HIIT (HIIT): the benefits and harms, the effectiveness of the slimming features lessons

Numerous power kinds of sports and fitness disciplines, released once from one common source, divided now into many streams. Sports-methodical thought does not stand still, constantly giving new directions and system training. Some of these areas are widely known, many of their practice and the names of the systems on everyone’s lips. One good example is crossfit, about which we already wrote earlier.

Another known method of training that became popular with its high efficiency and simple execution – this HIIT (or eng. HIIT). This training system is one of the most effective ways for simultaneous fat-burning, muscle strengthening and endurance development.

As you probably know, one of the most difficult aspects when trying to lose weight is to find a balance between losing weight and preserving muscle mass. And this almost impossible to achieve when you perform conventional cardio workouts. While HIIT-workout-for example, for maximum fat burning with minimal loss of muscle. Let’s take a closer look at all aspects that relate to the use, features and effectiveness of the HIIT classes.

General information about HIIT-workouts

Now, HIIT stands for high intensity interval training (eng. High-Intensity Interval Training – HIIT). Is a system of training, the basic idea of which is the alternation of low-intensity exercise (aerobic) and high intensity exercise (anaerobic). Not to be confused with HIIT and other sports in the direction of WIT (high intensity training), which involves the use of marginal weights for a small or medium number of repetitions. It’s two completely different sports method that has little in common.

The essence of HIIT (HIIT) consists in combining in one program the two seemingly opposite options for training stress: aerobic and anaerobic. For a short period of time, the body exceeds the aerobic threshold, we enter into the anaerobic zone; in this period there is an intensive consumption of carbohydrates as fuel. This high intensity short duration (10-15 seconds) and changes to interval aerobic low-intensity loads, which generally lasts several times longer; it has already spent fats.

High-intensity workload, then the interval of low intensity, then high intensity again etc., because the training is called “interval”. In addition, such training is always present a warm-up and almost always stretch. HIIT solves the eternal problem for anyone who wants to build muscle: how to include in your program cardio workout without compromising on the strength and mass of muscles.

Interestingly, this technique was invented several decades ago, but became really popular recently.

HIIT is better than cardio?

The technique of HIIT, due to its high intensity component, starts the body’s metabolic processes, which continue for 24 hours after the workout. It causes positive effects in the body in several different directions – there fat loss and General strengthening of the muscles and tendons, and increase endurance, both aerobic and strength.

Pure aerobic exercise so long-lasting effect can not boast, the fat is burnt only during a training session, but not after. It turns out that HIIT provides for the destruction of fat on a regular basis and in training, and during post-workout recovery by combining capabilities like aerobics and strength training. HIIT is not only very effective in weight loss, but also gives significant time savings compared to the same cardio workouts: 30-minute workout on HIIT – this is a very long exercise.

In addition, the purely aerobic training has a negative side. The breakdown of fat that it causes, the process is energy-intensive, more energy for that the body can get including “wasting” of muscle tissue (that’s why marathon runners are “shrunken” muscles). HIIT does not have this drawback, on the contrary, it contributes to the strengthening and growth of muscles, which will improve the quality of your body. In addition, regular exercise for HIIT to increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which leads to a stronger consumption of carbohydrates that would otherwise turn into fat.

The pros of HIIT training:

• HIIT training is 3 times more effective in terms of burning fat than conventional cardio workout at a moderate pace.
• You’ll burn calories and fat not only during the HIIT workout, but within 24 hours after its completion.
• HIIT contributes to the strengthening and growth of muscles.
• With HIIT you will lose weight at the expense of fat, not muscle, which will improve the quality of your body.
• HIIT helps to strengthen the heart muscle and improves the cardiovascular system (healthy people).
• Training in the style of HIIT help to develop strength and endurance simultaneously.
• HIIT speeds up metabolism and boosts growth hormone.
• Training HIIT can weight loss, without the use of additional fitness equipment.
• HIIT workout is shorter in time than cardio workout, and thus more effective.
• Workout HIIT increases insulin sensitivity, leading to a stronger consumption of carbohydrates.

