Five reasons to try HIIT for your next workout

When you hire a local personal trainer to improve your fitness levels or to lose weight, they may suggest HIIT, or high intensity interval training. But you’re probably wondering what HIIT is and whether it’s really the right form of exercise for you. Click here to find a personal trainer near you.

What is HIIT?

High intensity interval training, or HIIT, involves short intense bursts of exercise followed by an even shorter period of rest. Each exercise is performed at maximum intensity for between 30 and 60 seconds.

HIIT can be challenging due to the high levels of intensity but it gives your entire body a great workout and is extremely beneficial for your health. This is why it's recommended by so many of the best personal trainers.

Here are five reasons to try HIIT for your next workout.

HIIT burns more calories

During your workout, you’ll burn around the same number of calories that you would doing any other type of cardio workout such as running. However, the fluctuation in your heart rate during HIIT means that your body will continue to burn calories for longer after you finish your workout.

This process is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC occurs when your body continues to burn calories after the exercise finishes to heal the wear and tear of the workout and to strengthen and grow the muscles. It’s especially common with these types of workouts due to the high intensity of the exercise.

HIIT helps to speed up weight loss

As HIIT burns more calories than other forms of exercise, it can be a more effective workout for weight loss. In fact, The British Journal of Sports Medicine published a study in 2019 which found that people who did HIIT workouts lost 28.5% more fat than those who did moderately-intense exercise such as running.

HIIT workouts help to build muscle

HIIT workouts typically involve alternating between different types of movements, allowing you to work many different muscle groups in one workout. For example, a HIIT workout may include squats, sit ups, push ups and star jumps.

This type of training is known to boost muscular endurance because your muscles don’t have a chance to rest during the workout. This will help to build your muscles quickly.

HIIT improves circulation

Heart disease is responsible for over a quarter of deaths each year in the UK. Your heart pumps blood around the body through the circulatory system, delivering oxygen and other nutrients to your muscles. Improving your circulation can help to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Research has proven that HIIT workouts can improve your circulation. A study published in the Science and Sport journal in 2017 found that school children who did such workouts improved their cardiorespiratory capacity and lost more fat than their peers who did traditional exercise.

HIIT workouts can lower blood pressure

Studies have shown that high intensity interval training can also help to reduce your blood pressure – a further risk factor for heart disease.

A study published in Experimental Gerontology in 2017 asked a group of 39 men, aged 56 to 68, to participate in a HIIT workout five days a week for six weeks. At the end of the study, the men had “clinically relevant improvements in blood pressure”.

To sum up

High intensity interval training, or HIIT, is not for everyone. It can be challenging, especially if you aren’t used to doing that type of workout. However, under the watchful eye of personal training, high intensity interval training can have many benefits, from faster weight loss and improved muscle tone to improved circulation and lower blood pressure.