Plyometrics and HIIT. Any difference?

Ngolden1
Ngolden1 Posts: 58 Member
edited September 22 in Fitness and Exercise
My undestanding of HIIT is that it varies the most intense cardio anareobic exercise you can possibly do with periods of lesser intensity. I've been doing P90X and I feel like the Plyo is a HIIT work-out. After non-stop jump-knee-tucks I am at my MAX in a way I never felt before. I used to THINK I was doing HIIT on the ellyptical, but now I realize I was not pushing myself as hard as I possibly could. So what do you think? Does Plyo count as a HIIT work-out?

Replies

  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    One does not necessarily encompass the other. HIIT training CAN be plyometric in nature, or it can be cardiovascular in nature.

    Think of plyometrics as explosion training. Basically you're trying to make a muscle work as hard as it possibly can FUNCTIONALLY (that's an important part, the word functionally). Basically you're telling your muscles, I want you to grow because I need you to be able to work at this level all the time. So your muscles will put forth their best effort to make that maximal effort easier for you. Where as HIIT training is more about pushing your muscles ability to burn oxygen at a certain rate. The concepts are similar, but one is telling your fast twitch muscles to grow, one is telling both muscle types to work more efficiently.

    Plyometrics is more important for things like power, agility, explosivness, and top speed. Where HIIT training is more for things like VO2 Max (what runners call their "wind") and sustained maximal output. I.E. being able to perform at about 85 to 90% maximal for longer periods.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
    Seeing that I just did P90X plyo this morning I would say that it is very close to HIIT. The Insanity workout is HIIT. The feeling that for three minutes your heart is going to burst out of your chest is HIIT and Insanity fits that description. P90X is difficult, but my heart rate is usually in the 70-75% range during most of the workout. With Insanity it's between 80-86%.
  • dmmihelcic
    dmmihelcic Posts: 161 Member
    Will give you my opinion after my first Plyo this evening. I do a fairly difficult elliptical hill program for 45 minutes daily and work up a great sweat, but Cardio X still gave me a bit of a but kicking so I am very optimistic about Plyo X....
    By the way, nice hat!
  • MCDerin
    MCDerin Posts: 226 Member
    HIIT is defined as combining a high intensity cardio session with a cooldown period at the ratio of 2:1. So, if you push yourself to the max for 20 seconds, you would cool down for 10.
    It IS possible to do that on the elliptical if you are purposely trying, but you REALLY have to push yourself (very high resistance or super fast speed) on the elliptical to achieve that.
    Plyo would definitely be more closely considered HIIT training than the elliptical, imho.

    If you want a TRUE HIIT example, check out a video clip of another product, Turbo Fire, or Insanity. They are both specifically marketed and created as HIIT workouts. You might get a better feel for what it entails.

    Good job, regardless. P90X is NOT easy.
  • Ngolden1
    Ngolden1 Posts: 58 Member
    Thanks for the great info. I'm not sure the P90X plyo has a ratio of 2:1, perhaps the high intensity periods would need to be longer or with less breaks to acheive that. I used to be a runner until I was injured, so I was hoping to gain the cardio-type HIIT from plyo, to gain benefits I am now missing from running. What other types of HIIT could I do that is not running or ellyptical? (I now have an injury from this also)
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    Thanks for the great info. I'm not sure the P90X plyo has a ratio of 2:1, perhaps the high intensity periods would need to be longer or with less breaks to acheive that. I used to be a runner until I was injured, so I was hoping to gain the cardio-type HIIT from plyo, to gain benefits I am now missing from running. What other types of HIIT could I do that is not running or ellyptical? (I now have an injury from this also)

    P90 plyo is not HIIT training. It's to low intensity.

    If you have injuries, you can do HIIT in the pool. Basically you can do HIIT with any cardio routine. All you do is replace steady state with intervals of extremely high intensity followed by a period of low intensity. Start off with a ratio of 20 seconds high to 40 seconds low, then as you get stronger, move to 20 and 20 then eventually you'll do 20 and 10. Usually you only need about 6 to 8 minutes of this type of workout to be completely wipped out. If you can go longer at the start, then you didn't max out during your high intensity periods, you should be literally unable to work harder for that 20 seconds and by the end be completely wipped out. preceed this workout with 5 to 10 minutes of warm up and follow it with 5 to 10 minutes of cooldown.

    look up tabada protocol if you want a very good program. I do it on the bike as it was originally designed, but you can do it on many different types of equipment (even swimming or running).
  • GiGi76
    GiGi76 Posts: 876 Member
    I love HIIT workouts.... they are the best!!! If you want a good workout thats free and only 12-20mins long check out bodyrock.tv all of her workouts are HIIT!!!
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