High Intensity Interval Training: Why is it So Effective?
High Intensity Interval Training: Why is it So Effective?
by Aaron Ivey ATC, CSCS
The comparisons between high intensity short duration exercise (HIT) and low to moderate intensity long duration exercise (LSD) continue to spark conversation and controversy. While there is no doubt that research suggests long, slow endurance type training does have some benefits, can high intensity training be more effective for the average person?
This article is meant to outline why high intensity interval training workouts are the effective alternative to long, slow exercise. I will outline 6 reasons why interval training is so effective for fat loss, increased cardiovascular conditioning and general health.
1. Muscle changes: As the intensity of a particular activity increases, more muscle fibers are needed to perform the activity. The highly intense nature of HIT elicits rapid changes in muscle chemistry to be able to tolerate such an increase in recruitment.
2. Increase fat utilization: HIT contractions stimulate nerve pathways that increase the amount of energy producing structures (mitochondria) in muscle fibers. These are the structures responsible for burning fat.
3. Time efficient: Some studies have used training protocols as short as 4 minutes of total workout time and produced similar, if not better, results than LSD training. The average HIT workout usually lasts about 20 minutes. That is 40 minutes less than the recommended time to complete an LSD workout. I do not about you but I would rather be finished in 1/3 of the time and get even better results.
4. After burners: HIT has been shown to increase metabolism for hours after the workout ended. LSD effects usually stop after you are done with your workout. Though it is difficult to get an exact number, some research suggests that even more calories are burned in the hours after a workout than were burned during the workout.
5. Range of populations: HIT can be performed by a range of populations from the elite athlete to someone recovering from coronary artery disease. Research is now showing effective results for cardiac rehabilitation by using HIT. Granted the intensity is not going to be the same for the cardiac patient and the elite athlete, but the principle remains. Even the out of shape, obese person is more likely to tolerate 30 seconds of high intensity than 60 minutes of running on a treadmill.
6. Long-term adherence: Because HIT workouts can be done quickly and show results within as little as 2 weeks, those that use HIT are more likely to continue a training program than those who start an LSD training program. Not to mention, there are more exercise possibilities to reduce boredom with HIT program.
HIT has been shown consistently to effectively reduce fat, get in shape, and make necessary changes within the muscles to allow for greater well being. HIT can be used by nearly everyone in one form or another and provides enough variety to prevent boredom and increase the likelihood of long term adherence.
interval trainingDo You Really Need “Cardio” Workouts?
Do You Really Need “Cardio” Workouts?
by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
Author: The Truth About Six Pack Abs
In this article, I have an intriguing discussion about cardio workouts, which will hopefully get you thinking differently, and trying new things.
You may know I’ve been called the anti-cardio guy before, but this week I’m back posing the question to you… Do you really need cardio training to get lean and in great shape? By the way, you’ll see in a minute that I’m not really “anti-cardio”, just “anti traditional cardio”.
Most fitness buffs, weekend warriors, or anyone trying to get in shape or lose body fat, consider it a fact that they need “cardio” exercise to accomplish these goals. They would never even question it. However, I’m not only questioning it, I’m going to refute it! In fact, you may be surprised to know that some of the leanest and meanest people I know (men and women), NEVER do any type of normal or traditional cardio. And I’ve spent over 15 years working out in various gyms, and hanging out with athletes of all sorts, so I’ve seen it all.
I will say that there can be a place for low-moderate level cardio for really overweight or deconditioned people, but even in those cases, there can be more effective methods.
But what exactly is “cardio”? Most people would consider cardio to be pumping away mindlessly on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or coasting on an elliptical machine, while watching the TV screen at their state of the art gym. This is what I call “traditional cardio”. Hmmm, no wonder the majority of people get bored with their workouts and give up after a couple months without seeing results.
But if you look closer, “cardio” exercise can be considered any type of exercise or activity that strengthens the cardiovascular system. I’m not going to get into anything technical like increasing your VO2 max or anything like that. To keep it simple, if it gets your heart pumpin, and gets you huffin and puffin, it’s cardio. I don’t care if you’re holding dumbbells or a barbell and everyone calls it a weight training exercise…it’s still conditioning your heart.
Let’s take a look at a couple examples. Take a barbell (or dumbbell, or kettlebell) clean & press for example, which involves lifting a barbell from the floor up to shoulders, then push pressing overhead. And listen up ladies, because even though this is usually seen as a manly exercise, it doesn’t matter if you’re not lifting 250 lbs; if 45 lbs is challenging to you, then you will still benefit just as much.
At first glance, most people think of the barbell C&P only as a weight training exercise or strength exercise. However, I challenge you to do a hard set of around 10-15 reps on the C&P. If you used a challenging enough weight, what you’ll find is that your heart rate is probably up to about 80-90% of your recommended max, and you are huffing and puffing like you just ran a 100-meter sprint (which by the way, sprinting kicks the crap out of jogging any day if you want the easiest way to lose the flab).
