Best way to Burn Calories! HIIT and Don't Miss!!

HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training

HIIT is a form of interval training.

What is interval training?

         Alternating periods of work with periods of rest.  

What is Aerobic and Anaerobic mean?

        Simply the terms "aerobic" ,running slower longer periods of time, and "anaerobic", Short intense bouts of exercises, refer to the presence and absence of oxygen, respectively.

Why intervals? 

        In the Gibala  study, two groups were tested. It compared 20minutes of interval training 30sec on 4min off, compared to 90 -120 minutes of steady endurance heart rate zone, same improvements in oxygen utilization.(1)

A great app I have used in the past is this Tabata Timer, very easy to use. 

        This means that both groups had the same effect on there VO2 Max and one did more then half the work. So...

• Intervals develop aerobic capacity better then aerobic training.(1)

• The fastest way to raise VO2@ max, the standard measure of aerobic fitness, is through interval training.(1, 2)

Interval Methods

• Work to rest- uses a set time for work and a set time for rest 

Work to Rest ratio

:15-:45 (3-1)

:30-1:30 or :30-1:00 ( 3-1 or 2-1)

1:00-2:00 or 1:00-1:00 ( 2-1 or 1-1)

As the interval gets longer the recovery time does not need to be as long as it relates to the interval.

Why do people still do aerobic training?

• Easier then interval work, and interval training is hard.
• Slow steady jogging or walking for long periods of time ( aerobic) is all they know. 

 Why should people do aerobic training?

• Aerobic training helps beginners.
• If you are going to or want to do aerobic sports; 5k's, 10k's, half and full marathons.  
• The reality is that conventional aerobic training is only good to get a person fit enough to tolerate interval training (2)

        If you want to lose weight, and be in great shape, interval training is the way to go. Interval training is great if you are pressed for time and can be done effectively and safely in about 30 minutes. It is also a great way to compete with your training partner.

 References

1.Gibala Study

Journal of Physiology, “ Short Term Sprint Interval Versus Traditional Endurance Training: Similar Initial Adaptations in Human Skeletal Muscle and Exercise Performance Sept 2006, Vol 575 Issue 3

2.  Interval Training for Athletes and Clients: DVD, Micheal Boyle 2007