8 Reasons to Start HIIT Workout Today
High intensity interval training, popularly known as “HIIT”, has been receiving lots of buzz lately. According to the study published in the American College of Sports Medicine, it’s one of the two top fitness trends for 2014. But what exactly is HIIT? And does it really work?
What is HIIT?
HIIT is a training technique in which you give 100% of your efforts through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short active, recovery periods. This type of workout increases your body’s needs for oxygen during the exercise routine, causing your body to ask for more oxygen during recovery. A good example is running as fast as you can for one minute and then walking for two minutes. You may repeat this exercise five times, for a total of 15 minutes. Despite being a very short workout routine, HIIT has been found to elicit a wide range of health benefits.
Major Benefits of HIIT Workouts
It’s time-saving.
HIIT is an ideal workout type for people with very busy lifestyles. Because it’s super short, you can squeeze this exercise during your lunch break. It can also help you get in shape for a fast approaching event. Research shows that we can gain more benefits from 15 minutes of interval training than jogging on the treadmill for an hour.
There’s no equipment necessary.
No dumbbells? No worries! In HIIT workouts, your focus is increasing your heart rate up and keeping it there. To achieve this, you really don’t need any equipment, although using one is an advantage. Sprinting is one good example. Sprint for 10-30 second intervals with everything you’ve got, with one to four minutes of rest in-between intervals. Do this routine 5 times.
You burn more fats.
Not only do HIIT workouts help you burn more calories, it can also drive your body’s repair cycle into a hyper-drive. That means you burn more fats and calories in the next 24 hours after your first HIIT workout rather than a steady-pace, long run. Yes, you will burn more fats even when you are sleeping!
You lose weight, not muscle.
Most dieters know that it’s hard to lose fats without losing muscle mass. Studies show that HIIT, coupled with weight training, helps people preserve their hard-earned muscles by ensuring that most of their weight lost comes from fat stores.
You can do it anywhere.
HIIT is a kind of workout that you can practise anywhere – in your bedroom or in an open field. You don’t need a wide space to complete a HIIT workout.
You will have a healthier heart.
Perhaps the hardest thing about high intensity interval training is that you get to experience that point when you feel like your heart is trying to jump out of your chest, literally. But it’s okay. It’s actually where the benefits begin. In 2006, a study published in the Journal of Psychology has found that after 8 weeks of HIIT workouts, participants could bicycle twice as long as they could prior the study, whilst maintaining the same pace. This means HIIT is a great exercise to amp your aerobic capacity.
It increases your metabolism.
Fast metabolism is one key to weight loss. A 2002 study published in the Journal of Sports Science found that HIIT stimulates the release of human growth hormone (HGH) by up to 450% 24 hours after you finish your workout. Here’s a bonus – not only does HGH increase your calorie burning rate, it also slows down the ageing process – helping you look and feel younger!
It’s really challenging.
Bored of your daily workout routine? Try HIIT! This is not the workout you can do whilst watching TV or reading a magazine. It is something that will hook your attention all throughout! HIIT gives seasoned exercisers a new challenge and new exercisers a quick way to see results. You’ll never get bored with HIIT.
Have you tried doing a HIIT workout? What was the experience like? Can you share some workout tips for those looking to try HIIT? Feel free to post a comment below.
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