The New Scoop on HIIT Training: And How It Can Help You Reach Your Goals Faster
If you have joined in on any workout regimen in the last couple of years, chances are good you've come across the term "HIIT training" or "High Intensity Interval Training."
This type of training pairs short bouts of extremely high intensity cardio moves (think sprinting at 90% of your max effort) with slightly longer bouts of active recovery (like walking at a slow to moderate pace).
This style of training has been touted for it's ability to burn tons of calories in a short amount of time, speed weight loss, improve longevity, improve blood pressure and heart rate, and raise metabolic rate.
And while none of this has changed, there's something new to be added to the mix. HIIT has long been associated with cardio routines...
But have you tried adding HIIST (High Intensity Interval Strength Training) to your regimen?
In a recent study by the American Council on Exercise, they found that short duration HIIST (in comparison to longer duration moderate intensity strength training) has been shown to:
- Increases the speed at which you see improvements in muscular fitness
- More drastically decreases blood pressure
- More drastically decreases LDL (bad cholesterol)
- And like it's cardio counterpart, would be an effective training modality to put into place if you're looking for faster results in a shorter period of time.
How to add HIIST to Your Routine
2-3 days per week, perform 1 set of 5 reps of around 10 exercises, using the maximum amount of weight you can while maintaining good form (i.e. your 5 rep max).
For a sample HIIST Workout Routine and schedule, plus a strategy for determining your 5 rep max, don't miss today's free download!
What you should know before you add in this style of training.
When you're lifting weights at your maximum level like you do in HIIST, you must make sure that you have proper form first. Lifting at all, let alone lifting heavy, without proper form is a great way to get an injury.
Along these lines, I do not recommend HIIT style workouts for true beginners. Build a solid foundation of fitness before moving on to this more advanced style of training.
And if you would like some one-on-one help building that foundation of fitness, or determining your 5 rep max and solidifying proper form as you prep for this HIIT strength training, always feel free to reach out to me. I would be more than happy to help!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
