HIIT- Quick and effective Sweat Session

During this lockdown period we don’t all have access to a home gym with cardio and strength equipment. However, that does not mean we can’t get in a great exercise session that will get the heart rate up and help build strength and cardio fitness. How do we do this you ask?

Well the answer is HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training!!!

High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT is a training technique with two parts. The first is a short period of 100% all-out effort followed by a rest period that is either low intensity active recovery or complete rest. This type of training gets your heart rate up and keeps it up, there is an increase in the bodies oxygen demands. The body can’t keep up with this demand and so by the end of the workout there is an oxygen deficit and so the body asks for more oxygen during recovery post workout. This after burn effect is known as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen consumption (EPOC) and it is the primary reason why you burn more calories and fat after high intense training session then with steady state long sessions.

Other benefits of HIIT sessions:

• Increased metabolic rate
  • Due to the increase in oxygen demand and the EPOC that follows High Intense Interval Sessions there is an increase in metabolism and fat burning for up to 48 hours after exercise. This means that even after you leave the gym you are still burning fat!!
• Quick and convenient
  • HIIT sessions can be done in 30 minutes or less and so there is no more excuses about not having enough time.
• No equipment necessary
  • These sessions are not only quick and convenient, but they can be done anywhere as they need no equipment, in a bedroom, lounge, hotel room or even garden there really is no reason for not breaking a quick sweat.

Here is a basic example of a HIIT sessions:

• 3- 4 Rounds/ 30 seconds work, 20 seconds rest (Do as many reps in the 30 seconds as possible)
  • Burpees
  • Squats
  • Mountain climbers
  • Push ups
  • High knees
  • Up, up, down, downs
  • Jumping Jacks

So next time you don’t have any equipment but still want to get in a good workout give this a go!

For more information and other workout ideas please don’t hesitate to contact us. During the lockdown we are offering home programs and Zoom sessions tailored to your specific needs.