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HIIT the Spot

hiit

HIIT or ‘High Intensity Interval Training’ has been a common term surrounding the fitness world of recent times. So what’s all the hype about HIIT? What is it? And why does it work?

HIIT is a style of training that involves giving everything you’ve got through quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short and sometimes active rest or recovery periods. The active phase of a HIIT session may range anywhere from 10 seconds to 8 minutes and can go for a total duration of 20 to 60 minutes.

So why has this type of exercise become so popular in recent times? It has been proven that this type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up, burning more calories in a shorter time. The high intensity workout increases the bodies demand for oxygen during and post training session, creating an ‘after-burn’ effect. This after-burn effect known as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC is generally a 2 hour period following a bout of HIIT and generally allows you to burn 6-15% more calories than aerobic style work outs.

  • Benefits of HIIT:
  1. Combining high intensity with interval training creates an ‘after-burn’ effect, which has been shown to boost your metabolism
  2. No time for exercise? No worries. All you need is 30 minutes. Plus, HIIT can be done just about anywhere; at the park, at home as well as at the gym.
  3. No equipment necessary. Your body weight is generally enough when it comes HIIT, as the focus is on getting your heart rate up.

Best of Both Worlds

Another popular form of exercise training that boasts getting maximum results in minimal time is circuit training. Circuit training allows you to use your major and minor muscle groups through as many or as few stations as you like.

Circuit training offers the best of both worlds; mixing cardio and strength training. It combines intervals of high intensity cardio and weight lifting for a comprehensive work out. Similar to HIIT, interval training also carries through the after-burn effect, kicking your fat-burning furnace into high gear.

Circuit training allows you to mix short bits into your program using cutting edge gym equipment such as TRX, Bosu and kettle bells. However, one of the downfalls of circuit training is that it can take up a lot of equipment and or space.

The latest rage! Cross Fit and F45 are both examples of circuit training that have really taken off in the last few years. Both of these fitness regimes incorporate functional movements that are performed at a high intensity, aiming to get maximal results in minimal time.

At Spinal and Sports care our exercise and rehab provider can assess you and help put together a HIIT program for you – call the clinic on 9683 1110 to arrange an appointment today