HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT workout exercises are a form of cardio training. It is done in intervals of high bursts with a short resting period. The goal is to achieve a maximum heart rate of 80%. One of the ways to do it is in a ratio of 1:2, meaning that you train for 30 seconds and rest for 60 seconds.
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HIIT Workout Exercises
Depending on what you are trying to achieve and previous training if you have any, there are many variations of HIIT exercises. People who have been running and are used to it should consider HIIT sprints. Beginners on the other hand should start with something with a lower impact on the joints, like Mountain Climbers. Those are a full-body exercise that works the core as well, but it’s scalable and can be done with higher intensity when you get in better shape.
How Often To Do HIIT Training
How often you train during the week depends on your experience and how fit are you actually. For those who are starting with HIIT workout exercises, once or twice a week is enough, you can scale it up later. Be sure to give your body sufficient resting time because this kind of training will be very exhausting. If you don’t, your next training won’t be on a needed level, and that isn’t HIIT anymore.
Fat Burning
HIIT is very time-efficient training, in a short period of time you will do more, spend more calories than in hours of jogging for instance. That means that your heart rate and breathing will go through the roof. It is a good thing because more calories get burned than they would in any other form of exercise. For beginners, a full-body workout is the best fat burner. Another great benefit of HIIT workout exercises is EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption) effect, which causes fat burning even after the training is over, during the resting time. Other, more conventional exercises burn fat only during the workout, as soon as you stop exercising you stop burning fat and calories.
HIIT Variations
Timmons Method – developed at Loughborough University, the best one for beginners. 20-second work with 2 minutes of active or complete rest.
Reverse Tabata – 10 seconds work and 20 seconds rest make sure that this one falls under anaerobic fitness, this one is more for power production.
Tabata – this is the toughest one, it’s actually very nasty, but the most famous HIIT out there. 20 seconds of workout and 10 seconds rest, usually repeated 8 times and the workout has to be all-out, give it everything you got. It lasts for 4 minutes, that is if we don’t count in warm-up time, but if you are doing it right it will make you drop on your knees, it is extremely exhausting.
There are a lot more variations, but these are the ones that are the most known among them.
HIIT Programs
Warm-up
Before doing any kind of exercise you have to warm up, it’s a must. You are doing that to prevent possible injuries during a workout, that kind of injury can have long-lasting consciences. Here is an example of a good warm-up:
- 50 jumping jacks
- 25 side to side twists
- 25 straight leg kicks
- 25 side to side twists
- 50 jumping jacks
- 25 oblique side stretches
- 25 squats
- 25 oblique side stretches
- 30 multi-directional lunges
Battle Ropes HIIT
Better than most other exercises because of high energy consumption and the highest average heart rate.
How to – 15 seconds of single-arm waves, 15 seconds of double-arm waves, 60 seconds rest, repeat eight times.
Burpee HIIT
Burpees are a great exercise for the VO2 response and to save on time and space.
How to – 30 seconds all-out, four minutes of rest, repeat 4 to 6 times.
Endurance HIIT
Aerobic and anaerobic combination to ensure you keep your fitness level where it should be.
Kettlebell:
Workout 30sec
Rest 1min 30sec
Repeat 6 times
Swing the kettlebell between your legs, push your hips forwards to swing it to eye level, then let it drop down, repeat.
AirBike
Workout 15sec
Rest 45sec
Repeat 10 times
Here you are doing short explosive bursts on the bike using the whole body. It can be done on a stationary bike too if you don’t have access to an air bike.
Anywhere HIIT
This HIIT is based on body weight so it can be done anywhere as long as you have enough space to do it. There are 3 exercises and they should be repeated 8 times.
How to:
Jump lunge – Workout 20sec Rest 10sec
High knees – Workout 20sec Rest 10sec
Jump squat – Workout 20sec Rest 30sec
Rest for 30 seconds between the rounds.
Conclusion
HIIT has many benefits, from saving time for busy people, better VO2 levels (amount of oxygen your body can use), muscle building, lowering the elevated blood pressure to fat burning, and more. It has many variations and can be done with or without equipment. You can do it at home, in the gym, or outdoor, depending on personal preferences and goals you set up for yourself. HIIT workout exercises are simply a more efficient way to be fit and healthy, to get all the good benefits like in conventional workout, but faster and thanks to EPOC effect even after the workout itself.
Be sure to properly warm up before exercising and find which HIIT suits you the most, not all programs suit everybody. Now you know what kinds of HIIT are there and which exercises and in what way can be incorporated into that kind of training. A few minutes of training a day can make a huge difference in your life, you just have to start.