Hands up who HATES cardio?!

MEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!

So always keen to hear how time can be cut in half but maximize efficiency and output/results.

Hello HIIT.

HIIT is basically high-intensity interval training, a form of cardio intervals of all-out exercise, like sprinting or fast-paced body weight work with recovery periods of either low-intensity exercise, such as walking at a slow pace, or total rest. It’s a huge change from cardio, as we know it, that being continuous steady-state, slow-and-steady  at a moderate intensity for 30-60 minutes.

Nope.

Give me HIIT any day over steady state  cardio (despite me getting the odd notion that I can run from time to time obvs).

So what are the benefits you say?

Well, for one, your workouts will be shorter, and you’ll have improved cardiovascular fitness AND better results in less time.

Originally developed for elite athletes to improve performance, HIIT has exploded into the world of fitfammers and has been adopted by PT’s globally due to evidence-based research and sound scientific reasoning with excellent results to boot!

Less time, more efficient ways to move your body turn your body into a fat-burning machine for up to 24 hours after your workout!

Getting the timing right…

Now the trick is that during the high intensity periods, you don’t just pick up the pace a little- you go all-out. During rest periods, you slow the pace substantially (usually keeping the muscles moving) and then give it hell for leather again.The suggested times for your workouts are only a guiding light- everybody works at a different pace but usually a good place to start is 20 sec on, 40 seconds off, totally a minute each time. Ie you could do 10 minutes HIIT on your bike but actually it’s only 20secs x 10 mins = 200 secs = 3.33 minutes of exercise! Ideally you’d incorporate some form of HIIT 2-4 times per week and increasing your exercise or active time vs your rest time when you feel more capable.

 

Examples of exercises you could try as part of your HIIT program are:

– Jump Squats

– Air Bike

– Sprints

-Sprinting on the spot

– Skipping

– Burpees

– Jumping Jacks

-Squats

Example of a Program you could try at Week 4 of this kind of Training (if you already train!):

The list is endless and is up to you what type of movement you chose but do try and keep it as challenging as possible. For example, I love jumping jacks as I find them easy but I tend to do more of the ski machine in my gym as I really feel the burn. That or static bike. PUKE.

So why not give your workouts a supercharge and finish each session with 10 minutes of heart-pumping HIIT? You will see results in next to no time and you will leave the gym with a glowy (sweaty!) face and a happy mind…

Trust me

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