Have you hit a plateau in your weight loss goals? Or have you been tirelessly spending an hour or so at the gym and not getting results? Maybe it’s time to up the intensity and include some High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
The name says it all, it’s intense; it will make your lungs burn, and you probably won’t be able to walk down a set of stairs or lift your arms to wash your hair after a good HIIT session.
But what is it exactly? Unlike steady state cardio (running on the treadmill for 10 minutes at 10km/h) HIIT is an advanced form of interval training with alternating periods of short intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods or timed rest periods. This can use a combination of resistance and cardio exercises, or resistance or cardio exercises by itself.
So what’s the difference between running for 20 minutes on the treadmill to 20 minutes of HIIT? Steady state cardio only burns calories while you are performing it, while HIIT burns calories while you work plus the added calorie after-burn post workout. So in essence, your body will be burning calories for many hours afterwards!
Other benefits include:
Lose Weight, Not Muscle – build that perky butt while losing fat
Efficient – ideal for busy individuals
Healthier Heart – anaerobic exercise builds a stronger heart
A great example of this is the Tabata method, in which exercises are performed for 20 seconds with a timed rest period of 10 seconds; repeat eight times for a total of four minutes. Also CrossFit is another great example, especially workouts that require you to perform a number of exercises Every Minute On The Minute (EMOTM).
Want to know more? Come join me for a 10 minute complimentary HIIT session that will get your heart pumping and make you sweat! Email or call me to find out more.
PT Gizela Tahuri – Be happy. Stay strong. Lift heavy.
(P) 021 170 3296
(E) gizela.tahuri.pt@gmail.com