HIT anyone?

[wrenster]

Has anyone tried this? On the back of the5:2 diet, Michael Moseley has co written Fast Exercise which is basically about high interval training.

I'm pretty fit, run and do aerobics but I'm up for a new challenge and think it would be fun to try it and measure the results.

Being January there seems to be lots of articles about the benefits of this method and it would be very nice to get the same results for little effort!

Would be interested to hear anyone else views.

[Rollermum]

Yes I have tried this - I sprinted a couple of workout sessions. It felt like I really had a good workout and upped my cardio ability. I haven't done it long term, but plan too.

I've done it with exercises too - like 30 seconds burpees, rest, new set etc. hard! Also on a stationary bike.

Great for a short workout.

[BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack]

It's a very effective way of training and the after burn is great too. My gym have just started doing a Metafit class which is basically a 30 min class of HIT, hideous but it's only half hour so bearable.

[CynicalandSmug]

I like Tabata, real Tabata totally kills!

[wrenster]

Tabata - tell me more! Never heard of this.

Wish my gym did this sort of thing. I love exercise but feel so stuck in a boring rut of running and classes. Need something to reenergise me again!

[Sleepwhenidie]

Tabata is a real killer. Four minutes only (that is plenty). Warm up gently for 5 mins first, then, using at tabata timer - you can download an app - go hell for leather, absolute maximum effort, for 20 secs, then rest completely for 10 secs. Repeat 8 times. Doesn't sound too bad but the reality is vomit inducing, only try it if you are very fit. Classic tabata is on a stationary spinning type bike, but you can sprint outside (treadmill v dangerous, you would have to leave it running at speed and stand off on sides for rest periods, getting back on v risky . Burpees also good, or squat jumps from one side of a reebok type step to the other. Remember, you are supposed to work absolutely as hard as you can

[Sleepwhenidie]

A more moderate method of HIIT (and probably best to start with) is one minute intense work, say level 8-9 out of 10 exertion (whatever makes you feel desperate for a minute to end), then one minute recovery, say exertion level 5. Do this for 12-20 mins. A stairclimber in gym is great for this, or if you run outside, find a hill it takes at least a minute to run up, run up, walk down, repeat 8-12 times. You should get a real high from these workouts, do it 2-3 times a week and you'll probably notice a difference in body fat and fitness very quickly .

Oh- whichever you do, tabata or this, it's best at the end of resistance training if you do that. You'll likely feel too exhausted to lift a weight afterwards! Tabata probably best not more than 2x per week too as it is very intense.

[Lazysuzanne]

Hiit is very in the news!
Surely weight training, if done with only short rests between sets counts as hiit?

I prefer sprint/walk intervals to slower running (although embarrassingly my sprint pace is about the same as most peoples jogging pace-I am a rubbish runner )

[Bakingnovice]

I really want to try this as I'm
Struggling to fit in my runs during the week. What's the best thing to do indoors? Star jumps?

[Sleepwhenidie]

You could do star jumps, but do them from the floor, as in bend knees, touch floor, explode up to star jump then land back down in crouch to floor and repeat, 10-20 times, rest and repeat. Simple standing stars wouldn't really be intense enough...

Suzanne I do a sort of version of weights/HIIT combined, I do a set of about 6 heavy reps with weight, then switch to 10 burpees, then straight back to the weights (I try and do this without any rest but reality is I need 10-20 secs after burpees . Also I would do squats from side to side of a box (one foot on, one off) in between sets of weights, or skip, do squat thrusts, or do skiing to squat jumps (imagine a Nordic skiing movement one each leg then jump into squat, repeat that 15 times and on the last squat, hold it for 10 secs.)

I know you are very at home in the weights room Suzanne so I can hopefully describe these....great weight exercises that really get your heart rate up, without needing the stuff I'm between are clean and press fairly quick reps, and also I do a push up holding dumbells, jump feet up to hands and stand up(like a burpee, no jump), uncurl to standing then bicep curl to military press, back down slowly (deadlift technique) then 2 push ups...keep increasing the number of push ups by one each time til you struggle, then work back down to 1 the same way. Killer.

[ErrolTheDragon]

There's some info and experts hanging out on this thread.

[Tiredemma]

Fitness Blender have some great free online workouts.

