BENEFITS OF HIIT TRAINING

BENEFITS OF HIIT TRAINING

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High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has gained in popularity in recent years and is now firmly established as one of the most widely forms of training used in a range of fitness programmes.

HITT sees participants using intervals of training, at a high level of intensity, to build fitness.  It challenges both the aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels but also offers many benefits you may not currently be aware of.

Fantastic way to burn calories and lose bodyfat

If you are short on workout time, then HIIT could be the perfect mode of training for you. Various research has been able to show that working at higher intensity levels for just 15 minutes can burn calories at a faster rate than activities such as running.

So if you’re looking for a highly efficient way to say goodbye to long gym classes then HITT training is certainly the way to go!

Additional Benefits of HIIT Training

There are further numerous benefits of HIIT Training – studies have shown that working at such a high intensity triggers a fat-burning cycle of the body that continues for 24 hours after the workout.  During that period the body is still burning those calories at a faster rate than you normally do, so you continue to get the benefits even after you stop working out.

HIIT is simple and cost-effective

One further benefit of HIIT training is that it requires no specialist equipment.  This means it can be done anywhere you have the space to move your body, so it is great for spontaneous workouts.

It is a body weight exercise that uses your body to generate resistance.  As with all forms of exercise, over the years HIIT training has been developed and the exact mode of training for best results has been revised, and these days you will see HIIT exercises using things like ropes and kettle bells – although it should be noted that these are not an absolute necessity and are used to create variety and mix things up.

Old-school HIIT enthusiasts often feel that adding weights is counter intuitive and make the training regime less effective.  To best advice here would be to stick with the original HIIT exercises for an all over workout that achieves best results.

HIIT is Easy to Vary

Because you are just using your own bodyweight, it is simple to change the intensity to suit your own personal fitness levels and goals. This means that if you are feeling less strong one day, you can bring the intensity level down a bit, or if you are looking for a hit of adrenaline you can push yourself to work at maximum levels.

The interval refers to the period of rest between each exercise, and again this can be tailored to suit your mood and fitness. Remember though that with this form of training, creating the intervals is key, so it is imperative to rest for a period between each round, even if it is only for a very short duration such as 10 seconds.

It’s great for your Metabolism

When you exercise at the intensity required in HIIT training, you are naturally taking onboard more oxygen than a standard work out.  The amount of oxygen you consume directly relates to the rate of the metabolism, which in turn means you can burn those calories at a quicker rate.  Which has to be good!

Becomes a Habit

There is also lots of evidence to show that HIIT training is something people tend to stick with for longer than other forms of training. Because it can be done in a shorter period, and because it is fun, and gets results, it is usual for people to tend to stick to the programme and keep going with this mode of training indefinitely.

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