What is HIIT Workout or High Intensity Interval Training?

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a series of movements with slim to no rest times in between. This maximizes muscle endurance and strength while keeping your heart rate revved and without sacrificing form.

HIIT can be performed by anyone at any level. All you have to do is adjust your movements and change your rest times.

When programmed correctly, HIIT can burn that fat, melt those calories and improve your cardio tremendously in a shorter period of time than if you did so on your own.

Why does it work?

Your muscles and lungs start to accumulate an oxygen “debt” known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

EPOC generates a calorie- and fat-incinerating metabolism for hours after your workout. Continuously training in this fashion will benefit you in so many ways. 

You will see faster results along with seeing your exercise routine be turned up to levels you never thought you could do. You will quickly grow more fit, both physically and mentally.

You will also find yourself challenging your body and in return getting faster results.

You can test this yourself if you have a heart rate/calorie monitor. After a really good HIIT workout, check out how many calories you have and remember the amount.

Check your calories 30 minutes later and write down the number of extra calories you have just burned not doing anything but breathing.

Do this again with a standard weight lifting session on your own. The calorie difference will be very different.

You’ll also quickly notice (assuming you are still trying to lose weight and become stronger and more toned)  that the benefits are far greater than if you did a strict weight lifting session on your own or a cardio class.

The HIIT workout gets the best of both worlds and then some. You build strong toned muscle, your heart rate stays up, lungs and breathing become more efficient and at the end of it, all more calories are burned during and post-workout.

Below is a short example of a HIIT workout:

3 rounds of 40 seconds each exercise. Move on to the next exercise as quickly as possible.

Start 1^st round with 100 jump rope singles

DB swings Overhead/Walking Lunges/Squat Jumps

Start 2^nd round with 75 jump rope singles

DB swings Overhead/Walking Lunges/Squat Jumps/ Wall Sit with DB Press

Start 3^rd round with 25 jump rope singles

DB Swings Overhead/Walking Lunges/Squat Jumps/ Wall Sit with DB press/ Burpees

REST 2 MINUTES

30 seconds of work with 15 seconds of rest x4: Mountain Climbers (3 min. total)

Rest 1 minute

20 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest x4: Box Jumps (2 min. total)

Rest 45 seconds

10 seconds of rest followed by 5 seconds of rest x4: Jack Squats (1 min. total)

HIIT training is going to challenge you. It will be different and most of all fun. Don’t forget to allow your body to take 1-2 rest days a week since these workouts will be more demanding on your body physically and mentally.

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