High interval intensity training also referred to as sprint interval workouts or high-intensity intermittent exercise, are cardiovascular exercises characterized by short intervals of high-intensity anaerobic activity interspersed with lower-intensity periods of recovery. The method maximizes a workout. It boosts health, loses weight, and gets better results than traditional endurance training.
A HIIT Session
High-intensity intervals should be close to max ability, lower-intensity intervals at about 50 percent. The type of exercise also influences the interval times and the session duration. Most sessions start with a warm-up, run from five to thirty minutes, and end with a cool-down. Exercises can include stair climbing, running, jumping rope, rowing, or even weight training or walking up hills.
A well-trained coach will find the optimal workout for each individual and adapt according to factors like physical rehabilitation, mobility, or even individuals with more advanced levels of conditioning.
Effects on Health
While endurance training and high-intensity interval training both have significant benefits for cardiovascular fitness, HIIT has shown greater improvements in oxygen consumption and blood vessel function. HIIT can even double cardiovascular fitness improvement in such cases as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic benefits include a lowered resistance to insulin, a higher rate of weight loss, and reasonably reduced levels of fasting blood sugar. High-intensity interval training has also been shown to be more effective in decreasing fasting insulin levels by about 3-to-1 over moderate training. And it increases whole-body fat oxidation and benefits working memory and cognitive control.
Find the Right Training Schedule
High-intensity interval training is a way to push past the comfort zone and take cardio to another level. Because it involves a higher level of activity, HIIT requires physical resilience. Not every training program fits every situation. A fitness professional dedicated to forging inclusive fitness programs, including CrossFit, LiteFit, personal training, and teen programs for novices and top athletes, will build an individualized workout that drives success. Contact Christini Athletics at 905-264-8813 or via their website today.
