What Is HIIT Workout, and why should it be so effective?
As the name implies, HIIT workouts stand for high intensity interval training. The interval training includes the phases of regeneration and the load.
This method is very powerful and shows significant success in increasing stamina, losing weight, and building muscle. We will answer all other important questions about HIIT workouts in the following article.
The essentials Of HIIT Workouts in brief
- HIIT Workouts means “high-intensive interval training”, so it is a highly intensive interval training
- In training, the body gets stressed for a certain duration and then relieved directly
- HIIT Workouts give you better results in less time
What Is HIIT Workouts?
In contrast to the usual cardio training, where you usually train your stamina over a longer period of time, the HIIT workouts include small training units, which are also called intervals. These intervals consist of short, intense exercises that mostly focus on one body region. This is followed by a relief phase during which your muscles can relax.
The basis for success is, among other things, that the heart rate is much higher than in conventional cardio workouts, and the metabolism is increased even more.
The HIIT workouts include, for example, the training method Tabata. This combines strength and cardio training and usually consists of eight intervals, each lasting 20 seconds.
What is the difference between HIT and HIIT?
HIIT workouts? We have just explained to you: it is high intensity interval training.
HIT, on the other hand, means high-intensity training and is a training method from weight training. Here, the muscle should be stressed to fatigue by increasing intensity. In training, you go beyond your limits and continue, even if you have already reached the last possible repetition.
What you should know about HIIT Workouts
Now that we have clarified what HIIT workouts is, we now have some important background information that you should know about the topic.
What Training Period do HIIT Workouts Include?
You can start your training more easily and keep on improving. Here you start by the load intervals are shorter than the regeneration times, as a measure, you can set yourself a ratio of 3: 1.
As a goal, you set yourself a final ratio of 1: 2, whereby you load twice as long as relieved. A training session should take between 15 and 25 minutes. Expediently, the HIIT workouts are to be understood as the complement to the usual cardio unit of 30 to 45 minutes.
How do I design an interval training session?
If you have decided on HIIT workouts, you will ask yourself at the latest, “How should I start?” We have the answer! Start with a simple warm-up session, when you’re home you can shape it with jacks, mountaineers, or knee-lifts, for example.
On the other hand, if you concentrate on sprint HIIT workouts, you should warm yourself up by jogging for 10 minutes at a relaxed speed. This is followed by a loading phase, depending on how advanced you are, this phase will vary over time.
After that, you have another relief phase in which you can catch your breath. You repeat these two stages 8 to 10 times, depending on how fit you are.
Finally, the cool-down comes, here you can relieve the burden and lower your heart rate. If you’ve done a Sprint HIIT workout, you can do the same as with the warm-up, but if you’re at home, you can start stretching again.
Exercises you should look at, for example, the mountain climbers, push-ups in variation with oars or the sumo squats. All of these exercises challenge your entire body tension and strengthen your muscles.
Practical Application And Benefits Of HIIT Workouts
In the following, we’ll show you some of the benefits of HIIT workouts, as well as important aspects to consider when using it.
What speaks for a HIIT High-Intensity interval training?
HIIT workouts promise better results in less time. Among other things, this fact is based on the afterburning effect, which causes your body to continue working after training.
In addition to adequate training, diet, stress, and body temperature also influence the extent of the effect. It can be burned up to 15% after the workout additionally.
This effect is produced by the fact that there is an increased consumption of oxygen, as a result of total calories consumption increases for a short time after the training. The afterburning effect can be subdivided into several phases, which can last from a few hours after training to a day or two later.
Which exercises are suitable For HIIT workouts at home?
Even at home, you can already devote your first HIIT workouts. Whether stomach, legs, or buttocks, for each body area you will find special exercises that can push you to the limit.
However, many already interact with each other in several muscle groups – be it, for example, the supportive muscles, which are strengthened at the same time when executed correctly.
The right diet
It would be more than utopian, if the pounds would just tumble without the right and balanced diet, because with this, the success is usually firmly connected.
A balanced diet is one of the unhealthy fattenings from everyday life in the long term to delete. These include sweets and very greasy food, such as pizza. Not only the body itself but also the skin will thank you for it.
Protein shakes are a good alternative for getting enough protein after training. The offer is large and has a variety of flavors, with something for everyone.
If you want to specifically reduce fat in your HIIT workouts, meals with enough protein after training are recommended and carbohydrates should be reduced (never cut carbs unless you know what you are doing) as they inhibit lipid metabolism.
Avoiding overload
Even if you want to lose fat quickly and get shredded, you should not train your body too much and give it a break.
Remember the afterburning effect, which can last up to two days. Because of this, your body will continue to work after your training session, and you will be closer to your goal.
At the same time, you should be aware that your body loses capacity in overload and you can no longer exercise to the limits, as it is, however, given by the HIIT workouts. Consequently, without regeneration time, you will be much more controversial about your goals and motivation, because no more success will show.
5 HIIT Workouts Tips For Beginners
If you want to start with HIIT workouts, we have put together five important tips that you should take note of before you start exercising.
Warm-up and stretch
Also, if you want to start training directly, you should always warm up. This prevents injury and increases your performance during exercise.
Also, the stretching after a successful training session must not be neglected by you. You are preventing muscle soreness and strains.
Take it easy
As we explained earlier, it is important that you start training slowly. Build your fitness first before you increase the intensity.
First, your resting period should be longer than the stress phase. So you get used to your body to the new training method. Also, you should start with light weights and increase them slowly.
Use Proper Form
Since HIIT workouts are often very fast, you should consider the technique of each exercise before starting. Internalize these, practice at a slow pace, and then start the actual training.
This guarantees that you will perform the exercise correctly and strain the right muscle groups, even at a fast-paced pace.
Bring in variety
Even fast-paced training, like the HIIT workouts, can be monotonous in the long term. Therefore, bring some variety in and change the exercises.
This way you also guarantee that you do not always train the same muscle groups, but the whole body.
Conclusion
At the end, we would like to briefly and concisely give you all the important things that you should internalize.
On the one hand, one’s own motivation is of the highest priority if you try to reach your maximum performance for a long time.
However, you should also be aware that you have to give yourself and your body regeneration times and that during these breaks you will at the same time continue to have an increased metabolism as a result of the afterburning effect.
As important as the workout, is also a balanced diet. It can help you with the supply of protein.