What is HIIT?
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is where you do fixed periods of high intensity activity followed by rest. This type of workouts is great for fat burning and also for those who are short on time in the gym.
There are many benefits to HIIT training
- It is efficient – as it’s a short burst of high intensity training, it is perfect for those with a busy schedule, and short on time. It’s easy to squeeze in a HIIT workout before work or during your lunch. Check out our workout samples below.
- You’ll burn more fat – not only does it burn more calories, but the after effect of the high intensity means you will continue to burn more calories over the next 24 hours than steady state cardio.
- You’ll build a healthier heart – most people aren’t used to pushing themselves into the anaerobic zone which is that uncomfortable place where you can’t breathe and feel like your heart is about to jump out of your chest. HIIT can help increase your cardio endurance which in turn will help increase your heart health.
- There is no equipment necessary – you don’t necessarily need any equipment to complete a HIIT workout, you can do bodyweight exercises – check out the sample workouts below.
- Lose weight, not muscle – Compared to steady state cardio, which can encourage muscle loss. Studies have shown that both weight training and HIIT workouts can allow you to preserve your muscle while still ensuring you get the fat loss you’re after.
- It can be done anywhere – because you don’t necessarily need any equipment, it means you can do a HIIT workout from literally anywhere. You’ve no excuses not to get a workout in, if you have a few HIIT workouts in your armour.
Tabata training
This is a very short workout as it is only 4 minutes, yes you read that correctly, 4 minutes! But it is probably going to feel like the longest 4 minutes of your life.
The structure of the workout is 20 seconds of hard work followed by 10 seconds rest, and you do this for 8 rounds. This can be done with just one exercise for the 8 rounds or you can alternate between exercises. This timing is also commonly used for core training doing side planks, planks, and hollow and arch holds.
Here are a few exercises you can do with Tabata training:
- Push ups
- Squat jumps
- Burpees
- Kettlebell swings
- HIIT Workouts You Can Do Anywhere
10 MINUTE EMOM (every minute on the minute)
- Odd minutes: 4 burpees
- Even minutes: 4 Pull ups (or if you can’t do a pull up you can use a band, or do inverted rows)
- 5 rounds – complete each exercise for as many reps as possible for 1 minute each
- Air squats
- Push ups
- Burpees
- Rest
All you need to do a great HIIT workout is a Hit Fitness Digital Timer Clock. These clocks are a great addition to your facility especially in group class environments. They allow users to access popular fitness intervals and also program their own intervals. It is a very sleek yet powerful design so will fit well in both a commercial and home gym set up.
They are great in group class environments as they have an audible beep and countdown so the instructor doesn’t need to keep watching a clock, they can focus on the class participants and let the clock do the counting. The Hit Fitness Digital Timer Clocks also come with a battery operated remote control, meaning they can keep the remote with them and still move about freely while coaching the class.
