HIIT Workout: What it is and How to Do it Properly
There’s a workout regimen out there for everyone, and figuring out what works best for you might take some experimentation. If you visit a gym, you’ll likely notice that people tend to gravitate towards the same kind of workouts. Then, there’s the hard-core weightlifters, the steady treadmill walkers and the sociable people who love group fitness classes.
While all of these exercises are great, they tend to only hit specific goals. If you’re looking to rev up your fitness routine, then exploring what a HIIT workout involves and how to do it properly can give you an edge for getting in shape.
Gain a Better Understanding of the HIIT Workout Meaning
At its core, high intensity interval training (HIIT) involves performing exercises at an intense level for short bursts of time. Those periods of intense activity are then followed by a short recovery period where you do a lower-intensity exercise. Alternating between high and low intensity exercises challenges your body to work harder by increasing the need for oxygen.
As you use up oxygen during the intense parts of your workout, your heart and lungs will work harder to get it to the rest of your body during your recovery time. This will enable you to burn more calories and build muscle in a compact workout. HIIT workouts also provide several other important benefits that make giving this type of workout a try:
- Get a full workout in half the time compared to other forms of exercise
- Maintain a higher metabolic rate for hours after your workout
- Improve critical fitness markers by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels
- Break through fitness ruts when boredom is a problem
Jump into Doing HIIT Workouts at Home
One of the biggest benefits of high intensity interval training is that it requires no major investment to start doing. Some of the best workouts rely upon your body weight or can be done with minimal equipment such as hand weights. Be sure to warm up before HIIT to help prevent any injuries during your workout.
Your first step is to determine which types of exercise you want to use for the high intensity part of your workout. At home, you can choose to do body weight exercises such as push ups, lunges and squats. Throwing in some burpees can even help you burn 240 to 355 calories in a half hour.
If you happen to have home gym equipment available, then you can do rows, ride a stationary bike or add some stair climbs to your routine. Once you’ve got an idea of what you want to do, make sure to put together your gear.
Wearing comfortable clothing helps you to stay safe, and our socks with infrared technology can maximize the intensity of your workout by getting your blood flowing. Finish up your plans by keeping some water nearby for hydration. You’ll want to take some serious sips during your recovery periods.
Hit Your Goals with a HIIT Workout Plan
There are several important things that you need to know about how to plan your workout properly. First, you don’t want to overdo it. If you’re new to strenuous exercise, then you may only want to do one of these workouts a week. Once your body gets used to it, you can then start leaving just three to four days of rest between your HIIT workouts.
You’ll also want to identify your target heart rate. For this type of training to work right, you’ll want to get your heart rate to around 70 to 85% of its maximum. At this point, you should find it hard to talk as you work out. You’ll also be breathing heavy and feel like you are at your peak exertion level.
Finally, you’ll want to plan for how you want to do your intervals. For true HIIT workouts, you’ll want to use a 1:1 ratio. This means that if you work out at high intensity for 30 seconds, then you’ll do a 30 second recovery period right after. Many athletes increase the ratio to 1:5 to include a longer rest period. This action makes it possible to go all out during the high intensity portion of the workout, which is ideal if you are training for a sport that requires explosive power moves.
Run through These Best HIIT Workouts for Beginners
As a beginner, using your body weight is one of the best ways to prevent injuries. You can pick and choose from these exercises to create a circuit for your HIIT training.
- Body weight squats
- Burpees
- Mountain climbers
- Alternating lunges
- High knees
You’ll do each of these exercises for 30 seconds for as fast as you can, while still maintaining proper form. After each 30 second interval, spend the next 30 seconds resting or walking in place.
If you have a stationary bike or rowing machine, then you can do a simple workout by using it at full capacity for 30 seconds and resting for another 30. Remember that you can increase the length of your recovery periods if you want to push yourself harder during the high intensity portion of your workout.
As you put together your workout, remember that HIIT programs work by keeping your body guessing what will happen next. Make sure to mix it up from time to time.
Doing a bodyweight workout one day followed by another one a few days later that uses free weights or a rowing machine pushes your strength and stamina in different ways. Take note of how you feel throughout any new workout so that you can adjust your intervals accordingly.
Are you ready to jump into one of the most effective fitness trends? Don’t forget the importance of dressing the part from head to toe. TRUEENERGY® socks help to increase blood circulation through your body so that you get the most benefits from getting your heart rate up.