We all work out for various reasons. Some of us just want to get our steps in. Others are trying to lose some pounds. Some are trying to finish their first race or set a personal best at a particular distance. Whatever your reason for working out, new research tells us everyone can benefit from cranking up the intensity every once in awhile.
High intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, is exactly what it sounds like… and then some. Here’s how it works. Pick an exercise and do it as hard as you can for 10-40 seconds. Take a short rest, usually less than 20 seconds. Then repeat 4-8 times. What is high intensity? High intensity is classified as all-out effort. For example, if you’re slamming a ball on the ground, you’re trying to get as many reps as possible; you’re going as hard as you possibly can.
HIIT training is a national trend, but the most popular protocol has a local connection. The Tabata protocol was designed by head coach Irisawa Koichi, the head coach for a Japanese speed skating team. Coach Koichi wanted to see how short could a workout be and still be effective. They’re template was a high intensity bout followed by short rests. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Department of Exercise and Sport Science conducted a study in 1996 that determined participants improved both cardiovascular fitness and modified body composition.
As a trainer, I use the Tabata protocol every day with my clients. I have seen both qualitative and quantitative results. Some clients have lost significant weight, some have gotten stronger, and all of them have improved their ability to complete more repetitions in the short interval and handle the workload more efficiently. When your body is physically able to perform high intensity exercises, you demonstrate increased cardiovascular and muscular fitness. This should be a primary goal for our workout.
Of course high intensity training is not for everyone and you should always consult with your physician first. Consider if your training would benefit from Tabata one day per week. Next week on the blog we’ll have a free HIIT workout.