Harm and contraindications HIIT

Despite several benefits of HIIT, this training system is not suitable for everyone. The method of HIIT is pretty tough, primarily for the cardiovascular system, and has a number of contraindications:

• You can’t do HIIT for people with various health problems of the cardiovascular system.
• Obese people, with a significant percentage of fat you need to start with other, more gentle training methods, and only reaching a certain physical form, made for HIIT. Otherwise, the probability to overload the cardiovascular system due to large body mass.
• Also, you cannot start classes at HIIT people, though having a sporty experience, but at the moment are in a state of rastrineobola. First you need to more or less recover the shape (particularly aerobic capacity) and after that to take up HIIT.

Emphasize again, quite new to the sport to do HIIT is contraindicated to begin practicing needed some sports experience and a passable physical shape, especially in terms of endurance of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

To suit workout HIIT

HIIT workouts are suitable for both men and women wishing to quickly get rid of fat and improve the condition of muscles and overall physical fitness. Athletes who start training in this system must have some sports experience and sufficiently-trained cardiovascular system. And of course there should not be problems with heart health, obesity and chronic injuries – the technique is quite hard.

To do HIIT is for those who want:

• lose weight and get rid of fat
• to strengthen the muscles and develop muscle endurance
• to improve the quality of the body
• to speed up the metabolism and encourage the body to fat burning
• to train the heart and cardiac endurance

HIIT for weight loss and weight management

HIIT is a very effective method of burning fat – in fact this goal laid down by the creators in the first place, and is the main. The principle of HIIT regarding weight-loss have already been described above. Aerobic and anaerobic loads work in synergy metabolic processes triggered during high-intensity intervals contribute to improving physical fitness and reducing body fat mass in the days free from training.

The results of one study conducted in Canada in 1994 and continued for 20 weeks control group who worked at HIIT lost 9 (!) times more fat than the group performing regular cardio.

The effect of HIIT workouts for muscle

Training style HIIT has a positive effect on the appearance of its musculature, and athletic condition, provided of course that the trainees not interested in “pure” maximum power as in powerlifting, and most muscle hypertrophy, like bodybuilding. Many sprinters (runners for short distances) look pretty athletically, which is an indirect confirmation that the load is similar to HIIT effective for muscle development.

For those athletes who, in their HIIT-training want to focus on the muscles, there are programs with the power incline, which improve power endurance of muscles of and cause a slight increase in muscle mass. The composition of these programs include exercises with weights: kettlebells, dumbbells of moderate weight, including such, it is the power and masonboro as deadlifts.

Relief muscles also improves due to the loss of fat.

Workout HIIT

The generalized scheme of the “average” workout for HIIT, without taking into account specialization (more cardio or more strength training) as follows:

1. Warm-up (duration 5-10 minutes).
2. HIIT training, which consists of two components: a high-intensity load and low-intensity exercise. These two components will rotate together. Can be used for both parts of the same exercise. For example, the bike you first need to pedal, making their best effort (intensive phase), then the same thing, but with moderate intensity, reducing resistance to the minimum (low intensity phase). Another option: high-intensity phase to perform the snatch of 16 kg kettlebell, and just low-intensity leisure; the body, trying to catch his breath and rejuvenate himself go into a low intensity phase; then a new cycle.
3. Hitch and stretching (duration 10 minutes).

The total duration of the HIIT workout is usually 15 to 30 minutes excluding warm-up and cool-down. For those who are just starting to exercise for HIIT the duration of high-intensity interval is 10-15 seconds of low intensity 3-5 times more. With the improvement of the physical form of the duration of high-intensity interval can increase and low-intensity decrease.

Please note that the frequency of training HIIT should not exceed 3-4 times a week. More frequent intense exercise affects the cardiovascular system and Central nervous system. The latter may cause over-training, and General depression.

Calculation of pulse rate

A very important calculation that you need to perform before you start training HIIT is the size of the pulse. Heart rate during high intensity part should be 80-90% of maximum; low-intensity – 60-70%.

