High Intensity Interval Training ( HIIT) involves alternating periods of high intensity exercise with periods of lower intensity "rest" in between.
HIIT significantly reduces body fat (and is specifically effective against abdominal fat), increases both aerobic and anaerobic fitness, and significantly lowers insulin resistance, along with enhance skeletal muscle fat oxidation and improved glucose tolerance.
A major factor why HIIT is so beneficial is because it is time efficient. Fat loss and results are often achieved in significantly less time than traditional, steady state workout methods ( i.e. jogging on a treadmill or doing laps of the pool for an hour). 15 to 20 minutes of HIIT 3 days a week can give you better results than jogging or swimming at a steady pace for an hour 6 days a week.
How is this possible? It turns out that the intensity of HIIT causes your body to make massive metabolic changes all the way down to the cellular level. Studies have shown that HIIT can improve mitochondrial density, which is to put it simply, creating more energy-producing factories for our bodies, while also improving their efficiency. This not only improves the way we use our energy ( which can provide our entire body with more energy to perform) but also means we are using calories ( aka. energy) in a more proficient way, which can lead to a leaner body.
HIIT also creates what is called "The After Burn Effect". This occurs when your body has to recover from a very intense workout, and has to use more calories to do so. After a solid HIIT session, our bodies are typically starving for oxygen, and our muscles will need to repair themselves - both of which require extra calories to do so. This is why studies have shown that a HIIT workout can cause you to burn more calories even up to 24 hours after your workout has finished. And one more plus is that HIIT also engages and challenges our fast twitch fibres, which support explosive movements, lending us more power and agility. All add up to massive fitness and health benefits.
How often should you HIIT it ?
If you are a beginner - 1 to 2 days a week.
If you are more advanced - 2 to 3 or even up to 4 to 5 days a week.
You can mix all different types of moves and exercises in a HIIT workout..........Now GET GO HIIT !!