vigorous exercise that get your heart rate up.
Benefits of HIIT
1. Burn Weight Fast
HIIT can help you burn more calories than traditional exercise, or the same number of calories in less time. HIIT is an easy way to burn calories.
One study compared calories burned during 30 minutes of HIIT, strength training, running, and cycling.
Researchers have found that HIIT burns 25-30% more calories than other forms of exercise.
2. High Metabolism
Because of the intensity of your workout, HIIT can keep your metabolism boosting for hours after your workout. As a result, additional calories are burned even after training.
One of the ways HIIT helps you burn calories is actually after you’re done exercising.
Multiple studies have demonstrated his HIIT’s superior ability to boost metabolism in the hours following exercise.
3. Reduce Waist Circumference
High-intensity intervals are similar to traditional cardio training in fat loss, but in much less time. It also helps in reducing your waist circumference.
Studies have shown that HIIT can also help you with fat loss.
One review looked at 13 trials and 424 overweight or obese adults.
Interestingly, it turns out that both HIIT and traditional moderate-intensity training can reduce body fat and waist size.
Numerous other studies have also shown that HIIT can reduce body fat despite the relatively short duration of the effort.
4. Improves Stamina
HIIT works on the principle of adaptation, allowing the body to adapt and improve its ability to cope with stress. By immersing the body in the anaerobic zone, where the heart is operating at 80-90% of its maximum speed, the heart, lungs and muscles learn to adapt to challenges.
Not only does it make exercising easier, it also helps your body maintain speed and effort in other forms of vigorous exercise.
5. Increases Strength
Anaerobic exercise tends to lose both muscle and fat. HIIT, on the other hand, has been shown to preserve muscle by training it to recover and rebuild during short periods of rest.
This allows you to build strength quickly and easily maintain it by simply continuing your regime.
Get started with High Intensity Interval Training
With so many ways to add high-intensity intervals to your workout routine, getting started isn’t hard.
Simply select an activity (running, cycling, jumping rope, etc.) to get started.
Then you can experiment with different training and recovery times, or intense training and recovery times.
Tips To Get Started
- Choose a lower intensity, comfortable modality. For example, if you haven’t been jogging lately, don’t go running.
- If you’re dealing with joint pain, start with low-impact methods such as cycling or swimming.
- Make sure you get enough rest. HIIT requires rest periods equal to or longer than work hours to maintain sufficient intensity.
- Work time should be within 30 seconds. Any streak longer than 30 seconds makes it difficult to maintain the intensity required to count as HIIT.
- Start with a few cycles twice a week. HIIT training is very demanding, especially for high-impact modalities. Adequate rest between workouts is necessary to avoid injury.
Conclusion
High-intensity interval training is a highly efficient form of exercise that helps you burn more calories than other forms of exercise.
Some of the calories burned during high-intensity intervals come from the high metabolism that lasts for hours after your workout.
Overall, HIIT offers many of the same health benefits as other forms of exercise in less time.
