Hands down the GOAT would be HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training!
HIIT features short sprints (about 20 seconds) performed at very high intensities, interrupted by brief rest periods (60 seconds). These powerful workouts can be applied to any cardio activity, and they seldom take more than 20 minutes to complete.
Martin Gibala, PhD, and exercise physiologist; who has conducted more than a half-dozen studies on HIIT explains; “What happens is that after an interval workout is completed, because it’s so intense, the metabolic rate stays elevated longer, and you continue to burn calories at a higher rate [long after you’ve stopped exercising].
Robert dos Remedios, author of Cardio Strength Training: Torch Fat, Build Muscle and Get Stronger Faster (Rodale, 2009) says, “Fat loss is all about building muscle, increasing your metabolism, and creating an “afterburn” effect, where your body burns more calories for hours after exercise — a process known as excess post exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC. And you can only trigger EPOC when you’re going all out.”
This is where HIIT comes in.
Getting Started
If you’ve never done HIIT before, it can be uncomfortable to push yourself hard enough to get the most out of these short workouts. This doesn’t necessarily mean that each intensity sprint has to be all-out, but you need to get out of your comfort zone and go hard if you expect results.
During your first few HIIT sessions, simply focus on determining how hard you can go. It’s better to complete the workout as planned than to start at an unrealistically high effort level and crash out before you finish. If, on the other hand, you complete your first HIIT session and think, “That wasn’t so bad,” you’ll know to take it up a notch.
Pay attention to workout numbers, such as your watts on a stationary bike or your speed on a treadmill. In each workout, try to meet or beat the numbers from your last session.
A good place to begin is 20-second intervals with 60-second recoveries. As with any exercise plan, those with medical conditions should consult their physician before trying HIIT.
The following workout is appropriate for those who have never done HIIT before; but have a good basic cardio fitness foundation. Remember to do no more than two HIIT workouts per week.
Basic Workout
6 x 20 seconds high intensity-1-minute REST or low intensity
8 x 20 seconds high intensity-1-minute REST or low intensity
Workout In Detail
Warm up with five minutes of easy pedaling on a stationary bike.
Do your first high-intensity interval by increasing the resistance on your bike and increasing your pedaling cadence until your effort level is 9 on a 1-to-10 scale. Continue for 20 seconds.
Reduce the resistance and your pedaling cadence back to warm-up levels for 60 seconds.
Complete five more (six total) 20-second high-intensity intervals followed by 60-second active recoveries.
Cool down with five minutes of easy pedaling.
This exact workout can also be done on a Treadmill
Warm-up by walking for 2 minutes at moderate speed.
Sprint at 7-8mph for 30 seconds.
Jump Off the track- safely placing your feet on the edges of the treadmill. Rest for 60 seconds
Alternate these speed intervals for 20 minutes. About 8 rounds.
Here's an added bonus, check out the programs available on YouTube -Brian Syuki-Focus Fitness, in which you can do a HIIT workout from the comfort of your own home, walking or jogging in place.
Alright go enjoy your workout. Let us know how you feel. You got this!
References:“ Expert Answers: HIIT for Weight Loss, Joint Pain and More.” Experience Life, 17 May 2013, https://experiencelife.lifetime.life/article/expert-answers-hiit-for-weight-loss-joint-pain-and-more/.
Fitzgerald, Matt. “Hiit It!” Experience Life, 1 Dec. 2008, https://experiencelife.lifetime.life/article/hiit-it/.
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