H.I.I.T, or high-intensity interval training is exactly what it sounds like it is: intervals of high-intensity aerobic exercise with alternating periods of rest/recovery. This method of training has received a lot of attention in recent years because it burns calories like crazy. (Perry et al. 2008) It is also another way you can shake up your workout, especially if you’ve noticed your results plateauing.
How it works:
As you might guess by the words, “high intensity,” the exercise interval portion, or “work,” is at a level comparable to an 8 or 9 on a 10pt Perceived Exertion Scale (RPE), or, 90-95% of max heart rate. The intervals range between 1-4 minutes with periods of recovery in between each interval.
There are many ways to skin this cat…you could do intervals at a ratio of 1:1 (1 min or work, 1 min of rest); 2:1 (2 min of work, 1 min or rest); 3:1 (3 min of work, 1 min of rest)…you get the idea. There truly is no “right” or “wrong” way to go about interval training.
Mode of exercise: You can use any form of cardiovascular activity that appeals to you. Running, stair climbing, cycling, swimming, even jogging in place, as long as the intensity in your routine is high and can be sustained for the given number of minutes.
Time: Again, there is no hard and fast rule for length of time, though the more intervals you do, the more calories you’ll burn. 30-60 mins is probably a good range.
Rest: During the recovery periods it is important to keep moving, just lower the intensity to 40-60% of max heart rate.
Cool down: Include a 5-10 minute cool down period after this workout (you’ll need it!)
Benefits: Improved ability to oxidize fat!
A heart rate monitor would be extremely helpful during this workout to track heart rate and calories burned.
* Note: Blue Sky Gym and the author disclaim any liability for any injury, physical or emotional, suffered during or as a result of exercise or activities recommended. As always, you should use common sense and consult your health professional before beginning any exercise routine or program.
One of the most common questions I receive from clients is, “how hard should I be working out to burn the most calories?” The knee-jerk response would seem to be, “as hard as you can,” but the truth is, there is an “optimal” range for exercising if your goal is to maximize caloric expenditure.
To maximize the number of calories you burn during a cardio session, choose a mode of exercise (running, cycle, rowing machine, etc.) that you enjoy (or are willing to put up with for at least 30 mins), and aim to keep your heart rate at about 65-70% of max heart rate. If you use the RPE Scale (rating of perceived exertion), that would equate to a 14-15 (hard). I tell clients that they should feel “comfortably uncomfortable.”
If your goal is sports conditioning (long-distance running or swimming, for example), then high-volume conditioning will address your specific needs (intensity, duration, etc.). High-volume conditioning is a prolonged session (equal to or greater than 60 mins of continues effort at about 65% of max heart rate (13-14 RPE). This is often referred to as “long, slow training.”
If you are unfamiliar with Rating of Perceived Exertion, use the table below as your guide:
6 – no exertion at all (watching television)
7 – light activity (standing, talking on the phone)
8
9 – very light activity (casual walking)
10
11- light activity (warm-up intensity)
12
13- somewhat hard (you are mildly challenged)
14
15- hard (feels difficult, but you can continue without excessive breathlessness)
16
17- very hard: very demanding (out of breath, you don’t want to stay here for long)
18
19- extremely hard (you CAN’T stay here for long; rigorous)
20- maximal effort (all-out effort, only sustainable for very short bouts, akin to doing plyometric power jumps, all-out sprinting, etc.)
These are only two of the many options for maximizing caloric expenditure. High-intensity interval training, Fartlek, sprint intervals, and high-volume circuit training are others I’ll explain in coming blog posts, so stay tuned!
* Note: Blue Sky Gym and the author disclaim any liability for any injury, physical or emotional, suffered during or as a result of exercise or activities recommended. As always, you should use common sense and consult your health professional before beginning any exercise routine or program.
If you’re like many of the busy people I know, you get to the gym, make a beeline for the cardio room, hop on the first open machine you see, throw down your requisite number of minutes on the machine, then high-tail it back to your car with nary a post-workout stretch, or even a passing glance at the weights on your way out. When you’re short on time, it is tempting to skip what you think are the “non-essential” parts of your program and go for the calorie burn instead, but you’re actually missing out on valuable and necessary components of a well-rounded and effective fitness program. It is possible to fit both strength and cardio into your schedule, even if you only have an hour to work with.
Performing strength and cardio in the same workout session is known as concurrent training. You may have heard that you shouldn’t perform strength and cardio in the same session, but this can actually be a very efficient way to train. But which one should you do first? It is a common dilemma every exerciser faces. The simple truth is, just as there are many ways to skin a cat, there are many answers to this elusive question. The long and short of it is this: it depends on your overall goal. So, let’s begin with that.
What is your goal?
- If your goal is to increase strength and muscle hypertrophy, do your strength training first.
- If your goal is to improve cardiovascular fitness, do cardio first.
Is it really that simple? Yes, for the most part. Ultimately, it comes down to the type of exercise you do. A study published in the IDEA Fitness Journal (April 2007) examined the use of the cycle ergometer
(a lower body exercise), followed by strength training of the lower and upper extremities. Results indicated that lower body cardiovascular activity (cycling, running. stair stepping) had no effect on upper body performance during strength training, but it did impair performance during lower-body training. Conclusion: to maximize strength training sessions performed after bouts of cardio, make sure strength training is Iimited to alternate extremities.
Example
After running, power walking, cycling, dance or step aerobics, or stair master/stair climbing: perform upper body and/or core exercises.
After swimming, rowing, boxing, elliptical training with lots of upper-body resistance (i.e, you’re using the attached poles the way you should), or cross-country skiing: perform lower body and/or core exercises
And remember, you don’t have to do three sets of each strength training exercise to reap the benefits. One set of 10-12 exercises performed at an intensity that equates to about 75% of your 1RM (i.e, the 8th or so rep is the last one you can complete with good form), will result in respectable strength gains.
Still worried that strength training won’t leave enough time for the amount of cardio you need? Try interval training. Alternating bouts of high-intensity training with active recovery burns more calories in less time than steady-state cardio. Try bumping up the intensity of your workout to 85-90% of your max heart rate for a short time (30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your level of training), then actively recover by lowering the intensity until your heart rate returns to within 60-80% of your max heart rate.
Resources:
Kravitz, Len, PhD; IDEA Fitness Journal, April 2007; vol 4; no.4; p20-21
* Note: Blue Sky Gym and the author disclaim any liability for any injury, physical or emotional, suffered during or as a result of exercise or activities recommended. As always, you should use common sense and consult your health professional before beginning any exercise routine or program.
