High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves repeated brief exercise at a high intensity immediately followed by a low intensity exercise or rest. For example, cycle as fast as you can for 1 minute followed by 2 minutes of easy pedalling, repeat 5 times and you have a 15 minutes HIIT workout complete. Simple as that!! Read on to discover 9 proven benefits from HIIT.
1. Time Efficient
I often have friends and members say to me they just don’t have the time to work out. 15 minutes is all you need to reap the benefits of HIIT which makes it ideal if you have a busy schedule. Can be done on its own or as a great finisher to your resistance training session!
2. Improved Fitness
HIIT has been shown to increase both aerobic and anaerobic fitness by as much as 46% and 28% respectively following 15 weeks of HIIT. Which means you can train harder for longer therefore burning more calories.
3. No Equipment Needed
When it comes to HIIT almost any exercise can be used as long as you stick to the same principles of a brief maximum intensity followed by a low intensity recovery period. It’s that simple.
4. Never get bored
Following on from the previous point, since nearly any exercise can be used you will never get bored of HIIT. Incorporating resistance exercise and cardio exercises the possibilities are endless to the different types of workout you can do. Let your creative side shine through!!
5. Lose fat/keep Muscle
HIIT is great at maintaining muscle while you get your cardio hit if you include some resistance exercises like squats or push ups. Just plain steady state cardio can be detrimental to keeping your muscle mass. You can have the best of both worlds, lose fat while keeping that hard earned muscle, it’s a win win situation.
6. Increase Insulin Sensitivity
Ok getting a little bit science here, a 2003 study showed that HIIT increased insulin sensitivity by as much as 58% after only 8 weeks. This increase allows your body to use insulin more effectively by removing high levels of glucose from your blood stream and therefore preventing it being stored as body fat.
7. Decrease Abdominal Fat
Possibly the most common area that people ask me to help them with, reduce belly fat and become slimmer. Great news, HIIT can decrease abdominal fat stores by as much as 48% after only 8weeks, training three times per week. If you have that stubborn tummy fat, HIIT might just be your solution.
8. Can be done anywhere
Coming back to point three for a second, HIIT can be done here, there and everywhere. It can be adjusted to suit your time and space needs. No excuses!!
9. Increase metabolism
HIIT increases levels of a hormone called epinephrine which is responsible for increasing lipolysis resulting in greater fat release from your fat stores. HIIT has been shown to keep levels of Growth Hormone elevated 10 times higher 1 hour post workout which means you get to burn calories while recovering from your workout. HIIT basically gives your metabolism the much needed kick to keep you burning calories after your workout. Is that amazing or what??
If you would like to feel all the benefits from HIIT, contact me for HIIT session to unleash your true fat burning potential.
To your continued success,
Shane O’Riordan
(P) 027 903 6828
(E) shanept.fitness@gmail.com