High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) means performing a workout that alternates between intense bursts with steadier less intense periods i.e. slow jogging on the treadmill at 8km per hour for a minute then swapping with a minute of sprinting on 15km per hour and repeating the process ten times giving you a 20 min HIIT workout.
Here are the major benefits.
1. Shorter workouts – studies have been shown that three 15 minute HIIT workouts a week are more beneficial than 1 hour of slow state cardio – i.e jogging. 2 weeks HIIT can improve aerobic gains that would take 6 -8 weeks using slow state cardio.
2. Burn more Calories because of the intensity of the exercise hence you will BURN MORE FAT.
3. By pushing yourself into the anaerobic zone where your heart feels like it is coming out your chest you are building a healthier heart and you will notice big gains in your overall fitness levels after only a few weeks
4 . Can be used with various workouts – rowing, boxing bag, running, skipping and cycling, even things like box jumps mountain climbers etc, and can be performed anywhere
5. Maintain your lean mass. Steady state cardio seems to encourage muscle loss, but by using both weight training and HIIT workouts you can keep your hard-earned muscles while ensuring most of the weight lost comes from fat stores.
6. Increase Metabolism – In addition to increased fat burning and more muscle preserved, HIIT stimulates production of your human growth hormone (HGH) up to 450% during the 24 hours after you finish your workout. This is great news since HGH is not only responsible for increased caloric burn but also slows down the aging process.
7. Push yourself to the limits – workout your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age) and get your workout cranking so you are working at 80 -90% of your maxHR and watch that fat slide off!