Try the same thing for a set of 20 reps of one-arm snatches or swings with each arm with a kettlebell or dumbbell, and tell me your legs aren’t burning, heart racing, and you’re gasping for breath. How about trying 5 minutes straight of bodyweight squats, lunges, and pushups with very little rest. Again, notice your heart pounding, sweat pouring off of you, and chest heaving for breaths!
Try and tell me you’re not conditioning your heart with this style of training! Conventional thinking says that these are weight training or strength training exercises. However, they are fullfilling your cardio workout needs as well.
Not only do you save time, but you strengthen and condition almost every muscle in your entire body with these full body exercises if you do them with enough intensity…something that can’t be said for that boring stationary bike ride or treadmill jaunt while reading or watching TV. Seriously, if you can read or watch TV while doing any exercise, you’re not concentrating enough on what you’re doing, plus you’re probably not working out hard enough to see any real results.
I challenge you to give the “traditional cardio” a rest for a month or two, and start training the way I explain in my internationally-selling Truth about Six pack Abs Program, and see how you start getting leaner, more defined, and your six pack starting to show through what used to be stubborn stomach fat deposits.
Interval Training More Effective Than Cardio?
Interval Training Workouts Prove to be More Effective Than Long Slow Cardio
by Aaron Ivey
When it comes to measuring athletic performance and endurance performance, the maximal rate of oxygen absorption into the muscles (VO2max) is the most recognized test. Greater VO2max usually means you are in greater cardiovascular condition. This can become an advantage in sports as well as in everyday life. You may not be competing against another team or opponent, you may be competing with your own body. So what is the best way to increase your VO2max? Researchers in Norway may have the answer.
They examined 4 different types of exercise protocols ranging from aerobic training to high intensity interval training. Each group trained for 8 weeks 3 times per week.
Group 1 trained for 45 minutes of running on the treadmill at 70% of their maximal heart rate.
Group 2 trained at lactate threshold (~85% of maximum heart rate) for 24.25 minutes.
Group 3 trained using intervals at 15 seconds of high intensity (90-95%) of heart rate maximum for 47 repetitions. The total time of the training for this group was the same as for group 2.
Group 4 trained using 4 sets of intervals for 4 minutes at 90-95% of heart rate maximum. This group rested for 3 minutes at 70% of heart rate maximum in between each repetition.
The Results:
The VO2max in groups 3 and 4 increased by 5.5% and 7.2% respectively. Groups 1 and 2 showed no significant improvement in VO2max. Another interesting finding was that the volume of blood that the heart pumped with each beat increased with groups 3 and 4.
So, there you have it! Research, again, suggests that interval training is more effective for improving aerobic endurance than traditional long slow steady cardio training.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39 no4 Ap 2007 pp 665-671If you are looking to achieve this level of success, get your instant download of Turbulence Training by following this link to the official Turbulence Training website.
Fat Burning Bodyweight Circuit Exercises
Fat Burning Bodyweight Circuit Exercises
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss
When you travel, you worry about missing your workouts and eating poorly…So you must plan ahead for both (apples and almonds for planes, trains, & automobiles)…and bodyweight circuits for “no-equipment fat burning”.
And while I have bodyweight exercises that are just as hard as the bench press and barbell squat in one of my bodyweight workouts, today we’ll focus on replacing intervals with bodyweight circuits.
To do a bodyweight circuit…
a) Pick 3 lower body exercises
b) Pick 3 upper body exercises
c) Alternate between a lower and upper body exercise without rest, till you are done all 6 exercises
d) Rest a minute.
e) Repeat 2-3 more times until you are done 20 minutes
For example, this is a great circuit that doesn’t need any equipment
1) Prisoner Squat (12 repetitions)
2) Elevated Pushups (8 reps per side)
3) Single-Leg Deadlift (10 reps per side)
4) Close-grip Pushups (As many reps as possible)
5) Jumping Jacks (30-60 reps)
6) Cross-Body Mountain Climber (12 reps per side)
Whew. That’s pretty advanced…for a beginner, we’d slow it down like this and take some breaks between exercises…
1) Wall Squat (8 reps)
2) Kneeling Elevated Pushup (5 reps per side)
3) Lying 1-leg Hip Extension (8 reps per side)
4) Plank (30 second hold)
5) Jumping Jacks (5-10 reps)
6) Side Plank (15 second hold per side)
Safe travels, and of course, always check with your doctor before beginning a fat burning bodyweight circuit exercise program.
Advanced Bodyweight Circuit Workout
About the Author
Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training for Fat Loss
