As the warm weather and longer days come our way, we start thinking about the summer and how we look! Yet we still are pretty busy at the job and have little time to exercise and try to balance everything out. High Intensity Interval Training may be a good fit for you.
HIIT training incorporates a blend of strength and cardio training melded into explosive movements. The idea is to get yourself quickly to near max heart rate by pushing your self to the max for a short amount of time followed by a period of lower activity or rest. Studies have shown that a mere 2 weeks of HIIT can improve your aerobic capacity better than 6-8 weeks of just aerobic training. The strength training side of HIIT has many benefits too. Explosive movement can stimulate muscle growth and activate muscle fibers we don’t normally use in everyday life. Studies show that 24 hours after HIIT Training you increase the amount of fat and calories you burn also in this 24 hour window your HGH (human growth hormone) production can be increased by as much as 450 percent! This means the body’s metabolism and muscle growth kicks into overdrive.
There are many disciplines of HIIT training out there to choose from to fit your style. What’s great about HIIT is that you can do it almost anywhere and the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity with it. You can do it outside on field, track or even a beach. It could be done inside a gym in the weight room or group fitness room. Just be versatile and change it up. An example of this is, I run a HIIT training class at Island Athletic Club in the group training room. I use a combination of jumping, balance, core focused moves, strength moves, squatting and lunging. I mix these into a HIIT circuit that lasts between 30-40 minutes. HIIT Training can be very intense and I wouldn’t recommend doing it on consecutive days, as to allow yourself to recover. Also keep it to two times a weeks, mixed in with your other fitness activities.
As always certain activities aren’t for everyone, if you have any questions about training, please consult a health professional.
Now, let’s get moving!
