HIIT training: what it is, basic principles and programs * Crossfit

HIIT training - what is it and why is it so much talked about? At its core, such training is a way to lose weight and get in shape as soon as possible. Despite the mysterious name, this is just a technique that allows you not to waste precious time and at the same time become the owner of a hardy and fit body. From the article you will learn what are the features, nuances and rules for performing HIIT training.

What is HIIT workout?

HIIT (HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training) is a method that involves alternating between short intense training phases and less heavy, recovery periods of physical activity.

To understand the essence of HIIT, it is enough to remember what marathon runners and sprinters look like. The first are hardy, but they are not an example to follow in the "design" plan. The bodies of the latter are not designed for long distances, but reflect the goals of most visitors to the gym of the stronger sex.

The essence of the training

An example of a HIIT is a combination of 15-second sprints with 45-second slow walking (or even resting) for 10-15 minutes. During high-intensity periods, unlike in the lighter phases, the body is fueled by energy from carbohydrates, not fat. The HIIT strategy is used in two main variants - cardio (aerobic) and power (anaerobic).

Normal cardio workouts are done at moderate intensity, with a heart rate (HR) of 60-70% of maximum. Such classes can last from 30-40 minutes or longer. Aerobic training burns fat directly during exercise.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is based on different principles. The minimum heart rate in the severe phase is 80% of the limit. The upper limit is 95%. The magnitude of the loads is determined both by sensations and by calculations. Depending on the heart rate and the type of activity, intensive phases can last from 5 seconds to a couple of minutes. After highly active sessions, recovery periods follow, the duration of which can be equal or longer (in rare cases, even shorter for experienced athletes).

During the recovery period, physical work takes place at 40-60% of the maximum heart rate. The duration of the HIIT workout is from 4 minutes to an hour. Most often, this training takes 15-30 minutes. Even very busy people can practice in this format, while quite rightly counting on a noticeable result.

The main difference between HIIT training and aerobic training is the type of calorie expenditure. Low-intensity cardio allows you to burn fat while exercising. With HIIT, most of the calories are consumed after exercise. At the same time, much less time is required to obtain a similar result.

Scientific background

HIIT training - what is it scientifically? HIIT triggers an intense oxygen scavenging effect that requires active fat burning. And this happens mostly during the recovery period. The effect is called EPOC.

Short sessions do not require excessive energy consumption, but post-workout processes lead to the burning of extra calories. The body begins to use glycogen stores in a different way. Metabolism changes at a fundamental level.

Many physical activity aficionados believe that low-intensity aerobic training is the most effective way to get rid of body fat. But numerous studies prove the benefits of HIIT.

Examples:

The convincing advantage of HIIT over aerobic training was demonstrated by Canadians back in 1994. One group of "experimental" 20 weeks trained in the classic cardiostyle. The second 15 weeks practiced HIIT. As a result, the aerobic group consumed 15,000 more calories directly during exercise than the HIIT athletes. But the final fat loss was higher in the second group.
At the beginning of the 2000s, the Australians selected 2 groups of women. The first group trained in an intensity mode of 60% of the maximum heart rate for 40 minutes. The second alternated 8 second sprints with 12 seconds rest for 20 minutes. Despite half the time spent, women exercising in a high-intensity regimen lost 6 times more fat.

HIIT interval training triggers metabolic changes in the body, which are reflected in the mechanism of fat oxidation. The latter are burned much faster. In addition, high-intensity training increases testosterone production (there is a number of studies on this topic). Hence the external difference between marathoners and sprinters - testosterone has a positive effect on the increase and maintenance of muscle mass (the latter is especially important when losing weight in a calorie deficit).

Basic training principles

HIIT is based on a combination of periods of high and moderate physical activity. One workout in this mode, on average, consists of 5-20 cycles. Both the duration of the cycles and their number are individual. Training parameters are tied to the goals and fitness level of the athlete.

The lesson is necessarily preceded by a warm-up that prepares the body for hard work. The final stage is a hitch, which brings the body out of stress. The intensive phase can last as long as the recovery phase, or less. Only well-trained athletes can practice the "easy phase is shorter than heavy" scheme.

Those who start HIIT are not advised to stay in an intense session for more than 15 seconds. At the same time, at the start, recovery should be given 2-5 times more time. The difference depends on exercise and fitness. As physical potential grows, the duration of the powerful phases increases, and the time difference between the types of sessions decreases.

The minimum working intensity is 80% of the maximum heart rate. Average recovery - 40-60%. Subjectively, the phases can be assessed as difficult / very difficult and easy enough to get rid of severe shortness of breath. But you don't have to rely on feelings.

There are 2 basic formulas for calculating the intensity of loads. When calculating, they are guided by the maximum heart rate, which in the general case can be calculated as follows:

Maximum heart rate (MHR) = 220 - the age of the trainee

More precise formulas are as follows:

For men: MHR = 208 - 0.7 x age
For women: MHR = 206 - 0.88 x age

Knowing the limiting heart rate, you can easily calculate the required degree of load.

An example of calculating the intensity:

Given: woman 30 years old, intensive phase - 85% of the maximum, recovery - 50%.
The heart rate of a hard session is (206- (0.88 * 30)) * 0.85 = 153.
Light phase heart rate - (206- (0.88 * 30)) * 0.5 = 90.

HIIT workouts are divided into 2 formats - strength and cardio. Several recommendations for both modes.

