HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training

HIIT me baby, one more time! :)  Love me some Britney....anyway...

HIIT, or high intensity interval training,  is short intervals of high intensity work followed by intervals of slower-pace, active recovery.  The high intensity work should be done around 90% of your maximum heart rate.
  

As I've said before doing intervals is a great way to burn more calories in less time.  How is that?  Intervals raise your body's oxygen intake post-exercise (EPOC), and keep it elevated for close to 24 hours. 

 So that means that not only do you burn calories during the run/workout/whatever, but your body keeps burning at a higher rate after you're done.  More calories = good. :)

Want more proof?  A recent study at the University of New Wales reported that a group of women who took part in a 20-minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) program of 8-second sprints followed by 12-seconds of rest, lost 6 TIMES MORE BODYFAT than the group that did 40-minutes of steady state cardio. 6 times more!  Are you serious?

Proof.  It's science.

In the same study, it showed that the HIIT group also burned on average 10% more calories in the 24-hours following exercise than low-intensity exercise group.  Burning calories sitting on the couch?  Yes please!


We usually do a sprint workout on Mondays for you runners who want to get in on the HIIT action.  You can also use HIIT principles when lifting weights by moving quickly through a super set of compound exercises.

HIIT can also me done outside with no equipment.  Try kicking your own butt by doing alternating high and low intensity intervals of jump squats, jump rope, jumping jacks,  burpees, or pushups.

Just think of all the calories you'll be burning!  Burn, baby, burn!


And if you're still not convinced...think of it this way.  Instead of spending 40 BORING minutes on the elliptical, you could hit the streets for 20 minutes of intervals and burn more calories! Then you can take your extra 20 minutes and catch up on the Real Housewives of the OC! *grin*

 I added a chart of HIIT intervals at the bottom of the blog to help you get started.

I bet you want to do some intervals right now!  Get some!


Love and fuego,
Carissa & Kyle


Sample HIIT Cardio Workouts

Week	Warm  up	Work Interval (Max Intensity)	Recovery  Interval  (60-70% MHR)	Repeat	Cool  down	Total    Workout  Time
1	5 min.	1 min.	4 min.	2 times	5 min.	20 min.
2	5 min.	1 min.	4 min.	3 times	5 min.	25 min.
3	5 min.	1 min.	4 min.	4 times	5 min.	30 min.
4	5 min.	1.5 min.	4 min.	2 times	5 min.	21 min.
5	5 min.	1.5 min.	4 min.	3 times	5 min.	26.5 min.
6	5 min.	1.5 min.	4 min.	4 times	5 min.	32 min.
7	5 min.	2 min.	5 min.	3 times	5 min.	31 min.
8	5 min.	2 min.	5 min.	4 times	5 min.	38 min.