What are the benefits of HIIT?

What exactly is High Intensity Interval training?

The term ‘high intensity’ speaks for itself: this isn’t a walk in the park. But then again, it could be! HIIT is all about switching between fast and slow bursts of exercise. One minute you’re flat out doing vigorous exercise, the next you’re resting or doing something far less intense – like, you guessed it, taking a walk in the park.

The term ‘interval training’ refers to alternating bursts of either fast or slow activity. Short periods of high intensity activity are alternated with longer – but still brief – periods of rest or lower intensity exercise.

Who is HIIT for?

The beauty of HIIT is that it can be appropriate for  any adult, of any level of fitness, so you can tailor it to suit your needs. If you’re already fit and healthy, you can push yourself hard. If you’re just starting out, take it slow and easy until you’ve gained confidence and experience.

As with any form of activity, if you’re new to exercise, or if you haven’t exercised for a long time, check with your GP or health professional before you start.

How long does HIIT take?

Another reason why HIIT has become so popular is the short amount of time it takes. Instead of spending an hour in a gym, you can condense your workout into as little as 15 minutes, and still get all the benefits – if not more. If you’re really pressed for time, scroll down to the end of this article for links to seven-minute HIIT workouts.

What exactly are all those benefits of HIIT?

You often hear the word ‘cardio’ or ‘aerobic’ when it comes to exercise. Broadly speaking, this describes any exercise that raises your pulse and makes your heart work harder. Your heart is a muscle, and exercise helps to strengthen it.

Research has shown that a HIIT workout can help you lose weight and may be especially good for your heart, improving its ability to pump blood around your body. HIIT can also improve blood pressure and insulin sensitivity.

Studies have also shown that HIIT can burn more calories than traditional exercise routines, and finally, you get results after a shorter time spent exercising.

To summarise the benefits of HIIT, it can:

• Improve your heart health
• Improve insulin sensitivity
• Improve blood pressure
• Help you burn more calories
• Help you spend less time on exercise routines

HIIT may be better for physically inactive adults

Research has shown that HIIT may be better for physically inactive adults than a moderate amount of continuous exercise. Why? Because it can improve your heart rate variability (HRV).

Without getting too technical about it, HRV measures the time between each heartbeat and how that varies. If you have a high HRV you’re likely to have a greater level of cardiovascular fitness and you’re more likely to cope better with stress.

On the other hand, low HRV tends to be equated with less cardiovascular fitness, higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and an increased risk of death in patients with heart disease.

So, anything that improves your HRV is worth considering.

What are the risks?

HIIT can be physically demanding and vigorous. There’s a risk of over exercising in extreme conditioning programs, and a danger of not getting sufficient rest in between bursts of intense activity.

In advanced routines that involved burpees, push-ups, barbells and other exercise equipment, research has found a greater risk of injury, especially in the knees and shoulders of younger men.

Before you start

HIIT does NOT mean going flat out for an entire period of exercise. The breaks between short bursts of intense activity are just as important as the short bursts themselves.

If you’re new to exercise, start slowly and build up gradually. Check with your GP if you have any health issues and, whatever your level of fitness, stop immediately if you experience any chest pain or pain in your joints, or if you feel faint, dizzy or nauseous.

Set a HIIT timer

Setting a timer lets you know exactly when to stop after each burst (and if you’re really going for it, you’ll be counting every second!). You don’t need to buy a bespoke HIIT timer, you can download HIIT apps from Google Play or the Apple Store that will work on a smartphone , or simple interval timer apps. Star ratings, number of downloads and cost can help you choose which app is best for you.

If you’re working out at home, you could even set a kitchen timer, but you’ll have to reset it after each burst.

Beginner HIIT routine

Here are a couple of suggested HIIT routines for beginners. Pick an activity you know you can tolerate. For example, if you suffer from nagging pain in your joints, avoid walking or jogging and head for the pool instead. Swimming or cycling will be kinder on your joints.

15-minute beginner HIIT routine

• 3 minutes – gentle walk/swim/cycle
• 1 minute – brisk walk or jog/hard swim/fast or uphill cycle
• 3 minutes – gentle walk/swim/cycle
• 1 minute – brisk walk or jog/hard swim/fast or uphill cycle
• 3 minutes – gentle walk or jog/swim/cycle
• 1 minute – brisk walk or jog/hard swim/fast or uphill cycle
• 3 minutes – gentle walk/swim/cycle

Repeat this routine three times a week. As you get fitter and more confident, gradually push yourself a little harder during the short bursts.

Intermediate HIIT routine

We’re still going to suggest heading outdoors, restrictions permitting. The beauty of walking, jogging or running is that it’s easy and cheap, it doesn’t involve any equipment apart from good running shoes, and, if you head to a local park, you’ll get the added benefit of ‘green’ exercise, which studies have shown can boost your mental health.

If you’re in a gym, you could try HIIT on a static bicycle or treadmill and increase both the speed and incline or resistance during the high intensity burst. If you’re at home, try stepping then jogging on the spot or use a jumping rope.

20-minute routine – or less

• 2 minutes – brisk walk/flat cycle/gentle skip
• 30 seconds – jog/hard cycle/fast skip
• 2 minutes – brisk walk/flat cycle/gentle skip
• 30 seconds – jog/hard cycle/fast skip

Repeat another six times or until you feel tired, whichever comes first.

Advanced HIIT routine

If you already have an advanced level of fitness you can whip yourself into shape by pushing yourself even further with HIIT. The routine isn’t any longer, the extra pressure comes from how hard you choose to exercise.

Mix up your routine with any combo of squats, star jumps, burpees, high knees, pull ups, push ups or whatever takes your fancy, just so long as you’re pushing hard during the high intensity intervals, and resting during the breaks.

18-minute routine

• 30 seconds – pull-ups, push-ups, super-fast sprinting on the spot, burpees – you choose.
• 1 minute – rest
• 30 seconds – pull-ups, push-ups, super-fast sprinting on the spot, burpees – you choose.
• 1 minute – rest

Repeat another ten times, or until you feel tired, whichever comes first. And remember, stop immediately if you experience any chest pain or pain in your joints, or if you feel faint, dizzy or nauseous.

Finally, if you’re really pushed for time

If you want to condense your routine into the time it takes to make a decent cup of tea (including the two minutes to brew) check out these seven-minute routines that you can download onto your phone, some of them for free.

Sources:

https://www.acsm.org/home/featured-blogs---homepage/acsm-blog/2019/08/16/high-intensity-interval-training-for-fitness-for-health-or-both

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-hiit

https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2012/december/evidence-based-exercise/

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/high-intensity-exercise-best-for-health

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/interval-workouts-will-help-you-lose-weight-more-quickly

All information contained in this article is intended for general information purposes only. The information provided should not be relied upon as medical advice and does not supersede or replace a consultation with a suitably qualified healthcare professional.