Indoor Wellness

By Gini Grimsley

Health is a year-round endeavor that requires consistent activity, exercise, and good diet choices. One routine that maximizes effort in a short amount of time and is especially beneficial is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT has risen in popularity over the last several years because it is efficient, requires minimal equipment, and is extremely effective.

What is a HIIT workout?

HIIT combines time periods of increased intensity—measured using a heart rate or rates of perceived exertion (RPE)—followed by time periods of lower intensity and recovery. This is repeated for a set number of rounds or for an overall amount of time. An example of this workout structure is shown below:

1. Thirty seconds of jumping jacks followed by thirty seconds of walking. Repeat for ten rounds.

2. Twelve bodyweight squats, ten pushups, or eight TRX rows followed by a forty-five-second rest. Complete as many rounds as possible in fifteen minutes

3. On a treadmill or elliptical, sprint for one minute. Follow with a oneminute recovery. Repeat ten times.

Many HIIT workouts can be completed with just a person’s bodyweight, cardio equipment, or tools like kettlebells, dumbbells, or suspension trainers. If one completes five rounds of the squat/push up/ row workout above with rest in between each movement, this workout could take around thirty minutes to complete. By combining all of the moves together and using a timer to minimize rest, your heart rate will increase in a way that is not typically seen with traditional strength training.

The increase in heart rate and strength training produces what is called EPOC—Excessive Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption—resulting in a general increase in calories burned throughout the day doing standard daily activities. Over time (usually months), the calories from HIIT and its EPOC help shape the body in addition to improving overall exercise capacity. And shorter workouts that lead to increased calorie burn are a great way to stay fit.

Customizing HIIT So It’s Right for You

One big advantage HIIT provides is that it can be customized to fit all fitness levels and abilities. Since intensity is relative to the person doing the workout, the need to compare yourself to others shouldn’t be quite as tempting as other types of workouts. The goal is to compete with yourself and see improvements over time.

Duration plays an important role in HIIT workouts as well. Those who are just getting back to the gym or just starting out should shoot for shorter workouts of ten to fifteen minutes while those who are more fit can complete HIIT workouts forty-five to sixty minutes long. Doing too much too fast can lead to burn out or injury, which no one should experience when working on their health. Mixing in body weight, cardio equipment, or loaded movementbased intervals can help keep things fresh and allow the body to adapt to several stimuli at once.

The sweet spot for training with high intensity intervals is three to four days per week with at least one day of rest in between. With this schedule, you can mix up the types of intervals you complete. Some days can be longer intervals with a moderate amount of rest; other days can be shorter, very intense intervals with longer rests.

Whether you’re short on time, energy, or daylight, adding HIIT into your weekly routine will keep you moving and healthy. Starting conservatively and building over time is the best approach so you don’t burn out or get injured along the way.

About the Author

Gini Grimsley is the Director of Fitness Product for VASA Fitness where she creates cutting-edge fitness programming for VASA’s clubs across eight states.