What is HIIT and how is it effective?

Find out what is HIIT and how it can have massive health benefits in a relatively short period of time.

In the midst of intense work schedules and several engagements that continue to detract the current generation away from the gym due to a lack of time or commitment, HIIT comes up as an interesting alternative. Far from the hour-plus slot that going to the gym and lifting weights or doing cardio usually involves, HIIT can be readily done in 10 minutes and often produces similar or even better results.

What is HIIT?

High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT is a type of interval training exercise that sticks to what the name suggests. The words ‘high intensity’ in the name are there for a reason as a HIIT workout. It is much more intense and difficult than a typical cardio workout. HIIT incorporates several different rounds of extremely high intensity training where the goal is to increase the heart rate to 80% of its maximum capacity and intersperse it alternate periods or intervals of lower intensity movements.

There are various types of HIIT workout routines. Some may involve improving cardiovascular activity and focus on fat loss while others may include resistance or weight training and focus on muscle building instead.

While there’s no universally set time limitation for HIIT workouts, but usually, they are performed in under 30 minutes or less. As it uses the energy of the body in short, sharp bursts, it makes the body tired and exhausted much quicker. Despite being much lesser in duration, studies have shown that it can produce health benefits similar to twice as much as moderate-intensity exercise.

The durations of HIIT intervals and alternating rest periods eventually boils down to a participant’s current fitness levels.

What are the health benefits and effects of HIIT?

Perhaps the greatest health benefit of HIIT over other forms of training is the fact that it can burn calories very quickly in a short amount of time. Research has often found that high intensity interval training can burn 25-30% more calories than other forms of exercise and training. For this study, a HIIT repetition consisted of 20 seconds of maximal effort followed by 40 seconds of rest.

The second major effect of HIIT is that the metabolic rate of the body remains high for hours after the exercise. Therefore, it also allows people to burn fat even after completing the exercises. Researchers have also found that HIIT increases the body’s metabolism more than even jogging or weight training. It could also shift the body’s metabolism towards using fat for energy instead of burning carbohydrates.

Not only does HIIT help in losing fat quickly, it can also be beneficial towards muscle-building. The gain in muscle mass is often more persistent in the major muscles that are primarily being used during the workout, for example, the arms, trunk, and legs.

Lastly, HIIT tremendously improves the body’s fitness and it can majorly improve oxygen consumption by the body’s muscles. As such, people are not likely to get tired or suffer cramps in their muscles and these benefits can also be compared to endurance training.

HIIT also reduces the body’s heart rate and can lower blood pressure. It has also shown signs of reducing blood sugar levels and improving insulin resistance. It is particularly beneficial to people suffering from Type 2 Diabetes.

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