HIIT Training

The results obtained in the Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2015 left HIIT training or high intensity interval training in the first position. Classified as HIIT, HIT, HIIE, SIT o RST, they all share the common characteristic of being repeating efforts programs, performed at high intensities and interspersed with periods of incomplete recovery.

What is HIIT training?

The HIIT workouts are programs that improve the cardiovascular system and have a high metabolic component. Athletes who want to improve their performance are forced practice them due to its improvements in the anaerobic threshold.

High intensity intervals exercises are being studied to control blood sugar in type II diabetes because they help improve glucose tolerance, in biomedical markers such as blood pressure, and they are effective in reducing subcutaneous and abdominal fat.

New or back to the origins?

It can be said that already in the 50s, Gerschler-Reindell named the method as interval training and in the 60s it was a regular athletic training program.

But what is new is its application in fitness programs, although its application in the strength programs was already known.

Why HIIT training?

It’s an alternative to the continuous training of moderate intensity. Many people don’t react well to the continuous training of moderate intensity but they have experienced improvement with HIIT. In addition, with the HIIT people obtain an equal or better result but with a lower investment of time.

Are there any disadvantages?

There are drawbacks when the own training principles are not followed:

-Preparation or Stress
-Adapting to loads
-Progression
-Planning
-Time
-Break

Beyond trends, the most important thing is that coaches and sports professionals apply the charges on the bodies properly to get results. They should know how to handle high loads. So we can’t forget that training is a demand imposed on the human being with a goal, the adaptation (improvement or maintenance of our functionalities). For adaptation there must be stress, in other words, preparation of the organs to tolerate every effort. The key is that not always with more stress there is better adaptation, so that’s where qualified professionals are needed to determine which loads to apply depending on the characteristics, needs and responses of each person and time.

We must also make special mention to rest. This is part of the training and it is as important or more than the training itself. The more training we have, the more rest we need. It’s a reality that many people don’t take into consideration and it’s really common to give up or to over-train.

HIIT training Example

Although there isn’t a closed training because of the different ways to handle the volume, intensity and density, we present an example of HIIT. Remember that each phase must be determined by a series of exercises marked by a coach.

• 10 minutes warming up.
• 10 sets of 30 seconds at 90% heart rate, followed by recovery.
• 10 minutes of cooling.

Now that you know the HIIT training, do you dare to practice it?