HIIT advice. How long at high intensity?

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  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    edited March 2015
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    To introduce some science into the discussion... :wink:
    (For those who haven't heard of it before, PubMed is a database for science articles. You can search by key words, date of publication, language, etc. It frequently has links to the full text, sometimes free.)


    DEC 2012
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23210120
    Evidence based exercise - clinical benefits of high intensity interval training
    Aerobic exercise has numerous benefits for high-risk populations and such benefits, especially weight loss, are amplified with HIIT. High intensity interval training involves repeatedly exercising at a high intensity for 30 seconds to several minutes, separated by 1-5 minutes of recovery (either no or low intensity exercise).
    So there's your answer about how long to make the exercise & rest periods.
    That link to the abstract provides a link to the free full text if you're interested.


    12FEB15
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25675374
    EPOC Comparison Between Isocaloric Bouts of Steady-State Aerobic, Intermittent Aerobic, and Resistance Training
    Excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) is dependent on intensity, duration, and mode of exercise. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of both exercise mode and intensity on EPOC while controlling for caloric expenditure and duration ... Both [weightlifting] and [HIIT] aerobic work increased EPOC to a greater degree than did SS work, indicating that either mode may be more effective at increasing total daily caloric expenditure than SS aerobic exercise.


    AUG 2014
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24905559
    Running sprint interval training induces fat loss in women
    Fifteen recreationally active women ... completed 6 weeks of running [sprint interval training] (4 to 6, 30-second "all-out" sprints on a self-propelled treadmill separated by 4 min of rest performed 3 times per week). Training decreased body fat mass by 8.0% ... waist circumference by 3.5% ... it increased fat-free mass by 1.3% ... maximal oxygen consumption by 8.7% ... and peak running speed by 4.8% ... Running [sprint interval training] is a time-efficient strategy for decreasing body fat while increasing aerobic capacity, peak running speed, and fat-free mass in healthy young women.


    JUN 1998
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9665667
    A role for high intensity exercise on energy balance and weight control
  • getalife9353
    getalife9353 Posts: 100 Member
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    MKEgal wrote: »
    To introduce some science into the discussion... :wink:
    (For those who haven't heard of it before, PubMed is a database for science articles. You can search by key words, date of publication, language, etc. It frequently has links to the full text, sometimes free.)


    Thank You for providing the links to published articles.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Thanks for this. I have no idea how to cardio.
  • stellet_licht
    stellet_licht Posts: 33 Member
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    MKEgal wrote: »
    To introduce some science into the discussion... :wink:
    (For those who haven't heard ]

    Yes, thank you!
  • tallcloudy
    tallcloudy Posts: 5 Member
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    I also use the elliptical for HIIT I warm up for 3 mins then increase the resistance to max and push hard for as long as takes to get me to 170 bpm then back down again until 150 bpm I continue with this for 20 minutes.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    That article is full of Wrong.

    Care to tell us why? Just saying somehing is wrong doesnt make it so. the workouts were just to show the OP he was along the right lines.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 9,627 Member
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    Some will say it's not true HIIT if you aren't going all-out for the "high" portion. Personally, when I say high/low I mean there's a large degree of intensity separating the two extremes. I may not be running as fast as I possibly can for my high, but if I run at 6mpm (minutes per mile) compared to walk at 30mpm, that's a large separation in my book (numbers chosen for example purposes only).

    That said, on a day I'm feeling strong I'll go at a 1m:1m ratio of high/low, on a day I'm feeling off I'll go at a 30s:1m ratio. Not a world-class athlete, never will be, but it works for me and is a fun different day from steady-state running.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    nossmf wrote: »
    Some will say it's not true HIIT if you aren't going all-out for the "high" portion. Personally, when I say high/low I mean there's a large degree of intensity separating the two extremes.

    The physiological differences between going truly "all out" or not are substantial. The whole point is to force your muscles into an anaerobic state, and if that doesn't happen, it's basically just normal running (or cycling or etc).
    999tigger wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    That article is full of Wrong.

    Care to tell us why? Just saying somehing is wrong doesnt make it so. the workouts were just to show the OP he was along the right lines.

    I tell you what - lets do this in the right order. Since the article was the first thing posted, how about explaining what the article actually gets right.

    After all, just posting a random link from the internet doesn't make it so. :wink:

    :drinker:
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Not really. I provided a few examples of Hiit workouts to give the OP an idea of what they can look like for an eliptical. According to you its all wrong, but you wont tell us why.
    Presumably you are more qualified or experienced than the person who wrote the article?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    stellet_licht wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    stellet_licht wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    But the first question to answer is....what, specifically are you trying to accomplish?

    I am trying to lose fat and minimize the time I work out. My normal cardio routine would be about 6 mile run at around an 8:30 pace. My base is fine. The high intensity portion of my HIIT workout, I get to about 175-185 bpm. The maximum heart rate I've ever recorded with a chest strap is 202 bpm.

    HIIT done properly burns very few calories, because it still comes down to distance covered, which is very low relative to steady state. Usain Bolt's 220-odd pounds is burning single-digit calories while running a world record 100m.

    HIIT is a very useful training tool and generates certain physiological benefits (while missing out on others, like any other exercise), but if the goal is to maximize calorie burn, steady state running for longer periods of time is where it's at.

    The fact that HIIT jacks your heart rate is meaningless for calorie burns.

    I thought there was a beneficial thermic effect that lasts for sometime afterwards? Also, I play a lot of tennis and I don't think long steady runs are great for explosiveness.

    The EPOC from HIIT I've seen estimated at 14%.
    And 14% of a small number (as HIIT is short duration) is very small indeed - irrelevant in fact.
  • stellet_licht
    stellet_licht Posts: 33 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    The EPOC from HIIT I've seen estimated at 14%.
    And 14% of a small number (as HIIT is short duration) is very small indeed - irrelevant in fact.

    I've never been afraid of irrelevant! :smiley: Thx!

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