Take a fixed number of 0.7, we multiply the age of the athlete, and then subtract the resulting number from the number 207. The result is the maximum heart rate of a person. It can be used to calculate the working rhythm: 80-90% of that number for high intensity part (beginners should not raise pulse higher than 80%), 60-70% for low-intensity. As can be seen from the information presented, without self-control in HIIT anywhere.

For example, for age 35 years: 207 – (0,7 * 35) = 182,5 beats per minute (maximum heart rate). Accordingly, during HIIT must adhere to the following pulse: 146-165 BPM for the high intensity part, 110-128 beats per minute for low intensity part.

Tips for beginners to HIIT

Quite new to the sport HIIT is contraindicated, above mentioned earlier. Therefore, all of the following tips for beginners in HIIT:

1. Learn self-control first and foremost pulse is useful for calculation of training intensity. For these purposes, you can use a fitness tracker or heart rate monitor.
2. If you were to do this training diary, you get it. Write down the structure of training, duration and necessarily, once engaged in fat loss, weight (weigh yourself at least once a week) and the volume of the body.
3. Increase training load gradually, so as not to harm health. Do not start immediately a half-hour HIIT marathons with a huge amount of exercise.
4. In the case of use of sports equipment and different exercises (as in the power HIIT sessions), prepare all the shells in advance, during a workout to do this will be determined once. Even better, if you find the exercises so that they will be carried out, for example, a single rod of the same weight.
5. Variation in training is a good thing, but don’t abuse it. To perform during the week many different and mostly unfamiliar exercises ineffective.
6. But we should not focus on the same exercises, try to try different systems, including different fitness equipment. In addition, you need not limit your training only your favorite exercises for effective results, you need to get out of the comfort zone.

Types of training for HIIT

Exercises which you can train in the style of HIIT, are very diverse: you can use pure aerobics (running, Biking, stationary bike), exercise with own body weight (squats, push-UPS, pull-UPS), plyometric exercises (lots of jumping). You can also include HIIT training exercises with free weights with emphasis on the development of power endurance: with dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells. All of these HIIT-exercises you can combine the workouts in a variety of ways.

However, in HIIT there are two main types of training. The first kind, with emphasis on the development of aerobic endurance. With this system you can do using Jogging or jumping exercises, and exercises with the own weight. The second type – with the emphasis on the development of muscles and relief of the body. Here the priority will be exercises with weights and strength exercises with the own weight. You can combine a variety of exercise strength and aerobic in nature, focusing on their capabilities and needs.

The difference of the two types of training in the following: power HIIT sessions microtrauma produced by muscle fibers are much stronger, and if so, then the recovery time required more. If aerobic HIIT can be practiced up to 4 times per week, the number of power sometimes reduced to 2 (here, too, there are contentious issues, some Methodists believe that serious metabolic changes in the body needs a minimum of 3 workouts).

In most cases, force the duration of exercise in General, and separately the high-intensity phase will be slightly lower.

Workout plans HIIT

Examples of the distribution of training time depending on the main purpose of training:

1. Power and massoniana training. 2-3 times per week, 5 cycles: 10-20 seconds of high-intensity phase (exercises with heavy “iron”), 2-3 minutes of low intensity (you can use just a fast walk).
2. Training on strength and aerobic endurance. 3 times a week, 5-8 cycles: 20-30 seconds of high-intensity phase (e.g., cardiovascular exercise), 45 to 60 seconds low intensity (e.g., power drill).
3. Workout for fat loss. 3-4 times a week, 5-8 cycles: 10-30 seconds of high-intensity phase, 1-3 minutes of low intensity (good option – sprinting + Jogging).
4. Training just to maintain shape. 3 times a week, 4-5 cycles: 10-20 seconds of high-intensity phase, 30-40 seconds of low intensity (you can use any plyometric exercise, for example, jumping rope in high and low tempo; a power the exercise + cardio-exercise).

Of course, these figures are largely conventional, in practice, it is countless options.

