HIIT is a more efficient and time-efficient form of exercise that yet provides a variety of the same health benefits. Despite widespread agreement regarding exercise’s positive effects, many individuals still struggle to make time for it daily. High-intensity interval training has been gaining popularity as a means to get in shape. In this post, we will define HIIT, discuss its possible benefits, and explain how to begin HIIT training. Even though it’s common knowledge that exercise is beneficial, roughly 20% of the global population doesn’t get enough physical activity daily. In reality, that figure is closer to 80% alone in the United States. The greatest way to stay active, barring a physically demanding profession, is to commit to a regular fitness plan. But, many folks complain that they simply can’t fit in physical activity. Then perhaps it’s time to try out some high-intensity, short-interval exercise.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) refers to a kind of workout in which shorter bouts of intensive exercise are interspersed with longer periods of rest. High-intensity interval training has the potential to deliver significant health benefits in a short time. This article defines high-intensity interval training and discusses its seven most significant health advantages. Aerobic exercise, when practiced regularly, has been demonstrated to improve cardiovascular health, regulate blood sugar, and protect mental faculties over time. But just as there are a plethora of ways to exercise and maintain physical (and mental) health and fitness, so too are there a wide variety of ways to approach cardiovascular exercise. High-intensity interval training is a type of interval training that consists of repeated bouts of very intense activity followed by brief periods of rest, repeated until the participant is physically unable to go on.
What are the benefits of HIIT exercises?
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) refers to any workout routine that alternates between brief periods of very high effort and recovery or lower-intensity activity. Depending on the individual, the duration of the most strenuous physical activity may range from under 45 seconds to several minutes. After that, they might take a little nap or do some light stretching for a while before starting the cycle again. Even though a full HIIT workout just takes about fifteen to twenty minutes, you’ll reap numerous advantages. Shorter sessions can be a great option for folks who struggle to dedicate to longer ones. High-intensity interval training is convenient since it can be done anywhere, at any time, without special equipment or a gym membership. For “maximizing health results,” high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be preferable to moderate-intensity exercise.
Following are the benefits of HIIT workouts
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective way to rapidly shed pounds
Using HIIT is a great way to burn fat quickly. A study looked at how many calories were expended during Thirty minutes of high-intensity interval training, weightlifting, sprinting, and cycling. The study participants who engaged in HIIT lost 25-30% more weight than those who did not. Every HIIT repetition in this research involved going all out for 20 seconds immediately with 40 seconds of rest. The exercise time was thus reduced to a third of that of the sprinting and cycling groups. Even though each session lasted 30 minutes in this experiment, HIIT workouts are typically far shorter than conventional workouts. This is because, with HIIT, you may get comparable calorie burn in much less time. When compared to more conventional forms of exercise, HIIT has the potential to increase caloric expenditure or allow you to get similar results in a shorter period.
When you engage in high-intensity interval training, you boost your metabolism for hours
After exercise is over, you can continue to burn calories with HIIT. Multiple studies have shown that HIIT can significantly raise your resting metabolic rate for several hours following exercise. After exercising, HIIT has been shown to boost metabolism even more than running or weight training, according to some studies. The same research also revealed that HIIT could cause a metabolic switch that would have the body burning fat instead of carbohydrates for fuel. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can boost metabolism for a long time after you’ve finished your workout. Because of this, your body continues to use up calories even after you’ve stopped doing out.
The enhancement of heart and metabolic wellness
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) may benefit both healthy individuals and those with preexisting heart issues. It has the potential to enhance metabolic health indicators like blood pressure, glucose, and lipid profiles. Research conducted in 2015 indicated that a 10-week HIIT program resulted in cardiovascular and metabolic effects that were comparable to those of medium-activity workouts. Ninety sedentary people performed either high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or a more conventional mild continuous training program. While it requires a total of 128 minutes per week from its participants, the HIIT program only required 55 minutes.
