High Intensity Interval Training Revealed

What if I were to tell you that there is a way to burn the same amount of calories in half the time? No, I’m not talking about a magic pill or crazy diet. High Intensity Interval Training, aka HIIT, is a training method that burns calories at twice the rate of traditional aerobic exercise. The method requires hard work, but for those willing to take the challenge it can pay off greatly.

It is very important to point out that HIIT is not easy. It is very efficient, but that is because it accomplishes so much in such a short period of time. The HIIT technique is very physically demanding and isn’t for everyone. You should hold off on HIIT if you have any heart problems or other health concerns that limit your ability to exercise at very intense levels, or if you are relatively new to cardio exercise or not already in good shape. If you have any doubts or questions about whether it might be safe for you, check in with your doctor before trying high intensity training.

HIIT is a unique form of interval training that contains short intervals of high intensity exercise separated by longer intervals of lower intensity exercise. Because it involves pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, it offers you several advantages that traditional exercise where you keep your heart rate steady do not. HIIT works both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. You train your anaerobic system with short, intense efforts, like doing plyometric jumps; you train your aerobic system with lower intensity exercises like crunches. HIIT increases the amount of calories you burn because of the increased energy needed during recovery. HIIT will enable metabolic adaptations that allow you to use more stored fat as fuel. This effect improves your athletic performance as well as your ability to burn fat. HIIT also helps avoid muscle loss that can accompany losing weight.

You need to push yourself past your comfort zone if you are to be successful with the HIIT system. HIIT differs from other forms of interval training in that the high intensity intervals involve maximum effort, not just raising your heart rate. There are countless variations of the high intensity interval training style. The varying techniques use different numbers of high and low intensity intervals, different levels of intensity, different exercises, different lengths of time, and different training sessions per week. In order to use HIIT to improve sports performance, you’ll need to specialize the exercises used for your specific sport. HIIT provides endless variations to confuse your muscles and fit your needs while burning the most amount of calories in the shortest time.