Food when doing HIIT

To train HIIT and burn fat categorically do not mean to starve yourself, on the contrary, you need to eat right, getting enough proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Nutrition for the athlete who practices HIIT should be balanced, it is necessary that the body receives enough protein and carbs for effective workouts. To do HIIT while fasting is categorically wrong.

During exercise, the appearance of dryness in the mouth and throat you can and should drink small portions (small – large amount of fluid would overload the cardiovascular system).

After 30-40 minutes after workout to drink a protein shake. Optimally, if it is whey protein. Then, after 1.5 hours after workout have a full meal – preferably meat or fish with vegetables and fruits. All of this should be either fresh, or steamed (but not grilled).

It is advisable to use fat burning supplements (e.g., caffeine), multivitamins, BCAAs, L-carnitine.

Interesting fact: when training HIIT is not forbidden from time to time to eat “unhealthy” food (fast food, etc.). The effectiveness of training is that all “burn” without a significant negative impact on the results. But, of course, if you want to lose weight, it is better not to abuse it.

PROPER NUTRITION: how to start step by step

Basic mistakes when training HIIT:

1. Using mostly insulating odnosemjannyj exercise when training with weights. Their energy capacity is insufficient, it is better to make a choice in favor of mnogosloinykh basic movements.
2. Laced high-intensity part of the training and, as a consequence, the loss of intensity. No need to do high-intensity phase is longer than 30 seconds.
3. Not enough rest between workouts. Some training and trying on non-training days to arrange jogs, etc., motivating it with that so the process of fat burning will go even faster. This is wrong, muscles and CNS will not be able to recover from the training stress, so you can slip into overtraining.
4. The lack of warm up and cool down exercises.
5. Too rapid an increase in load. To increase the difficulty gradually.
6. The offset of the workout at a later time. Morning classes at HIIT is more effective in terms of burning calories.

Questions and answers about HIIT workouts

1. How effective is HIIT for weight loss?

Yes, HIIT is a very effective system for accomplishing excess weight surpasses the rate of fat burning regular cardio workout on the results of various studies in 4-9 times.

2. Is it possible to train HIIT every day?

No, in any case, this will lead to problems with the cardiovascular system and overtraining. The optimal frequency of training on this system in most cases is 3 times a week (in some cases, you can increase to 4). First, the muscles, receiving minor injuries during the intensive phase of the training requires recovery time. Second, the need to rest the nervous system.

3. It is better to do a cardio workout or HIIT?

If the goal is to achieve an optimal balance between fat burning and achieving a good muscular shape, then HIIT is the best choice, which is much more effective than cardio.

4. Do I need to do cardio if you are doing HIIT?

No, it is not only unprofitable, but harmful. HIIT in its effect far exceeds the potential benefit of regular cardio workouts. On the other hand, additional cardio will hinder recovery after HIIT, will degrade the results and may lead to overtraining and heart problems.

5. What distinguishes HIIT from workouts on the “TABATA Protocol”?

Training Protocol TABATA is actually one of the varieties of HIIT. In TABATA have clearly defined size intervals: 20 seconds of high-intensity phase, 10 seconds of rest. There are 8 such cycles, so one TABATA round is 4 minutes. Such a 4-minute rounds can be a little. TABATA is one of the most popular training for weight loss.

Read more about TABATA

6. Can I do HIIT if you are working on weight?

HIIT – not bodybuilding. This technique can increase strength and muscle volume, especially those who have not dealt with “iron” and strength training. But this growth is compared to bodybuilding will be moderate, to a powerful muscular hypertrophy as advanced bodybuilders doing HIIT on will not work.

Workout HIIT in the power style (using weights and your own body weight) will give a moderate weight gain – however, training in this system, more often than not this situation satisfied. Who is not satisfied, those who choose bodybuilding.

7. How to combine HIIT and strength training?

The best option is to train HIIT in the power style, the benefit is this technique gives the opportunity. HIIT develops good strength endurance and dynamic strength. However, to be as strong as powerlifters and weightlifters, practicing HIIT is impossible – this system for the development of maximum strength is not intended.

