7 Reasons To Use High-Intensity Interval Training
High-Intensity Interval Training, also known as HIIT, is rapidly gaining popularity for its simple concept, yet mind-blowing results. As the name says it, HIIT involves any workout that will contain an alternation of a high-intensity burst of activity and very low intensity or even no workout at all. Your HIIT routine can be as simple as running full speed for 2 minutes and then walk slowly for three more minutes and then repeat this 5 minutes drill again. Sounds simple, isn’t it? Yet, it is very useful in shedding tons of fats in lesser time than traditional workout session.
Here are some of the benefits of High Intensity Interval Training:
- Helps in burning fat
A steady paced run on a treadmill or jogging for hours is nothing in comparison to HIIT drills done in say 20 minutes when it comes to stimulating your body’s repair cycle. The short and intense workouts involved in HIIT hyper-drives your body’s ability to burn fat at an exceedingly rapid rate. There are supplements found in peak nootropics which are also popular for fat burning without causing any adversity on muscle mass.
- Builds a healthier heart
Flexibility is important if you want your body to be fit and strong. The interesting thing is, for a healthy heart even, flexible and highly elastic arteries and veins are important. It is found that HIIT effectively works in this aspect and is more fruitful compared to normal aerobic exercise. The intense workout followed by an interval whenever you are out of your breath makes your heart pump faster, and that’s a good workout for your veins even.
- No equipment is essential
The baseline of HIIT is to get fit and flexible and not to make your biceps or chest grow in size. Hence, equipment is not at all necessary if HIIT is your workout routine. Jumping lunges, jump roping, running, biking; all these come under HIIT and where is the use of equipment in all these drills? HIIT drills make use of your body weight to get your heart rate pumping up and grow your core strength rather than concentrating on a particular muscle which is the case of using the equipment.
- Helps in increasing metabolism
The American College of Sports and Medicine found out that HIIT induces more oxygen intake than a traditional non-interval exercise routine. More oxygen for the body only means better functioning of your heart and body. Metabolism gets a boost owing to this sufficient oxygen supply. It is found out that rate of metabolism enhances from 90 minutes to 144 minutes after a session of HIIT due to this increased oxygen intake. And increased metabolism, in turn, induces burning off more calories quickly.
- It can be done anywhere
HIIT is a simple concept, and you can do it anywhere. The baseline is: choose your workout (e.g. running and jumping jacks in between) and give maximum effort in that till you lose your breath. Take a short break to recover and then repeat. The place is not a constraint for HIIT as it is highly unlikely that you can’t find a space for doing simple drills such as plyometric or high knees or ordinary push-ups/pull-ups.
- Helps to lose fat and not muscles
Most people who intend to lose weight generally end up losing muscles along with their fats when they follow a traditional non-interval workout routine. Even, taking up diet to lose weight leads to the similar result. This is where HIIT holds an upper hand. Weight training/HIIT ensures that major proportion of weight loss comes from fats stored on the body only. HIIT is undoubtedly the best option for dieters who are on the lookout to lose only fat when they are shedding pounds.
- It’s a challenging task
Since HIIT is a compact training session regarding duration; hence the drills must be taken in a challenging fashion. The format is short, and hence the whole session must be intense and hard. For seasoned exercisers, new challenges should be taken every day, and new exercisers find it extremely interesting right from the start. No one gets bored with HIIT, and that’s a sufficient reason to adopt it.
Brenan Quirante is a publisher at Peak Nootropics, a blog dedicated to supplements that enhance brain function. Peak Nootropics supplements ensure benefits such as enhanced learning and moods, improved memory, increased motivation in workouts, and much more. Connect with Peak Nootropics through Facebook and Twitter .