HIIT help! should I be mixing it up?

I do HIIT 5 days a week (if your not sure what HIIT is it means High Intensity Interval Training)
I love this style of exercise as I can do it at home as I can't afford a gym and just don't have the time other wise.

I have lost a lot of weight and toned up but I have hit a plateau and can't seem to reach other goals (just to general get more definition and rid of the last bits of stubborn fat)

I won't stop doing HIIT because I love the style of training, but I wanted to know if I should be limiting my cardio and upping my weighted exercises?

At the moment I do a range, so I will do 30 seconds work with 10 seconds rest, or 40 seconds work with a 10 seconds rest, or ill do 50 seconds work with a 10 second rest, I will also work out for around 40 minutes to an hour and 20. I start with skipping then ill go onto my weighted exercise, then skipping again, the my weighted exercise ETC

I do add isolated weighted burnouts at the end which really makes me feel the burn. But i am wondering if i should take out the skipping and add in a weighted exercise, or maybe a plyo exercise?

I like the cardio aspect of it so maybe just keep it to one day a week?

Let me know our thoughts?

Replies

  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    edited January 2016
    I'm thinking you'd benefit from getting Body Beast DVDs. They're weight based and I've had to buy dumb bells and a balance ball and an assist band for pull ups. It's a good and organized program for weights, without needing a gym or barbell. They run mostly 30-40 min so you could still do cardio/hiit. I've gotten a lot stronger. They have dead lifts and presses and weighted squats as well as focused lifting like bicep curls and triceps work, in s progressive manner. It's a 3 month program.
  • mindysoo
    mindysoo Posts: 42 Member
    I say up your weighted exercises! I have seen such a change in my body since I have incorporated weights.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    I do HIIT 5 days a week (if your not sure what HIIT is it means High Intensity Interval Training)
    I love this style of exercise as I can do it at home as I can't afford a gym and just don't have the time other wise.

    I have lost a lot of weight and toned up but I have hit a plateau and can't seem to reach other goals (just to general get more definition and rid of the last bits of stubborn fat)

    I won't stop doing HIIT because I love the style of training, but I wanted to know if I should be limiting my cardio and upping my weighted exercises?

    At the moment I do a range, so I will do 30 seconds work with 10 seconds rest, or 40 seconds work with a 10 seconds rest, or ill do 50 seconds work with a 10 second rest, I will also work out for around 40 minutes to an hour and 20. I start with skipping then ill go onto my weighted exercise, then skipping again, the my weighted exercise ETC

    I do add isolated weighted burnouts at the end which really makes me feel the burn. But i am wondering if i should take out the skipping and add in a weighted exercise, or maybe a plyo exercise?

    I like the cardio aspect of it so maybe just keep it to one day a week?

    Let me know our thoughts?

    You are not doing HIIT for one hour and 20 minutes. I have no idea what you are doing, I would guess some circuit type training, but no one does HIIT for that long. Not possible.
  • amrelmesery
    amrelmesery Posts: 86 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    I do HIIT 5 days a week (if your not sure what HIIT is it means High Intensity Interval Training)
    I love this style of exercise as I can do it at home as I can't afford a gym and just don't have the time other wise.

    I have lost a lot of weight and toned up but I have hit a plateau and can't seem to reach other goals (just to general get more definition and rid of the last bits of stubborn fat)

    I won't stop doing HIIT because I love the style of training, but I wanted to know if I should be limiting my cardio and upping my weighted exercises?

    At the moment I do a range, so I will do 30 seconds work with 10 seconds rest, or 40 seconds work with a 10 seconds rest, or ill do 50 seconds work with a 10 second rest, I will also work out for around 40 minutes to an hour and 20. I start with skipping then ill go onto my weighted exercise, then skipping again, the my weighted exercise ETC

    I do add isolated weighted burnouts at the end which really makes me feel the burn. But i am wondering if i should take out the skipping and add in a weighted exercise, or maybe a plyo exercise?

    I like the cardio aspect of it so maybe just keep it to one day a week?

    Let me know our thoughts?

    You are not doing HIIT for one hour and 20 minutes. I have no idea what you are doing, I would guess some circuit type training, but no one does HIIT for that long. Not possible.

    its possible ,
    evh6e8t0qsd2.jpg
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    I do HIIT 5 days a week (if your not sure what HIIT is it means High Intensity Interval Training)
    I love this style of exercise as I can do it at home as I can't afford a gym and just don't have the time other wise.

    I have lost a lot of weight and toned up but I have hit a plateau and can't seem to reach other goals (just to general get more definition and rid of the last bits of stubborn fat)

    I won't stop doing HIIT because I love the style of training, but I wanted to know if I should be limiting my cardio and upping my weighted exercises?

    At the moment I do a range, so I will do 30 seconds work with 10 seconds rest, or 40 seconds work with a 10 seconds rest, or ill do 50 seconds work with a 10 second rest, I will also work out for around 40 minutes to an hour and 20. I start with skipping then ill go onto my weighted exercise, then skipping again, the my weighted exercise ETC

    I do add isolated weighted burnouts at the end which really makes me feel the burn. But i am wondering if i should take out the skipping and add in a weighted exercise, or maybe a plyo exercise?

    I like the cardio aspect of it so maybe just keep it to one day a week?

    Let me know our thoughts?

    You are not doing HIIT for one hour and 20 minutes. I have no idea what you are doing, I would guess some circuit type training, but no one does HIIT for that long. Not possible.

    its possible ,
    evh6e8t0qsd2.jpg

    That's moderate intensity interval training.

    Given the originators description then I'd agree with Angelkik, what's described isn't remotely close to HIIT. That is not to say its not useful, just a sense of proportion needed about what it is.

    But I'd agree with the other point above, more resistance rather than aerobic range CV work will be beneficial.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
    I'm pretty sure true HIIT workouts aren't intended to be done for that long or that frequently. Going balls out for 40-60 seconds followed by 15-20 seconds of moderate rest should wear you out, which is why it's marketed as more efficient than steady state cardio. But I agree with the others, if you're looking for body changes, get some more strength training in there. You'd probably notice your performance in cardio exericses improve as your strength increases.