High Intensity Interval Training - Part Three

So I went for a run. I now know why I warmup. It took forever to warmup today! My muscles were sluggish and I felt really heavy and each step was a mission. But I didn’t stop! My warmup was around 10 minutes and I decided it was enough punishment. Enough slow punishment that is… I plotted out a short distance and broke into a sprint. I walked back, then ran it, then jogged, then sprinted – etc. Over and over again until I got to about 24 mins. So that’s about 14 minutes of HIIT.

I think that is more HIIT than I have ever done… so I was quite proud of myself! Granted, I did do a few lengths walking, but a body’s gotta do what its gotta do.

Now I shall try to explain some more advantages of HIIT. Yes, it saves time. Yes, it makes you less exhausted and it is easier to ‘bounce back’ after a workout. But the biggest advantage has to do with your heart.

Your heart is the biggest muscle in your body. I say biggest in terms of importance. Without your heart, you will die. Duh! So it is important to keep it exercised and fit.

When doing HIIT, your heart rate is constantly speeding up and slowing down. Think of it like a balloon. If you blow a balloon up from cold, it will be quite difficult and take a bit of time. You may blow so hard it pops, or it may suddenly slip out of your mouth. However, if you warm the deflated balloon between your fingers and stretch it out a few times – inflating and deflating a few times, then blow it up fully, it will be much easier and quicker.

Granted, what I do for HIIT is slightly different to the ‘norm’. Proper HIIT is intended to be 10-20seconds of hardout sprinting, then about a minute of walking to slow the heartrate again. Like I said, mine is suited to me and my needs.

HIIT maximises fat loss and muscle gain because of it’s extreme intensity. The real HIIT can be difficult to do properly and can also be dangerous – so take someone with you if you intend to do the real thing.

The most important thing to remember is to listen to your body. If you haven’t run in a few years – take it VERY easy… Just do a very light first training session – be gentle on your heart!

So that is my take on HIIT. Use it, discard it – but keep working towards sustainable fitness!