If you want to combine strength training on muscle growth and HIIT training, it is better to divide them into different days. For example, 3 times a week and do weight training 2 times a week HIIT.

An example of a HIIT workout for weight loss

We offer you the HIIT training at home for weight loss. In this exercise you will alternating high intensity and low intensity intervals to burn fat and tone the body. For classes you will not need additional equipment. The program is designed for middle level students.

Submitted HIIT session consists of three rounds. Each round lasts for 7 minutes. You’ll alternate exercises for body tone in a low intensity pace (45 seconds) and cardio exercise at high intensity pace (15 seconds). Cardio exercise for one round is repeated. You should perform cardio exercises for 15 seconds in the maximum possible own pace.

The execution scheme of each round:

• Exercise 1: 45 seconds
• Cardio exercise: 15 seconds
• Exercise 2: 45 seconds
• Cardio exercise: 15 seconds
• Exercise 3: 45 seconds
• Cardio exercise: 15 seconds
• Exercise 4: 45 seconds
• Cardio exercise: 15 seconds
• Exercise 5: 45 seconds
• Cardio exercise: 15 seconds
• Exercise 6: 45 seconds
• Cardio exercise: 15 seconds
• Exercise 7: 45 seconds
• Cardio exercise: 15 seconds

Again emphasize cardiovascular exercise in the same round with the same thing. For example, in the first round you first fulfill 45 seconds “Squat” at an average pace, then 15 seconds perform “Jumping breeding arms and legs to the” maximum rate, then perform 45 seconds of “Push-UPS” at a moderate pace, then 15 seconds perform “Jumping breeding arms and legs to the” maximum rate, etc.

The rest between exercises is not provided. Rest between rounds is 1 minute. The total duration of training without a warm-up and cool-down – about 25 minutes. If you want to increase exercise, repeat each round twice. If you want to reduce training, reduce the number of exercises or rounds. If any exercise makes you uncomfortable, then adapt it to your ability or replace.

For stopwatch you can use the video timer on youtube:

As you can complicate the exercise:

• to take additional equipment: dumbbells, fitness band, chest expander
• change intervals: 40 / 20 seconds 30 / 30 seconds
• intervals: 60 / 30 seconds, 45 / 30 seconds
• to speed up the pace of exercise
• to complicate the cardio part, this view our selection of cardio

Workout for beginners at home

The first round

Cardio exercise: Jumping breeding of the hands and feet (repeat the entire first round according to the scheme described above).

Exercise 1: Squat

Exercise 2: Push-UPS (you can do push-UPS on knees)

Or push-UPS on knees

Exercise 3: Lunge (right leg)

Exercise 4: Lunge (left leg)

Exercise 5: Twists in the strap

Exercise 6: Bridge with raised leg (right leg)

Exercise 7: Bridge with raised leg (left leg)

The second round

Cardio exercise: Running with high lifting his knees (which repeats the whole second round according to the scheme described above).

Exercise 1: Sumo squat

Exercise 2: Walking in the bar

Exercise 3: Reverse lunge (right leg)

Exercise 4: Reverse lunge (left leg)

Exercise 5: Mountain Climber

Exercise 6: Side lunge (right leg)

Exercise 7: Side lunge (left leg)

The third round

Cardio exercise: Jumping to the party (which repeats the entire third round as described above).

Exercise 1: Squat on one leg (the left leg)

Exercise 2: Squat on one leg (the right leg)

Exercise 3: The Diver

Exercise 4: Plank-spider

Exercise 5: Diagonal lunges (right leg)

Exercise 6: Diagonal lunges (left leg)

Exercise 7: The Swimmer

See also:

• TABATA training: 10 ready-made exercises for weight loss
• Counting calories: where to start? Most comprehensive guide to calorie counting!
• Elliptical trainer: what are the pros and cons, effectiveness for slimming
• Muscle pain after exercise: what causes and how to remove it

For weight loss, For advanced Interval workouts, Cardio workout