Apr-02

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High Intensity Interval Training

POSTED BY: Alex Isaly in BLOG

Q. Can you speak more to High Intensity Interval Training, who you would recommend this to and some examples of specific HIIT training?

A. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been around for a long time. Now-a-days it seems to be the industry buzz word when it comes to training. Short fast workouts designed to minimize training time, increase efficiency and speed up results.

I love HIIT workouts. I think everyone should incorporate some form of HIIT into their workout routine. There are so many benefits to this training regimen...from improving performance to body transformation. But the key is when and how you HIIT.

Some examples of HIIT workouts are:

- Cardio training: Running on a track or treadmill. Begin with a good 8-10 minutes warm-up. You want your body ready to work in extreme conditions (and I am not talking about the weather). Once your warm, start with a light jog for about 2 minutes, then 'significnatly' increase your speed for 30 seconds enough to feel like you are really working hard. After the 30 seconds bring the effort back down to a light jog again. Repeat this sequence over a specific timeframe, or number of intervals. These workouts are meant to be short so I wouldn't exceed 20-30 minutes of total workout time.

- Resistance training: Similar to cardio, begin with a really good warm-up. After the warm-up select a weight that will allow you to train for a specific period of time, i.e. 20 seconds. You need go for the full 20 and not hit failure. Keep in mind this is type of training is meant for endurance muscle performance. Not necessarily strength. Again, only perform these exercises for a short period of time, much like the cardio workouts.

You should never perform HIIT workouts on back to back days. Remember, it's "high intensity', which means this workout is going to put your body through a lot of stress. Recovery is very important after a HIIT session. Results from training like this come after the workout. I would suggest incorporating a least 2 or 3 HIIT sessions a week in to your regimen.