An instant H.I.I.T. (page 2 of 2)

The next week you might either increase the speed, or add another sequence to make the workout 27 minutes. Eventually, you could even double the intervals and create an intense 45 minute workout.

Another variation on this might be to ramp down instead of dropping suddenly. For example:

1 minute at 9 kph
1 minute at 10 kph
1 minute at 11 kph
1 minute at 12 kph
1 minute at 11 kph
1 minute at 10 kph
1 minute at 9 kph

Another form of HIIT involves just two intervals. You might start by sprinting for 20 seconds and then jogging for 100 seconds. This would create a two-minute cycle that you repeat several times. Increase the number of intervals until you are training for 10 - 15 minutes (if you are truly doing an all-out sprint, you won't be able to train long than this - in fact, your initial workouts may involve only 2 or 3 cycles). After 3 - 4 weeks, change to 30 seconds of sprinting of 90 seconds of jogging. This increases the sprint and shortens the recovery time. Work up to a final cycle of 40 seconds sprinting and 80 seconds jogging and see for yourself the results after 12 solid weeks of HIIT training.

The final variety involves using a heart rate monitor or being able to take your pulse. Finding your pulse is beyond the scope of this article but if you are familiar with how to take a reading using your wrist or neck you can count for 6 seconds then multiply by 10 for a good estimate. Using this method, you'll spend 30 - 90 seconds going "all out" or performing the workout at the highest intensity possible. Then, instead of resting for a fixed interval, you perform light work until your heart rate drops about 20% - 30% (for example, if you complete the interval with a 180 heart rate, you will wait until it drops to between 130 - 140 before starting the next intense interval). Repeat the high intensity bout, repeat the recovery, etc. You'll find that your rest intervals will increase each cycle. However, over time, your total rest should actually shorten as your body gets in better shape.

Many people advocate training on an empty stomach. While some research suggests this may help improve the fat burning effect of the workouts, you can just as easily obtain stellar results doing this later in the day or after a balanced meal that has been given ample time to digest. Decide for yourself - if you feel weak or hungry, don't train on an empty stomach! One of the major benefits of HIIT training is that it takes so little time. It makes sense to schedule your sessions when they are most convenient and you feel you'll have the most energy to complete them. One important thing to consider is that HIIT training does place a lot of stress on your system so you should start slowly with only 2 - 3 sessions per week. Some people work up to 4 - 5 sessions but the risk of injury is greatly increased when performing HIIT consecutively for several days, especially if you increase too quickly.

HIIT is a great way to fit a lot of training into a short period of time. Because most hotels and local gyms have treadmills and stationary bikes it is also a form of training that can be done while traveling. The short, intense intervals leave you with a strong feeling of accomplishment at the end of the training session. The workout time flies quickly and is more interesting because you're constantly looking to the next interval. Integrate some interval training into your own fitness program and see for yourself if it's an instant H.I.I.T.