A Beginner's Guide to HIIT Workouts

We’ve all heard the hype about HIIT. It’s the high energy, maximum effort, intense workout that comes with massive fat burning and muscle building benefits - and all this within a relatively short training session. But how does it work? Is it as good as they say? And, most importantly, is HIIT the right workout for you?

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Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

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WHAT IS HIIT?

HIIT is an acronym that stands for High Intensity Interval Training. That basically translates into a workout session which involves cycles of intense, exhaustive all-out periods of effort, alternated with shorter segments of ‘active recovery’.

HIIT moves away from traditional and continuous steady-state cardio and is designed to maximise fat burning and muscle building through significantly shorter workouts. In essence, that means you’re working harder, rather than longer. A HIIT workout could range from a 10 minute session of fast sprints, rowing or plyometric jumps, or involve a more structured workout over 30 minutes.

The main thing you need to know about HIIT is that it’s gasping-for-air tough and exhausting, but with huge training gains to be made.

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SO, HOW DOES IT WORK?

HIIT conditions both your aerobic and anaerobic systems, whereas steady-state cardio addresses only your aerobic system. Anaerobic exercise basically means “training without oxygen” and is the process that occurs where the body’s demand for oxygen exceeds the supply available, and so your body uses energy sources stored in the muscles instead.

This system kicks in during short bouts of intense exercise and is the body’s mechanism for short term intense effort (such as running away from predators back in the prehistoric days). When you push hard during HIIT intervals, you’ll switch to this anaerobic system, however, this intense process can only be maintained for a relatively short time before you hit a wall – total exhaustion.

Anaerobic exercise helps build muscle, improves heart health and creates a metabolic demand that is particularly effective for fat loss. HIIT, with its cycles of super intense anaerobic activity, followed by low intensity aerobic recovery segments, conditions both systems, making it a highly effective workout.

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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HIIT?

Through fast, intense intervals followed by short periods of rest, HIIT is proven to burn fat and build muscle, fast. The periods of all-out 100% effort give your cardiovascular system a massive boost, and HIIT is also proven to deliver huge calorie burn, as well as optimal muscle building and retention. Most importantly, HIIT is proven to deliver a better training effect than steady state cardio, within sessions of 30 minutes or less. Studies show that 27 minutes of HIIT 3 times a week produces training gains equivalent to 60 minutes of steady state cardio 5 times a week!

• HIIT Boosts Cardiovascular Fitness: Pushing your body into its anaerobic zone is ultra-tough, requiring all-out effort and it hurts - but it’s also great for your heart, taxing both systems to develop cardiac efficiency. Studies between sprint intervals and endurance training repeatedly show increased cardiovascular gains from intervals, including reduced resting and training heart rates, better arterial structure, a decrease in chronic inflammation and lower blood pressure.

• HIIT provides Effective Fat Burn: Intense exertion from HIIT combines two effective fat burning methods; the maximum effort achieves muscle fatigue, and the maximum oxygen use forces the body to burn the energy stored in its muscles. HIIT also recruits more muscle tissue, around 80% compared with 20-40% for moderate jogging or cycling, which means more optimal fat burn.

• Also, by increasing the body’s need for oxygen, HIIT produces Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) or “afterburn” for up to 24 hours after exercise. EPOC increases our Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), meaning you’re still burning calories long after you left the gym.

• HIIT Builds Lean Muscle: Generally, it’s difficult to lose weight without also losing muscle mass. However, HIIT can actually help you build more lean muscle while simultaneously losing fat. For 24 hours after a high intensity workout, the body increases Human Growth Hormone production by 450%. This encourages the body to build and preserve muscle mass, while also shedding weight.

• HIIT Develops Work Capacity and Endurance: HIIT improves your VO2 Max (the highest amount of oxygen you can consume during exercise) and boosts the body’s ability to use oxygen, so that you can sustain increased intensity for longer. Along with an overall conditioning effect, stronger muscles and significant cardiovascular benefits, that leads to stronger and better performance.

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HOW TO DO HITT

There are lots of different ways you can do HIIT, as long as you remember the basic principle: you must alternate periods of high intensity all-out effort with low intensity recovery segments.

• High intensity intervals could include sprinting sets, indoor cycling or elliptical, box jumping or any activity where you can increase and decrease intensity quickly. You have to go all out on these exercises, putting everything you have into it. The larger the muscle groups you work, the better the effect.

• The intervals and recovery time can both be anything from 10 to 60 seconds and your total sessions anywhere from 4 to 30 minutes long. For example, this famous Tabata study found significant training gains in subjects after only 4 minutes of cycling intervals, comprising of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off.

• Your high intensity intervals should be performed at 80-100% effort, and at a level where you’re literally gasping for breath. Remember, HIIT is meant be hard. Your aim during your lower intensity segments should be to lower your heart rate and allow your body to recover before the next interval.

• Be consistent with your intervals and make sure to complete every segment.

• You can do HIIT almost anywhere. The simplest form of HIIT could be sprints up a flight of stairs and walking back down.

• Alternatively (and especially if you struggle with motivation) do HIIT as part of a training class at your gym. A tough instructor and fellow classmates are all the motivation you’ll need to keep going when the going gets tough.

• Always remember to do a warm up and a cool down to avoid injury.

• HIIT can be performed once to up to three times a week. However, start off with one session a week and if you want to, you can build to no more than three per week.

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IS HIIT FOR ME?

Make no mistake about it, HIIT is beyond hard. You’ll be pushing yourself way beyond your comfort zone, and you’ll need to be committed, determined and dedicated to keep going through those tough segments. But, the training gains to be made from HIIT are serious.

Always tailor your sessions around you and your fitness ability, building up your intervals and effort level gradually. Start with shorter high intensity intervals and longer periods of recovery and build up from there.

If you’re in doubt, always consult a medical professional before beginning any high intensity training.

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WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

To concentrate on your workout, you’ll need kit that keeps you as focused and distraction free as possible. You need kit that is as comfortable as possible, with no rubbing, irritation or loose flappy materials. You’re also going to sweat – a lot- so make sure to opt for technical clothing with breathable, wicking fabrics to keep your skin cool and dry. You’ll need:

1. A technical training T-shirt or breathable vest with moisture wicking fabric
2. Moisture wicking shorts or capri tights
3. Technical sports socks constructed from a breathable fabric to avoid overheating and blisters.
4. A supportive, breathable sports bra for women
5. A cushioned and supportive pair of cross trainers or running shoes, depending on the exercise.
6. A sports watch to time your interval segments. If it has a heart rate monitor, this will also help you to gauge your effort more accurately, but it’s by no means essential.

Looking for some training tips and advice? Then head over to our Training category where our athletes and experts explain everything you need to know.