Boosting emotional well-being
Though physical activity in general is thought to be beneficial, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be especially useful for psychological well-being. Researchers of a 2019 review write that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help those with mental health issues in several ways. Even though 12 papers were included in the review, the authors still felt the need to call for more rigorous studies to back up their claims. In 2015, researchers examined how high-intensity interval training (HIIT) affected patients with long-term schizophrenia. Several persons with psychiatric disorders reported feeling unmotivated to exercise and that doing so would take too much time, according to the study’s authors. Those who struggle to find the time or inclination to exercise may benefit from HIIT routines that are only a few minutes long. Patients at a psychiatric day treatment center participated in an 8-week high-intensity interval training research.
Saves time
While daily exercise has many positive effects, not everyone is interested in or capable of making the time for it. For many people, the absence of sufficient time is an obstacle. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a time-efficient form of physical activity that may appeal to persons who have trouble finding the time to work out regularly. A 2014 study found that even 30 minutes of dedication 3 times a week was effective. The study participants improved their heart and lung function, metabolic health (including cholesterol and blood pressure levels), muscle oxygenation, and exercise capacity (the degree to which the heart adapts to exercise) after just ten minutes of vigorous exercise during each of thirty – minute training. These positive effects were shown after just a few weeks of training in both healthy individuals and those with cardiac and metabolic disorders.
You may increase muscle by utilizing HIIT
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to aid in fat loss and may also assist some persons to gain muscle. However, the bulk of the muscle development takes place in the trunk and the legs because these are the body parts that get the greatest exercise. In addition, those who were less athletic, to begin with, benefit more from efforts to improve muscle mass. However, not all studies of active persons find that HIIT leads to increased muscle mass. High-intensity interval training may not be as effective as weight training for building muscle, but it may help. The introduction of HIIT into an inactive person’s routine may result in some muscle growth, but not nearly as much as lifting weights.
High-intensity interval training might increase O2 consumption
Muscle oxygen uptake measures how efficiently your muscles utilize oxygen. Increasing your O2 intake is a common goal of intense exercise. Long periods of constant jogging or cycling at a decent pace are the traditional form of this. The advantages of exercise take years to accumulate, whereas HIIT seems to accomplish this in a fraction of the time. Researchers observed that people who engaged in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for 20 minutes four times a week for five weeks saw a 9 percent increase in their oxygen intake. Oxygen intake was observed to rise by roughly 25% after 8 weeks of typical workout or HIIT on the mechanical cycle. Again, the amount of time spent practicing between the two groups: 80 mins max per week for the conventional exercise group and just sixty minutes per week for the HIIT group. More evidence shows that HIIT can raise O2 consumption.
High-intensity interval training lowers blood sugar
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) regimens that last fewer than 12 weeks have been shown to lower blood sugar. Compared to more conventional forms of continuous exercise, HIIT not only lowers blood sugar but also increases insulin sensitivity, according to a meta-analysis of 50 research. This data suggests that people at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes may benefit especially from engaging in vigorous physical activity. Some studies have shown that HIIT is beneficial in lowering blood sugar in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, studies conducted on healthy participants suggest that HIIT may be more effective than steady-state cardio at lowering insulin sensitivity.
The Bottom Line
A lot of people may be falling short of the weekly goal of 150 minutes of light workout. Time constraints are one factor among many that may be at play. It has been shown that the chance of developing certain diseases is increased by a lack of regular physical activity. In HIIT, you work out in bursts of great intensity followed by brief recovery intervals. As a result of the high intensity of the workout, HIIT sessions can last as little as 15-30 minutes, but still offer the same or greater benefits as longer durations of moderate-intensity exercise. Since HIIT doesn’t need any special tools, it can be done anywhere, at any time. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to have positive effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health, body fat percentage, and psychological well-being.
When compared to other forms of exercise, high-intensity interval training may result in a greater caloric expenditure. The increased metabolic rate that follows high-intensity interval training can account for some of the calories burnt in the hours that follow a workout. In general, the health advantages of HIIT are similar to those of other forms of exercise, but they are achieved in a shorter amount of time. Those advantages include a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a lower risk of obesity, and a lower risk of gaining weight. Blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity may both benefit from HIIT. After 8 weeks of HIIT, patients with Parkinson’s disease reported significantly improved muscle flexibility and comfort, according to a recent study conducted in Poland. Always check in with a physician or sports injury hospital before beginning high-intensity interval training if you are currently dealing with pain.
Sirisha B