Interval Training

Interval training or HIIT, as it is commonly referred to (high intensity interval training), is all the rage right now! It is a great way to get in a tough, full body workout in less time. Intervals really boost your metabolism and kick fat-burning into high gear, much moreso than steady-state cardio routines. Interval training involves alternating periods of high intensity exercise with low intensity recovery periods. One 20-minute Interval training session is shown to be equivalent to one 60-minute steady-state cardio session. The key to interval training though, to see the full result potential, is to really push yourself to the max (well 90% of your max). You can't just increase the intensity a little, then recover for a bit, you really need to dedicate your full potential to those 20 minutes and push yourself!

Another benefit of Interval Training is that you will still get the same 'after-burn' effect you get with weight and strength training. Your body will continue to burn calories for hours after a session, as opposed to steady state cardio where once you hop off your piece of exercise equipment, your energy expenditure halts.

Here are some examples of Interval Workouts:

Treadmill (Running)	Treadmill (Walking(	Bike	Elliptical
5-10 minute warm-up Light jog	5-10 minute warm-up Brisk walk, 0% Incline	5 minute warm-up Low intensity	5 minute warm-up Low intensity
30 seconds-1 minute All out sprint, 75% max heart rate	Incline to 10-12%, 30 sec-1 min interval, fast paced walk (3.0 mph and above), 75% max heart rate	30 seconds-1 minute Increase intensity to 75% of max heart rate	30 seconds-1 minute Increase intensity to 75% of max heart rate
1 minute brisk walk recovery (55% max heart rate)	1 minute brisk walk recovery (55% max heart rate)	1 minute recovery Low intensity (55% max heart rate)	1 minute recovery Low intensity (55% max heart rate)
Repeat 10-20 times (10 if 30 sec. intervals 20 if 1 min. intervals)	Repeat 10-20 times (10 if 30 sec. intervals 20 if 1 min. intervals)	Repeat 10-20 times (10 if 30 sec. intervals 20 if 1 min. intervals)	Repeat 10-20 times (10 if 30 sec. intervals 20 if 1 min. intervals)
5 minute cool-down Light jog	5 minute cool-down Brisk Walk, 0% Incline	5 minute cool-down Low intensity	5 minute cool-down Low intensity

 

A fantastic resource for HIIT workouts that kick your butt is BodyRock.Tv! Be warned though, these workouts are for more advanced as they are usually pretty difficult!