The perfect workout routine for busy people: High intensity interval training
Colby Craig, Staff Writer
Have you ever wanted to make the healthy decision to exercise consistently but find yourself with little time to actually do so? High intensity interval training (HIIT) might be the answer to both the issue of time and effectiveness.
On April 12, NGU put together a class that was meant to teach participants about how to take part in HIIT. This recent fitness trend has proven itself to be useful, but it may drift away from gym culture in the future like other types of training.
HIIT came to life in the 1920s but recently became a fitness trend in the early 2000s. It has made a comeback due to its effectiveness in boosting metabolism and its aid in cardiovascular health. There are many ways to go about this type of training, but here is the general information.
High intensity interval training is a type of workout routine that focuses on short bursts of quick intense movements followed by short recovery periods. It is an anaerobic exercise routine which means that movements are more extreme but have a shorter sustain than aerobic exercises.
Anaerobic exercises use very little oxygen to break down glucose which conserves energy to be able to burn more of the glucose. HIIT uses these exercises to provide short bursts of energy to perform highly intense movements that burn fat while conserving energy.
HIIT is centered around the unique needs of each person and can be flexible. With exercises ranging from bodyweight squats to clapping pushups, any person can find a suitable motion to make for their workout.
Many fitness connoisseurs may see this and think that CrossFit sounds incredibly similar to HIIT, and they would be correct.
The core of each workout is similar, but North Greenville’s coordinator of fitness and recreation Paden Lipe said, “Biggest difference of HIIT and CrossFit is the type of lifts. They both have huge similarities, but CrossFit would differ in the fact that it is a designed program, whereas HIIT can be anything from just jumping rope or even grass sprints.”
With CrossFit being fairly restrictive in its regimen, average people may not enjoy the kind of workouts which fit in the category. HIIT gives the same style of workout, with less restrictions and is more accessible to most people. This is especially true for those with scheduling issues because of the little amount of time needed to complete these exercises.
To give advice to anyone thinking of trying HITT for themselves, Lipe said:
“Start small. Going from 0% to 100% is the very reason New Year’s Resolutions end in February. Maybe do it once or twice a week for a month and then build from there. Have fun. Exercising is fun, and being able to see the results in your body and in your health is the most fun and exciting part.”
High intensity interval training is a very effective way to burn body fat and be active when you don’t have a lot of time to work with.