[evertonmint]

Another tabata fan - I do it at a kettlebells class so kettlebell swings interspersed with other things like burpees and mountain climbers. Hideous at the time but it's so short you can and do really push yourself. And such a zinging high (if you can feel it through the exhaustion) when you're done

[Sleepwhenidie]

Suzanne I don't think there are many weights exercises, other than the ones like I have described above, that really get your heart rate high enough for it to be HIT? It's your muscles that need to recover more than your heart and lungs? By definition if you kept going at a certain pace, without rest then it's not intervals, it's steady state and therefore not that intense (if you can continue without rest I mean).

[Lazysuzanne]

Sleep for describing your routine.

I'm incorporating some higher rep/short rest training into the weight training, really just an extension of what I normally do ie low rep heavy sets first followed by lighter high rep sets, but with more of the lighter sets and shorter rest periods.

Thing is I've always weight trained and that kept me reasonably lean but it was only when I added in regular moderate intensty cardio that I saw a real shift and a drop in body fat.
I may try a gradual transition whereby I extend the weight sessions and reduce the cardio.
I think I am too influenced by old style bodybuilder 'broscience'

Good luck Wrenster let us know how you get on! :o

[Lazysuzanne]

'I don't think there are many weights exercises, other than the ones like I have described above, that really get your heart rate high enough for it to be HIT'

speak for yourself I'm out of breath after bicep curls :o

seriously if I do a set of a compound exercise fast enough I am generally out of breath

[Lazysuzanne]

bodyweight exercises like pressups and pull ups do seem to be especially good for getting the heart rate up...I'll have to try wearing the HR monitor and see whats actually going on!

[Sleepwhenidie]

I was going to suggest that! I'd be interested to hear a comparison between hr after a set of compound resistance exercises and hr after a flat out sprint (20 secs, as in Tabata), and fast run for a minute. Keep me posted?

[Sleepwhenidie]

Oh, and it's the up/down thing that really works too, lifting weight from floor to overhead, or going from push up position or crouch to a jump, forces blood to lower body then upper so putting max pressure on heart.

[Lazysuzanne]

ok looking at my old records my heart rate on leg day goes up to 77% of max hr during the heaviest sets, running intervals on the treadmill it goes up to 90% of max.

bearing in mind during that leg session I was going slow and steady, long rests between sets, ie not intending to make it into an hiit style workout I thing it should be possible to ramp it up a bit

[CantEvenKeepAnOrchidAlive]

I use HASfit (on YouTube) for HIIT exercise. He is brilliant and has so many different routines, from kick boxing to specific area workouts. He also has different ones for varying levels of fitness. He does all his on his website //www.hasfit.com or on YouTube for free. He also has meal plans you can download. Within a month of doing his workouts I lost half a stone (without dieting) and developed a defined stomach.

Sadly, due to an ongoing medical condition, I am unable to exercise so intensely but once I can again, it will be with Coach Kozak!

[Lazysuzanne]

well I get what you're saying, but isnt it also about recruiting as many muscle fibres as possible so as to fully deplete muscle gycogen and improve insulin sensitivity

(too much getting up and down makes me feel faint-low blood pressure )

[wrenster]

Thanks for all your responses, I feel like I want to do it now!

It looks like there are lots of options, you just need to make sure you're working as close to your max heart rate as possible. I wish I'd discovered this before as I've been doing 8km on the treadmill at a comfortable pace and 4 aerobic classes per week and not getting any fitter and getting v bored in the process!

I've ordered a heart rate monitor so I know I'm working hard and have recorded all measurements - I just need to avoid injuring myself now.

Thanks for all of the links, I'll have a good look.

[Sleepwhenidie]

As far as I understand it Suzanne, HIIT is all focused on the cardio aspect, getting into that anaerobic zone for short periods that stimulates growth hormone, creates an 'afterburn' effect on calories yet preserves muscle because you don't (can't!) work long enough at that intensity to reach the point where your body uses muscle as an energy source....happy to be corrected though.

[Lazysuzanne]

well I dunno, weight training is anaerobic so we agree on something :o I think exercise has various effects/benefits, increase in vo2 max, improved insulin sensitivity, reduced blood pressure.

I found this video quite interesting

and this study www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6823/9/3

[Sleepwhenidie]

Ooh thanks , will check those out. I just clicked then remembered I'm meant to be watching the despatches thing on sugar! Time consuming this food and exercise shizzle !