H.I.I.T for Fat loss: Half the Time, Twice the Results

If you are ready to burn fat and get in incredibly ripped shape, you have to HIIT it. No, that wasn’t a misspelling; I said HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT training can get you in fantastic shape in less time than just about any other type of workout you can do.

First of all, let’s talk a little about what HIIT really is. The principles of HIIT are such that you will perform a period of low intensity exercise followed up a period of extremely high intensity exercise, and alternate until the workout is complete. The workout will allow you to perform the sets or INTERVALS in succession with little to no rest at all.

This results in a workout that will be much shorter in duration but much more effective in results. A typical High Intensity Interval Session will only last about 20-30 minutes. Here is how a typical HIIT running workout might go:

1. four to five minutes of light jogging followed by
2. sixty seconds of jogging at about a 5-6 intensity followed by
3. thirty seconds of high intensity sprinting followed by
4. sixty seconds of jogging at about a 5-6 intensity followed by
5. thirty seconds of high intensity sprinting followed by
6. sixty seconds of jogging…you get the picture

When just starting out with HIIT training, you will want to stick to about 6 total intervals. As you advance in your training, you will want to progress to 8-10 intervals per HIIT training session. Once your intervals are complete, you will want to continue performing light exercise, such as light jogging, until your heart rate returns to normal.

In study after study, HIIT training has been shown to be more effective at burning fat and calories than longer duration cardio workout such as long distance running. One study showed that 2.5 hours of HIIT interval training provided the same or better results than 10.5 hours of long distance endurance training. I don’t know about you, but a savings of 8 hours seems like a good reason to give HIIT a try.

High Intensity Interval Training is not limited to just running of course. You can apply the principles of HIIT to any cardio exercise you perform to greatly increase the benefits of the workout while reducing the time it takes for you to reach your goals. Jumping rope, stair running, and riding bikes are all great exercises with which you can apply the principles of HIIT to maximize the effectiveness of your workouts. One key thing to keep in mind though: Applying HIIT training is usually not as effective when applied to machine workouts because of the inherent limitations of the machines themselves and the difficulty of switching between intensities. It is much easier to just RUN faster than it is to program a machine and wait for it to catch up. The key to HIIT is to switch between intensity levels quickly.

Go ahead and give High Intensity Interval Training a try and you just may have found the secret to intense and QUICK fat loss that you have always been looking for.