Do You H.I.I.T. It Right?

Do You H.I.I.T. It Right?

Now as you already know, but I feel it’s my professional obligation to kindly remind you of,  if you stayed CONSISTENT on your diet and exercise plans all year long, you wouldn’t have to work nearly as hard to get your body “summer ready”, or stress and burn yourself out with two-a-days or calorie restrictive diets (that don’t even work BTW).

But we can revisit that in another article.

Today I wanted to re-share something I sent out some time ago, to help educate you on the best ways to get shredded and drop body fat in 2015 and beyond….

***This isn’t just my personal opinion. All info is backed my scientific research and conclusive studies.

If you are “too busy” or don’t have the attention span to read this, I suggest at least scrolling to the end and watching the video I’ve included!
First of all let’s all collectively get our minds out of the gutter….
So you’re probably used to slowly making your way up a stair machine, or casually striding along on the elliptical when getting your cardio in, but by no means should steady state be your only form of cardio. While it most certainly has its benefits, and is far superior than not doing cardio at all, the obligatory 30-45 minute post workout walk (At the pace of a crawl) or comparable form of cardio, can seem more like a mundane cool down period opposed to a heart pumping, adrenaline flowing freely through your veins, all out fat destroying session! As important as cardio is to accomplishing ones goals as it pertains to achieving a better body, if you’re looking to take your physique and results to a whole new level, it’s time to get formerly acquainted with H.I.I.T.
 

So what is H.I.I.T.?

High intensity interval training is several things, one of which I would like to point out as a catalyst that has enabled me to take my level of conditioning and fitness to levels I did not think possible. H.I.I.T. is a system of training that involves changing your pace and level of intensity, going from an all out 100% max effort, to periods of slower intervals at different parts of the workout. The high intensity intervals call for you to push yourself as hard as possible, like all out moving like your life depended on it, and are proceeded by easy-moderate intervals of equal, less, or more time depending on your level of fitness, that allow you to recover.
 

Benefits of H.I.I.T. Cardio

Efficient
Perfect for anyone with a busy schedule or who would just rather get their workout done with in the shortest amount of time without compromising results or performance. True H.I.I.T. cardio requires the user to only perform 15-21 minutes of the given exercise.
Burns More Fat
The research has conclusively shown that greater results in fat loss and muscle growth are achieved when compared to the monotonous hour walk on the treadmill at a leisurely stroll. Not only are you burning calories during your workout, but the effect the intense exertion has on your body revs up your metabolic rate allowing your body to continue to burn calories over the next 24 hour time period then lets say, if you opted with an hour on the elliptical or bike.
Speeds Up Metabolism
In addition to increasing fat loss while preserving lean muscle, H.I.I.T. stimulates production of human growth hormone by up to 450% during the 24 hours following your workout. This is a phenomenal trait as HGH not only increases your bodies’ rate of caloric burn, but also slows down the aging process as well keeping you fit, healthy, and looking naturally younger.
So how should you H.I.I.T It?
No pun intended. Below is a simple; easy to follow guide on how to structure your workout and make sure you do in fact H.I.I.T. it right and reap the plethora of rewards this innovative style of training has to offer.
H.I.I.T. cardio can be done on any treadmill, Stairmaster, bike, elliptical, on a track or in a pool.
****H.I.I.T. can also be done with more advanced precision and equipment like large tires, weighted sleds, battle ropes, TRX, kettle bells and more, but we will cover that style of H.I.I.T. in a future article. For now we are talking about traditional cardio exercises only.****

BEGINNERS

Start with 1:2 ratios. Meaning if you’re on the elliptical, go 1 minute all out intensity, followed by 2 minutes at a slower, more moderate pace. Repeat this cycle for 15 minutes.

INTERMEDIATE

1:1 ratios. So let’s say you’re on a track. For every: 30 seconds you sprint, you will then walk for: 30 seconds. Repeat cycle for 18 minutes.

ADVANCED

2:1 Ratios. This is not for the faint of heart. Working up to the advanced level of this kind of training is not something that will happen over night and requires discipline and consistency. Also, it’s important to point out, exercise science has reached a verdict that the 2:1 ratio is the most efficient work-to-rest- interval as far as results and recovery are concerned. An example-advanced workout on the Stairmaster would be 2 minutes at 100% effort, followed by a 1-minute moderate interval. Repeat cycle for 21 minutes.
As you can plainly see it’s not rocket science. The problem we sometimes run into when trying to change things up or set a new goal is not knowing where to start. So I’m hoping these guidelines are well received, easily understood, and most importantly, enthusiastically implemented. Any of you skeptics out there who think 15-21 minutes of any sort of training is “not enough”; I highly encourage you to think again. There have been no shortage of times after a 21-minute H.I.I.T. session that I had to lay down on the gym floor to catch my breath and allow my heart rate to slow down. But I don’t want you to take my word for it, rather I wish for you to formulate your own opinion by giving it a go!
In summary, if you want to improve on the overall aesthetics of your body and level of fitness, H.I.I.T. it hard, H.I.I.T. it right, and of course, H.I.I.T. it often!

Get shredded in 1 hour per week with this HIIT routine!

 

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