Benefits of adding HIIT into Your Training

High Intensity Interval training (HIIT) is considered one of the hot workouts for 2014, but what is HIIT?  According to Wikipedia HIIT or High-intensity interval training is defined as: “is an enhanced form of interval training, an exercise strategy alternating periods of short intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods.”   Or in actual human terms pushing your body to the limit for a short period with a little bit of rest.    There is a bit of a debate on whether training exclusively with HIIT will help you accomplish your weight loss goals, strength goals, or other exercise goals aka running a marathon, but what is known is that added into a exercise routine it helps to boost fat loss and with the short amount of time they take keeps you on track with your workout routines.

Here are a few more pros to adding HIIT into your routine.

  • Efficient: HIIT gets your heart into an anaerobic zone faster and keeps it there meaning you have to spend less time working out to get results. In a study it was found that 15 minute HIIT (3 times a week) was more effect than an hour on the treadmill
  • Burn more fat: HIIT has been proven to help you burn more fat not only during but also for a longer period after your workout
  • No equipment needed: HIIT does not require you to have weights or special equipment; your body is the equipment. There are quite a few HIIT workouts that can be found on Pinterest, the web, or you can ask your trainer. And since you need no equipment and the exercise are pretty basic, Jumping Jacks, Burpbees, squats, etc. then you can do them anywhere.
  • Lose weight not muscle: HIIT in conjunction with strength work are assure to you are losing fat and not muscle
  • Increase metabolism; HIIT increases HGH which is know to increase calorie burn and slow down the aging process, both inside and out.  Hurray for looking and feeling younger.

While HIIT may not be a complete solution to your work out or race goals it will help you to accelerate your progress to those goals.  And with each HIIT session only being 15-20 minutes long (30 if you really want to push it) you can fit it in in between running from place to place.

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