High Intensity Interval Training

One of the hottest trends in exercising and weight loss is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). This new form of "aeroboic" exercising allows the user to lose weight faster. Although high intensity interval training has been a popular form of training with professional sports teams, it is now finding its way into the health club curriculum.

HIIT involves performing a number of high intensity routines like running for 1-3 minutes followed by a recovery period of walking for about 2-3 times the duration of running. So you have an intense workout combined with a longer recovery period.

If you are just beginning you will want to initially reduce your overall time for each routine, but as you become more conditioned you will increase the duration.

Both treadmills (see treadmill buyer's guide) and elliptical trainers are excellent machines for High Intensity Interval Training. You can begin your routine with hill or interval training and then reduce the level to a walk or slow elliptical movement. Of course, with both machines you can manually increase and decrease the intensity to the levels you feel comfortable with.

Experiment with different techniques and levels. As you begin to increase your power output and energy expenditure, you can lengthen you session to about 10-20 minutes.

High Intensity Interval Training and Weight Loss

The advantage of High Intensity Interval Training is the impact on weight loss. In comparison to your average workout, you get more value for your time. High Intensity Interval Training is based on power output. Walking, in itself, provides low power output, and high speed running can't be maintained over a long period. Therefore the interval training allows you to get the benefit of the high power output from running, while getting the recovery from walking. You burn an intense amount of calories for a limited period, recovery and do it again.

Other benefits of High Intensity Interval Training is reaching a higher level of fitness faster, and increased immune system maintenance. And best of all you spare muscle mass and maintain your metabolism.

Give High Intensity Interval Training the next time you get on your treadmill or elliptical trainer. See if you notice a difference.