High-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, is a fantastic choice if you’re searching for a brief and efficient routine. These workouts are meant to be brief and intense, broken up by action and recovery, unlike continuous or steady-state exercises. HIIT workouts usually last 20 to 25 minutes because they are so intensive.
Benefits of a HIIT workout?
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Faster rate of calorie burn
In addition to burning more calories than other forms of exercise in the same amount of time, research has indicated that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may have benefits that last long after the workout. Afterburn is the word. Long after the last rep, exercise raises your metabolic rate, which helps you burn more calories all day. Research has indicated that one kind of exercise that can produce this afterburn is HIIT.
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HIIT improves health conditions
Research suggests that HIIT can help reduce the risk of heart disease in individuals with coronary artery disease and improve lower back discomfort. Also, studies suggest that HIIT training may help individuals with polycystic ovarian syndrome achieve better hormone balance and increase their level of fitness before surgery.
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HIIT leads to fat loss
Both HIIT and moderate-intensity exercise can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as help people lose weight and fat. Over 12 weeks, HIIT improved cardiorespiratory fitness more than steady-state exercise, citing a 2021 study published in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. Additionally, studies indicate that HIIT may improve blood vessel health and resting heart rate.
Types of HIIT workout
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- Distance: You can arrange your workout according to distance whether you’re running or using a cardio machine. As an illustration, it is suggested to do a quarter-mile sprint and then a quarter-mile recovery.
- AMRAP: The meaning of this abbreviation is “as many reps as possible.” As many repetitions of one exercise as you can in the allotted time will be done during your work interval, which you will set (e.g., 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest, or 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of rest).
- EMOM: “Every minute on the minute” is the meaning of this additional acronym. You set a goal for how many repetitions you’ll perform during this kind of HIIT exercise, and you work to meet that goal as the minute counts down. You should use the remaining time as your rest period. Repeat as the following minute begins anew.
- Tabata: In tabata, you will work for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and repeat this pattern eight times. This approach is generally more popular since the intervals are small enough to ensure that rest periods, however brief, are constantly in between.
Knowing your intensity during HIIT
The key to HIIT is high intensity. Try monitoring your rate of perceived exertion, or RPE, to make sure you’re putting up the best effort possible. On a scale of one to ten, rate your level of effort with one being the most relaxed you can be and 10 being your maximum effort. Your aim should be at eight or nine levels of exertion.
It’s advised to start with cardio exercises to raise your baseline aerobic fitness if you’re new to this fitness routine. It is suggested to build up to 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, such as jogging, walking, dancing or cycling, starting with 10 minutes. After that, you might experiment with some short intervals by speeding up for 30 seconds every few minutes. You may just perform one of these surges initially, but you can gradually increase the number.
If you’re new to HIIT, incorporate it into your routine one or two times a week for a maximum of 15 minutes. As you gain confidence, you can increase the time. Experts recommend that HIIT should not be done more than three times a week and that too should be done on non-consecutive days.
