You might be seeing the word HIIT Exercises popping up almost everywhere and wondering what they are. HIIT Exercises are high-intensity interval training exercise where you will aim to alternate between short periods of intense workout with a relatively short recovery period.
Our world has become fast-paced. And in this world of fast foods, fast commutes, and a generally fast lifestyle, a fast workout is obviously going to gain reputation.
This is exactly why HIIT exercises are so popular; you get to burn the maximum amount of calories in the minimum amount of time. HIIT strengthens resistance, gains in endurance levels, improves metabolism, reduces insulin resistance, and improves cardiac function.
As opposed to long and steady cardio exercises, HIIT exercises involve a short period of intense full body workout followed by a short period of less-intense exercise or rest, so your body keeps on burning calories even when you are resting.
HIIT exercises are also called as Sprint Interval Training (SIT) or High-Intensity Intermittent Exercise (HIIE).
Critical Factors in HIIT
Intensity is the Key
HIIT sounds promising for achieving results but it is also quite intense, as evident by its name. The key to getting the results you want is to make sure that you actually are performing HIIT exercises as they ought to be performed.
An exercise can only be qualified as a HIIT exercise if you push yourself to the max during each set. High-Intensity cardio, which leaves you out of breath and where you push your limits to the max, will give you your required results.
Resting is just as crucial
The whole idea behind HIIT exercises is taking your body from one extreme to another. When the body is made to rest after an intense short workout, it adapts from anaerobic state to low-intensity recovery period, which results in the maximum amount of calories burnt and an overall fat loss.
Still, need to be convinced? Here’s why HIIT exercise should become a part of your exercise regime.
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Fast and Efficient
Busy schedules make taking time out for the gym a task on its own. HIIT exercises are not only fast, but they’re also efficient.
That means you will end up burning more calories in a very short amount of time. If the idea of working out 15 minutes daily for 3 times a week sounds more appealing than running or jogging for an hour, then you should definitely give HIIT Exercises a go.
Some HIIT workouts can even be completed in 4 minutes! Talk about being fast and efficient.
Ditch the Equipment
One of the features that personally appeal to me the most about HIIT exercises is that you don’t need any equipment to conduct this exercise.
All you need is open space and you can choose any of the exercises such as high knees, jumping jacks or burpees to complete a HIIT workout.
Good for Heart
HIIT is a great way to make your heart healthier and stronger; it’s a muscle too after all. Usually, anaerobic exercises sound very daunting but the good thing with HIIT exercise is the recovery or rest period which follows the high-intensity workout.
Research indicated that HIIT exercises can help reducing blood pressure and heart rate.
Getting Started with HIIT exercise
The most crucial first step for any exercise, and especially for HIIT exercise, is to warm up. In an hour-long workout, your body will automatically warm itself up in the first 5 minutes.
But with HIIT, where the duration for the workout is small, it is very important that you warm up your body before beginning the HIIT exercise.
To begin your HIIT workout, after warming up choose any exercise that you would like to perform. It can be biking, running, jumping, squats, high knees, butt kicks etc.
Then you can alternate between performing your chosen exercise at a high intensity for a short period of time, say 90 seconds, and then allowing yourself recovery time.
An example of a HIIT workout can be:
• Jump squat as quickly as possible for 40 seconds, then stand or walk for a minute. Repeat this for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Sprint as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then walk at a slow pace for a minute, then do pushups for 30 seconds. Repeat this pattern for 15 minutes
Summary
So HIIT exercises can be summarized to be working really hard, then resting, and then working really hard again. Any activity that you like can be made to be a HIIT exercise by following this pattern.
And you don’t need to be in a fancy gym or hire a trainer for this, which adds to the convenience of your work out.
And lastly, If you have any questions about HIIT exercises. Ask me in the comments section below! Cheers!!
