I personally am a huge fan of interval training. I have been completing Amanda Bisk’s program which is based around interval training.

Today I did a pretty tough leg session at the gym and followed it with some HIIT.

My typical HIIT session (recently) starts consists of 30 seconds of sprinting on the treadmill and 30 seconds of rest. This is pretty intense, however I like a good challenge so I start my sprint on 13.5 for 2 sprinting intervals, then 14 for 2 sprinting intervals, then 14.5 for 2 sprinting intervals and then for the last 4 intervals I start at 15 and increase by 0.5 each interval and I run for 45seconds for my last interval.

As I said I use a treadmill for HIIT training and I jump on and off the treadmill around my intervals. However, you don’t always have to use a treadmill, you could use a bike, rowing machine, a stepper, or even do sprint/walk intervals on the road. 

Once I have done this I walk for a while to cool down.

I also like to do intervals of 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off, this really gets you sweating and your heart rate up fast and would be ideal for a 10 minute session.

I was told by one of my Personal Trainer friends once that if you do HIIT for 10-20 minutes after a tough weights session, then this will increase the amount of fat burned during your recovery. It is ideal, however, to do HIIT after high rep weights training (8 reps or more) as this helps to increase your endurance.

Completing any type of cardio before weights uses up glycogen stores in the muscles, which means there is less available to use while lifting weights, and hence you will reduce the weight you can lift and also how many reps.

Why do HIIT training?

• Requires less time than traditional cardio
• Preserves muscle mass because it is an anaerobic activity
• Increases your aerobic capacity – this is really good for distance runners, who can incorporate HIIT training into their program to help boost their fitness without having to run 10km
• Increases VO2 Max – this is your maximum oxygen uptake (L/Min/Kg)
• Increases the flexibility and elasticity of arteries and vein

 

HIIT training requires you to put in your best effort into every interval for the best results, or else there is no point in doing it. If you aren’t dripping in sweat afterwards then you haven’t worked hard enough.

HIIT Program

Here is a quick HIIT workout for the treadmill

1. 10 seconds on 50 seconds off
2. 20 seconds on 40 seconds off
3. 30 seconds on 30 seconds off
4. 40 seconds on 20 seconds off
5. 50 seconds on 10 seconds off

repeat this 5 times.

 

 

Love Caite xx

Weights before cardio

HIIT benefits