Have we finally found a quick way to weight loss?
Whether you've been a member of a gym for 8 days or 800, you likely have already heard people talking about HIIT or high intensity interval training.
It's the No. 1 fitness trend for 2014, according to a survey by The American College of Sports Medicine[1] .
But why, when we've got Zumba and kettle bells and hot yoga?
"It takes less time, offers greater variety, increases metabolism, you don't need a lot of equipment, and it preserves muscle mass while losing weight," says Craig Boyarsky[2] , fitness director at Best Fitness in Schenectady.
But don't equate quick with easy. HIIT may be harder than those planks and sprints you're currently doing at the gym. HIIT is a form of interval training that involves short bursts of maximum intensity exercises (think compound movements like squats and presses or plyometric moves such as jumping jacks and squat thrusts) followed by intervals of lower intensity exercises (planks or slow moving core motions). Because of the high intensity, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment, Boyarsky says.
"You're working all the big muscles in one minute to increase metabolism to help burn fat," he says.
At a recent class taught at Albany Best Fitness[3] by Joanne LeBel[4] , participants were taken through 16 different exercises that combined squat thrusts with a jump or a swimming crawl stroke on the floor into a squat stance or a side lunge combined with three fast jumps center and then a lunge to the other side.
They slid their feet criss-cross bringing their knees to the chest for 30 seconds, doing squats into a pushup and then jumping onto a step.
"If it doesn't challenge you, it's not going to change you!" LeBel yells as the class slows its pace. "C'mon. Get up!"
To do HIIT, you need a certain level of fitness and an understanding of exercises that use the body's biggest muscles.
"You have to be able to put out a lot of effort," Boyarsky says. "Honestly, it's best for someone who has been working out, has done weight training and cardio and some kind of cross-training."
What makes this different from interval training is the variety of athletic moves used in one workout.
"You can do interval training with anything," Boyarsky says. "This is working on big muscles in a circuit."
It's an enhanced interval training. Interval training involves high and low, high and low. HITT is nonstop high.
Tabata is also similar but is less specific. It is a form of interval training with 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest that can be applied to any sort of workout.
You might wonder what took so long to come up with what appears to be the wonder workout. Boyarsky says it's the way we live today. HIIT offers a great workout in 10 to 30 minutes.
"Time is the most valuable thing," says Boyarsky who does HIIT a couple days a week, but not more.
"It's very demanding and physically tough on the body."
tormsbee@timesunion.com[5] • 518-454-5486
Before you try HIIT
See a doctor. Always get checked out by your physician before trying a challenging new workout.
Meet with a professional to be sure you know how to do the moves. And by professional, we mean a trainer. Do you know how to do a squat or pushup or jump?
More importantly: Can you get on the ground and get up again?
Moves to know
squat
push exercise
pull exercise
core stability
Where to try
Many gyms and fitness companies in the region offer HIIT training. Here is a sampling:
Saratoga Boot Camp
Saratoga Core Fitness
Best Fitness (with locations in Albany and Schenectady)
Vent Fitness (with locations in Latham, Niskayuna, Guilderland and Clifton Park)
Omni Fitness Center in Albany
References
- ^ The American College of Sports Medicine (www.timesunion.com)
- ^ Craig Boyarsky (www.timesunion.com)
- ^ Albany Best Fitness (www.timesunion.com)
- ^ Joanne LeBel (www.timesunion.com)
- ^ tormsbee@timesunion.com (www.timesunion.com)
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