Get more out of your workout with HIIT

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training and may be your solution to squeezing a workout into your busy life! HIIT has the potential to allow you to burn more calories, lose more fat, and improve your cardiovascular fitness all while spending less time in the gym. High Intensity Interval Training however is not for everyone.
This type of training is very physically demanding and should only be practiced by intermediate or advanced exercisers. HIIT workouts will improve both the aerobic and anaerobic energy release in your body by exercising at your maximum in short intervals. As a result, your body cranks up your metabolism and shifts it into calorie-burner mode. When you do a HIIT workout you not only burn more calories during the session, but you will continue to burn more calories even after you have left the gym. HIIT workouts are structured with period of steep peaks and deep valleys. this interval pattern drastically improves both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems, which increases the body's ability to burn fat.

HIIT is different from other forms of interval training in that the high intensity intervals are done at your maximum effort. Other forms of interval training often have you push just to 85% of your maximum heart rate. During HIIT workouts you are going all out, putting every ounce of effort into your workout for a very short amount of time (usually 1-2 minutes).

Is HIIT for you?
Answer these questions with "yes" or "no":

• Can you currently exercise for at least 20 minutes at 70-85% of your estimated maximum heart rate (220-your age)?
• Can you do a full month of 30 minutes of intense cardio workouts 3 times a week?
• Do you have a healthy heart?
• Do you have strong knees and joints?

If you answered "yes" to all of the questions that's great! You are ready to add HIIT into your workouts. If you answered "no" to 1 or more of the questions, then HIIT may not be for you - at least not for now.

You're Ready to Try HIIT -Now What??

HIIT can be used with many different types of cardio workout including running, swimming, biking, etc. As I said earlier, HIIT workouts will allow you to cut your workout time and provide you with 9x the calorie and fat burning potential of a traditional cardio workout. For more HIIT guidelines to keep yourself safe, read through the General HIIT Guidelines from Sparkpeople.
Here's some sample workouts to get you started!

Train Smart with HIIT
HIIT is both tough and tiring. Make sure you fuel your body with proper nutrition, lots of water, and plenty of rest. Make HIIT part of a structured plan. To get the most out of HIIT, you can't just push your body indefinitely. When training with HIIT, results and physical improvements only occur for short periods of time, so make sure to change up your workouts every 3-4 weeks. Also, to avoid doing damage to muscle tissue never do HIIT workouts two days in a row. You'll burn plenty of calories by including HIIT workouts just 2-3 times a week.