Power HIIT

Interval-style strength training can help you lose fat and tighten muscles. This option is most suitable for girls with little training experience at the stage of weight loss.

Experienced athletes with decent muscle mass on drying are recommended to combine classical strength training and HIIT cardio.

Such training will not lead to the desired result in only one case - with a diet that is far from adequate. After all, even despite the increased calorie consumption throughout the day after a HIIT workout, with a large daily calorie surplus, you will not be able to lose weight.

To get in shape, 2-3 sessions per week for 15-20 minutes are enough. Workouts can be done with any comfortable weights. Girls do not have to worry - gravity will not cause "male" muscles. Many experts recommend doing basic exercise - powerful multi-joint exercises. "Base" should be combined with a circular format - doing a set of exercises in a circle.

Basic rules of strength training in the HIIT style:

start from a comfortable scale (for example, from an empty bar), gradually increasing the load;
the intensity is increased by hanging pancakes and reducing the rest time between cycles;
you do not need to rest between exercises, recover between circles for 1-3 minutes;
you need to train at a high-speed pace, but not to the detriment of technique, at first you should master the scheme for performing each exercise well, preferably under the supervision of an instructor;
number of exercises in a circle - 5-7, number of repetitions - 5-8;
the number of laps in one lesson - 2-4;
the recommended workout duration is 15 minutes.

The program itself may look like this (you can do it both in the gym and at home - you only need dumbbells):

Exercise	Repetitions	A photo
Dumbbell Squats	5-8
Standing dumbbell press	5-8	© Fxquadro - stock.adobe.com
Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift	5-8
Push-ups from the floor (possible from the knees)	5-8
Dumbbell lunges	5-8	© Makatserchyk - stock.adobe.com
Dumbbell Row to Belt	5-8

Aerobic HIIT

There are endless numbers of aerobic HIIT workout programs. Choose one or more cardio exercises and alternate the load. You can work out at home, in the gym, in the pool, on the street - anywhere. Running, swimming, jumping, jumping rope, lunges, cycling - the choice is huge.

An example is the use of a treadmill. The scheme is simple - run at 80% of your maximum heart rate for 15 seconds, and then recover for 60 seconds in slow jogging or walking mode. Before the "race" do a warm-up, warm up the muscles and ligaments. For beginners, 8-10 laps are enough, that is, 10-12 minutes.

After passing the given cycles - a three-minute hitch. The entire workout at the start takes no more than 12-15 minutes. Gradually increase the load by increasing the number of laps and shortening the recovery phase. A more detailed program for 6 weeks will be presented below.

People without excellent physical fitness should not practice HIIT more than three times a week. More intense interval training will lead to overtraining. Symptoms hinting that it is time to reduce the number of classes, or even abandon HIIT for a while:

constant tiredness;
increased heart rate on rest days;
constant muscle pain.

In addition to training and recovery, nutrition plays a huge role, to which there is a whole section on our website. This is a separate topic, but one of the main aspects of losing weight is a daily calorie deficit and a competent combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. You should not completely abandon the latter - this way you will not have enough strength for training, recovery will slow down, and weight loss will be less effective. Use approximately the following combination of macronutrients: 2 grams of protein per kg of body weight, 0.8-1 grams of fat and 1.5-2 grams of carbohydrates per day.

Benefits and contraindications

The benefits of HIIT are many. Among them:

quick results;
increased endurance, strength and speed;
long-term metabolic effect;
improving the work of the cardiovascular system;
loss of appetite problems;
saving time.

HIIT workouts are not for the lazy. Having taken the HIIT path, you can forget about sluggish training. But isn't the result worth it? The described advantages of the format lead to one more advantage - psychological comfort. Exercise itself contributes to the production of happiness hormones, but the lasting psychological effect is more important. Having received a beautiful and strong body in a matter of months, it is impossible to remain at the same level of notoriousness. Physical performance boosts self-confidence.

Disadvantages of HIIT:

Contraindicated for those who suffer from diseases of the cardiovascular system. Contraindication is conditional, since interval training improves heart function. To understand whether it is possible to practice in this mode, you need to consult a doctor - everything is individual.
Not suitable for absolute beginners: there should be minimal training - this also applies to the body's ability to resist high loads, and technical skills, without which it is close to injury.

If you find yourself among those who are contraindicated in high-intensity training, do not despair. In our sections with complexes and crossfit exercises, you will choose a program for yourself with a suitable load.

Fat Burning Program

HIIT fat loss workouts are highly variable. An example is one of them, designed for 6 weeks. The program consists of three two-week phases. The duration of the periods is conditional - if you need more time to master the stage, it's okay. The reverse is also true.

As an exercise, choose any - riding a stationary bike, running, jumping rope, etc. You can make up a complex of several options for movements. It is more important to alternate the types of sessions and a gradual increase in the load from phase to phase:

Phase	Weeks	High intensity session	Recovery session	The number of cycles	Total time
1	1-2	15 seconds	60 seconds	10	12.5 minutes
2	3-4	30 seconds	60 seconds	10	15 minutes
3	5-6	30 seconds	30 seconds	15	15 minutes

Do not forget about classic strength training for successful preservation of muscle mass while drying.

Another option for training at home:

HIIT training is an effective but not universal type of training. Those who want to lose weight and tone their muscles as quickly as possible should pay attention to HIIT.