Are you looking for a great way to challenge your existing workout routine? If you fancy changing things up and don’t mind knuckling down for a whole week of it, we may have just the thing.
Introducing a touch of HIIT into a flagging routine is nothing new. Nor are the many known benefits to this training any secret—namely the metabolic conditioning and drastically improved fitness levels, not to mention having more time to spare!
The other thing we are most interested in here is the sheer range of exercises and movements that can easily be adapted to the training. Ideally, they will lean towards being the type that offers a full range of movement, targets large muscle groups, and provides some kind of balance between front, back, and leg work.
OK—What is HIIT?
Quite simply—High-Intensity Interval Training.
Stop-start interval training is nothing new and has been used by elite athletes for eons to help incorporate and develop specific necessary elements into a routine.
The high-intensity aspect is no mistake either and is one way to push your current pace and effort to new levels. HIIT can be used with any workout to elevate cardio levels and work in specifically-timed rounds.
The idea is to quickly increase the heart rate by working at a very intense level—then backing off for a slower recovery period or resting. This will be followed by another round of high intensity and so on.
Whether you choose just one exercise or multiple different ones, the same principles apply. The selections could come from a cardio-type focus like running, skipping, spinning, or jumping jacks. Alternatively, you could throw in some calisthenics, weights, or other equipment to the mix according to what you are trying to achieve.
HIIT is a training principle capable of increasing the intensity of the actual work involved while reducing workout times significantly. You can’t do HIIT for an hour non-stop like you can a slow jog or even a continuously-paced bike ride.
The extent to which you are able to push yourself will depend on the type of moves and exercises involved—but with HIIT, it is more than possible to burn fat (while boosting your metabolism) as well as build muscle. The added benefit is that your ramped-up metabolism will ensure you continue burning calories for at least a couple of hours post-workout.
Typically the work rate and the rest period will be set beforehand according to current levels and desired results.
A few examples of this could be:
- A beginner level might start working for 30 seconds and rest for the same amount of time to begin with. One minute for one move is a good option, which can then be repeated or changed for a different one.
- Slightly more intensity comes from reducing the rest period to 15 seconds, then repeating (i.e., 30 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest).
- Another more challenging way would be to work for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest. Or if you want it even more hard-core, try one minute of work and 15 seconds of rest.
In these scenarios using just 10 different exercises would make one round of only 10 minutes in duration.
Then you’ll have a chance to recover between rounds for a period that should also be pre-set (30 seconds-2 minutes)
Who is HIIT Right for?
Anyone looking to challenge current fitness levels, accelerate any desired fat-burning attempts and build muscle through gradual increases in working time periods and intensity with a reduction in rest periods. In a nutshell, get leaner and meaner.
It will be particularly good for anyone normally indulging in a sport or activity that utilizes rounds or set working periods with variations in pace and movements
Considering Your Approach
When looking to implement HIIT into your lifestyle, it needs to be done in a way that keeps it challenging and interesting in ways that make you look forward to it—‘need’ it even. This will pass more easily if the moves normally undertaken in any specific activity or sport are used in the HIIT conditioning approach.
I offer that as an approach based not only upon my own exploits but also on the plain and simple premise that even the ‘Pain=Gain’ will only work up to a point. Seeing your workout as some mammoth chore that you need to ‘get done’ just because it’s currently en vogue fitness-wise rarely features on the road to consistency, least of all longevity.
HIIT is tough. But it does get results—fast as well– however you employ the methodology involved. You pay your money and make your choices depending on the following:
- What are your goals exactly
- How honest you are being with yourself and your worth ethic concerning your goals
A strong work ethic is a laudable tool for any physical pursuit. It is particularly valuable when engaging in a HIIT-like physical activity which will ultimately work best if it contains the right movements to suit your workout goals.
In simple terms, this means as long as you have the moves, you never need to do the same workout twice! So you can increase or maintain fitness and weight levels while going through the moves that you like best, whether you utilize a skipping rope, dumbbells, a punchbag, or the kind of conditioning exercises often used for circuit training.
How Does HIIT Compare to Weights or Cardio for overall Health Benefits?
Despite the obvious no-brainer that using HIIT and doing ‘cardio’ will ultimately equate to the same thing when utilizing this methodology, research indicates that this style of interval training will do more to ramp up the metabolism (due to the 80-90% intensity) than regular cardio for extended periods at the same pace.
Weights or any other form of strength training add to this by utilizing stores of energy that need to be replenished afterward.
The bottom line, then, is that if you are doing just weight training, you’ll get the benefits associated with just that. But if you are doing your weight-training HIIT-style, you’ll have far more chance of burning fat and improving overall conditioning, even though you may not be able to work with the weight you usually would.
HIIT certainly points towards more ‘cardio fitness’ than other methods, but if strength is your solitary goal, you might want to stick with the weights.
A Week of HIIT: Sample Routines
I am going to suggest a few callisthenic-type exercises first that will work well in any HIIT routine and can be done daily without too much impact on the body. They offer a mix of moves and targeted body parts to ensure a full and effective workout that allows for progression.
You can follow the sample routines or tailor your workouts by selecting the most beneficial exercises for your goals in the order they seem to work best for you. You can put whichever exercises you feel are best for you based on your current level and your desired results in the order you best see fit.
Suggested Exercises to Consider Including in a HIIT routine:
Jumping Jacks, Inchworm Push-ups, Hindu Squats, Hindu Push-ups, Bridge Push-ups, Mountain Climbers, Toe Grabs, Burpees, Ab Bicycles, Planks, Bear Crawls, Crab Walks, Push-ups, Jump Squats, Pullups (with access to bars), Breakdancers, Flutter Kicks, Reverse Lunges
The Routine
We will use ten exercises and the 45/15-second work-to-rest ratio—which equals one minute per move. Thus ten exercises will take ten minutes to complete, constituting one round.
If this proves simply too challenging, try reducing the number of exercises in one round, or adjust the rest/work ratio.
Aim for 1-3 rounds according to your current level. Do this for at least five days using the three suggested routines as a guideline, devising your own for the last two days after trying some of the others.
Sample #A:
Jumping Jacks
Bear Crawls
Crabwalks
Hindu Squats
Hindu Push-ups
Bridge Push-ups
Ab bicycles
Inchworms
Toe grabs
Burpees
You can do this one every day for five days, substitute another workout from the following, or devise your own
Sample #B
Bear Crawls
Toe Grabs
Burpees
Jumping Jacks
Crab Walks
Ab bicycles
Push-ups
Bridge Push-ups
Pull-ups
Hindu Squats
Sample #C
Inchworm Push-ups
Crab Walks
Mountain Climbers
Jumping Jacks
Bear Crawls
Flutter Kicks
Burpees
Reverse Lunges
Ab Bicycles
Bridge Push-ups
