High Intensity Interval Training

Summary High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a cardio method used to aid in burning calories through boosting your metabolism. HIIT consists of alternating between sprinting and walking for 20 minutes, rather than the typical jogging cardio most people are sucked into.  HIIT is highly effective because it increases your RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) for up to 24 times as long as traditional, long aerobic workouts.  Your body consumes much more oxygen because it attempts to adapt to the exercise you performed, hence increasing the number of calories you burn for 24-48 hours, whereas traditional aerobic workouts only increase your RMR for 1-2 hours. This boost in calories burned is perfect for lean muscle gain, because it shreds the fat--just make sure you are sticking to your weightlifting routine or you will get a skinny appearance rather than lean.

Here is an example of the HIIT workout that I perform 2-3 times a week on a treadmill:

The speeds at which I workout are based on me being 5'7.  If you are taller, or shorter, I would suggest altering your speed according to what feels comfortable for your legs.

Workout Length: 20 minutes

Walk at 3.5 mph for 3 minutes (warm up)

Sprint at 7.5 mph for 2 minutes

[5 minutes]

Walk at 3.5 mph for 3 minutes 

[8 minutes]

Sprint at 9.5 mph for 1 minute

Walk at 3.5 mph for 1.5 minutes

[10:30 minutes]

Sprint at 7.5 mph for 1 minute

Walk at 3.5 mph for 1.5 minutes

[13 minutes]

Sprint at 9.5 mph for 1 minute

Walk at 3.5 mph for 1.5 minutes

[15:30 minutes]

Sprint at 7.5 mph for 1 minute

Walk at 3.5 mph for 1.5 minutes

[18 minutes]

Sprint at 9.5 mph for 1 minute

Walk at 3.5 mph for 3 minutes (cool down)

[22 minutes]

Just Dance 2: HIIT

From the moment I slid the disc into my Wii, I could feel an electric pulse surging through my body. With the assistance of my wife I played through ten songs, stopping for mere seconds between each song for a breather. This is a perfect HIIT workout, I burn about 300 calories in 30-45 minutes (depending on the song selection)--not to mention the significant boost HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) gives your metabolism. I played for about 30 minutes using my HRM during the 'Just Sweat' mode. My Heart Rate Monitor showed that I burned roughly 250 calories, while my sweat count was around 2400. So every ten sweat points represents roughly one calorie. One of the most difficult aspects of cardio (especially for myself) is to keep it interesting. It's easy to lose focus, when your running nowhere on a treadmill. This game is FUN? Straight up. Everyone who has played this at my house leaves saying, "Man, I'm gonna buy a Wii just so I can play this game!" From Avril Lavigne to Beastie Boys to Cher to Elvis to James Brown to Jackson 5 to Rolling Stones, this game has it all. Whatever you feel like dancing to, Just Dance caters to your desires. I highly recommend at least trying this game out for your cardio workouts. Not necessarily as an every-day cardio substitute, but it's nice to mix things up every once in a while. Give it a try, and let me know how it goes for you!
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