HIIT has quickly become a popular way to get a workout in. You may have wondered what HIIT is and if you should try it. There are many benefits to HIIT for your health and they are great if you are short on time during the day. Here are some of these benefits and a brief explanation of what HIIT training really is:
HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training, involves short periods of intense exercise (30-60 seconds) followed by a recovery period at a lower intensity (60-90 seconds) for a total of anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes.
Examples of HIIT workouts:
Stationary Bike – 30 seconds of cycling as fast as possible with higher resistance, followed by a minute or two of easy cycling with lower resistance and alternating
Treadmill – 30 seconds of running as fast as possible, followed by a minute or so of walking or a light jog
Metabolism Boost
After a HIIT workout, your body continues to burn calories at a higher rate for hours afterward. HIIT is one of the best ways to increase your metabolism through exercise. It has been found as well that the body tends to use fat for energy rather than carbs.
Workouts are Quick
HIIT workouts only need to be between 10 and 30 minutes a few times a week. Other days of the week you can do a different type of workout like yoga or resistance training. The quickness of these workouts is what attracts many people to HIIT.
Workout Can Be Done Anywhere – Equipment is Optional
HIIT workouts don’t have to be traditional with a treadmill or stationary bike like we provided as initial examples; you can do any type of exercise. Whether it is jumping jacks, jump rope, squat jumps or running outdoors. You don’t really need any equipment unless it is your preference.
Since equipment isn’t necessary, there is no excuse not to get in a quick HIIT workout anytime. This means you can get in a workout when you are traveling or if the weather is bad and you don’t want to leave your home.
Burn More Calories in Shorter Time
With HIIT workouts, you can burn 25-20% more calories than the average workout. Since you are pushing yourself, your heart rate will get into a peak zone, which means that you can spend less time exercising as you are burning more calories.
As you can see, there are a lot of benefits from High Intensity Interval Training. This kind of training is beneficial to many types of people. Whether you are looking to lose weight, build stamina or endurance or just are looking for a great workout and don’t have a lot of time during the day.