What is a HIIT Workout?

HIIT is an abbreviation for High Intensity Interval Training.

Basically its a series of short bursts of hard core, pushing yourself full out intervals in which you work as hard as you possibly can work for up to one minute followed by a period of (active) recovery.

You are then your rewarded with not only the satisfaction of making it through such a hard core interval, but you get a period of recovery.

The only catch it you must remain active . . . just keep moving at a lower intensity.  Walk around the room, grab a drink, give yourself a high five or a nice pat on the back, anything, just keep moving. Let your heart rate come down a little, then repeat!

HIIT workouts are usually much shorter in duration (love) but they have an added bonus, a secret weapon if you will . . .

Are you ready for it?

HIIT training boosts your metabolism not only while your working out but it will continue to burn hundreds and hundreds of calories at this elevated rate for hours (I’m talking like 24 hours!).

Yes you read that right.

Even while you are sitting around doing nothing, your resting metabolic rate will remain elevated, burning a higher amount of calories.

HIIT training has been proven to burn nine times the amount of fat as working out for longer periods of time at a “steady state” (jogging, for example).

Although HIIT workouts are generally shorter in duration studies have shown that they burn the same amount (if not more) calories in the same time as your longer, less intense workout.

Not only does HIIT training burn more fat, it will also increase your cardiovascular fitness. This means you are able to take in more oxygen during exercise (or any activity of daily living) which in turn makes all of your other workouts, not to mention generally duties (aka chasing your little ones, doing groceries etc), much easier.

So let me ask you this: Are you willing to push yourself, full out, as hard as you can to enable your body to burn more fat, function more efficiently and make every day activates easier, in less time that your normal hour long workout?

Here are a few examples for you to try out after a good five minute warm up. Each High intensity component should last 30-90 seconds with a 30-60 second recovery time and repeat 5-10 times each:

– Running sprints followed by a jogging/walking recovery

– Burpees followed by a walking recovery

– Stair climb followed by a jogging recovery

– Skipping followed by a jogging/walking recovery

– boxing drills (punching, increasing punch reps up to 20) followed by moderate/lower speed/intensity skipping recovery.

– cycling sprints followed by less intense, slower paced recovery.

– Swimming freestyle (or any stroke) sprints followed by breast stroke or even walking in the water recovery.

– Then there is always Chalene’s HIIT workouts – Ummm are you kidding me? I die!

You can make anything into a HIIT workout, be creative, find something you really enjoy, make sure you challenge yourself. You will be amazed at what your capable of. Seriously, our bodies are cah-razy cool and super strong, why not test its limits? I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

Always make sure you give your body a good cool down and stretch, not only does it feel ah-mazing but it will help to minimize muscle soreness/stiffness.

So what do you say, will you accept the challenge? You can do it! What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger right? Strong is the new skinny right??!!