What are HIIT workouts?
In this busy and happening world, we are so focused on achieving a successful career that we end up sidelining our health and fitness. Exercising is very important for a healthy lifestyle but managing your time is not an easy task. Enter HIIT workouts.
High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT are workouts that are done as shortly as likely so that you can tune back to your busy life as soon as possible. HIIT workouts are short and effective. This means you will be nudging your body to the farthest extent for a short duration, then rest and repeat. That is it, you are done for the day!
Who can do a HIIT workout?
You don’t have to be an athlete to be doing HIIT workouts, they are for everyone. But if you are new to this, you should consult a fitness professional for precautions. If you want to increase your cardiovascular fitness while decreasing body fat, you should give this training style a try.
If you are a beginner, you should do a HIIT workout twice or thrice a week, if you are not investing your time in any other form of training. Gradually, as you will get more used to the workout, you can do it five times a week. HIIT workouts can be four minutes long or thirty minutes long, depending entirely on you. If you are a beginner, look for 10-15 minutes workouts to start.
It is advised to establish your work and rest periods depending on your present fitness level. If you are a beginner, try commencing with a 1:4 work to rest ratio, that is, if you workout for 15 seconds, you should rest for a minute. As you get used to the training, you can reduce the ratio to 1:2, that is, for a 30-second workout followed by one minute of rest.
Benefits of HIIT Training
HIIT workouts are for everyone and they are very beneficial. These are some of the benefits of HIIT training:
- HIIT workouts can help you burn calories fast: According to research, HIIT burns 25–30% more calories than the other forms of exercise.
- Increases metabolic rate for a long period: HIIT helps you burn calories after you are done exercising due to high intensity.
- HIIT can help you lose fat: According to research, HIIT is considered to be most effective for fat loss for obese and overweight people.
- It can improve oxygen intake: Due to the high intensity, your muscles can use more oxygen, hence increasing your oxygen intake.
- Decreases blood sugar level: It doesn’t just reduce blood sugar but also improves insulin resistance. Making it possible that HIIT is helpful for those at risk for type 2 diabetes.
Conclusion
Everyone is so busy with their work lives these days that they tend to forget about their fitness and health. This is where HIIT training comes in. HIIT workouts are a short and effective way of staying fit. They can help you burn calories quickly, increase your metabolism, lose fat and have proven helpful for people dealing with the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Sources:
- https://www.sweat.com/blogs/fitness/hiit-for-beginners
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-hiit
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