Introduction
If I could give you two words you could use to ignite fat burning, speed up your metabolism, and guide you toward your goals, those two words would be “interval training.” To put you on the right path, you will need knowledge; a good explanation of what interval training is, how it works and how to perform interval training routines.
Interval training is simply performing an exercise at a high-intensity level for a specific period of time, followed by a recovery period. In general, the recovery period is long enough for the heart rate to return to near normal.
What is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?
High-intensity interval training is interval training “on steroids.” The exercise interval is at an intensity level of 80-90%, while the recovery interval is at a moderate level. If you can survive the intensity, you will find yourself engaged in the most efficient method of burning fat and improving your performance in your sport, regardless of what sport it is. HIIT will definitely increase your endurance.
Fat Burning with Interval Training What if you could burn more fat by exercising less? You may! The interval is the best exercise routine that exists to burn fat. Where people have gotten confused is that the most important thing is how much fat is burned during exercise. The effectiveness of interval training is that you burn more fat when you are NOT exercising. In fact, you can continue to burn fat for up to 36 hours after you finish exercising.
Make hard training easier
Some people have difficulty with this type of training due to the intensity. I’m not talking about people who are so sedentary that they can’t tolerate interval training. I am referring to those who lack concentration or simply have trouble maintaining it. Companies like Workout Muse and Cardiomixes Fitness have downloadable music recorded specifically for interval training. This music is structured in intervals of 60 seconds, 30 seconds and Tabata intervals. There are also interval timers and interval settings on the watches, I use a Timex Triathlon, which will keep you on track while providing your own music or TV show to drown out your heavy breathing and moaning.
How to start
First, if you haven’t been exercising or are a beginner, see your doctor. Next, you’ll need to choose an exercise that meets two criteria: 1) it must engage major or multiple muscle groups to get your heart rate up. 2) It should be an exercise that you can physically tolerate. What I mean by this is that if you have, for example, knee problems, you may not want to choose running and instead opt for an elliptical trainer or stationary bike. The sky is the limit, so be creative. Now what you want to do is complete 8 exercise intervals in which your effort is 8 out of 10 with 0 being totally at rest and 10 exerting yourself as if you were being chased by Godzilla. Let your exercise interval last 30 seconds. As a beginner, your rest period can take quite a while and should be as long as it takes for your heart rate to return to near normal. DO this routine 3 times a week. As time goes on, you will find that your exercise interval will get shorter and shorter as your recovery time decreases. Your ultimate goal will be to get to the point where you can do a Tabata; 8 intervals of 30 seconds with a rest interval of 15 seconds!
You are now armed with the information you need to get all the fat off. To provide variety and surprise your system, switch exercises every few weeks. By using this method, you will be well on your way to shedding fat.
