Is this considered HIIT?

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crlujan
crlujan Posts: 59
in Fitness and Exercise
Is this considered High Intensity Interval Training?

Here's what I did today...
Started off with a 5 minute warm-up on the treadmill. Incline at 2.5. Speed of 3.5 mph. Then I alternated 7.5 mph for one minute and 3.5 mph for one minute. Repeat for 25 minutes. Then a five minute cooldown. One minute each of 4.5, 4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5. 35 minutes in all.

So, is 7.5 mph fast enough to be considered HIIT? I'm still trying to figure out this damn body of mine.

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  • ChessRonin
    ChessRonin Posts: 160 Member
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    There's no objective answer. To know if it's interval training, consider your heart rate. Your heart rate during easy cardio should be between 50-65% of your maximum (you should be exerting yourself but not so much that you cant carry on a conversation. During interval training, you should spike your exertion level to MAXIMUM for up to 30 seconds, then actively rest (%60 of your maximum heartrate or so) for two or three minutes, then spike your exertion again.

    It's basically the equivalent of lightly jogging a quarter mile, sprinting for 100 or 200 meters, then jogging another quarter mile, rinse and repeat.

    If that is what your workout feels like, it's an interval workout. If you never feel like you're sprinting, it's not an interval workout. The key is monitoring your heartrate.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
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    HIIT is when you sprint then walk. The sprinting aspect is to get your heart pumping as fast as possible. Pumping out of your chest, in fact.

    I'm not sure what speed 7.5 will take you in terms of heart rate, but if its a jog, then its not HIIT. You need to get your heart to max out! Then slow down again. Usually, this is just for 10 - 16 mins only (not including warm up and down), cos not many people can sustain it for longer.

    Hope that helps :flowerforyou:
  • KMill84
    KMill84 Posts: 12
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    HIIT training is when you go max out for a set amount of time followed by a short break. For instance, I do Tabatas on the elliptical 20 secs as fast as i can go then 10 sec rest. 8 rounds (intervals) in 4 min and I'll usually double that. Its not necessarily your speed that makes it HIIT but more of your effort, hence High Intensity.
  • HelenTheKitchen
    HelenTheKitchen Posts: 383
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    Did you feel like you might puke at the end? That's when I know I've just done a High Intensity workout.
  • mark996
    mark996 Posts: 184 Member
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    To me, and to simplify the answer...think heart rate. Sprint/jog, jog/walk, walk/power walk, whatever the movement, as long as your heart rate goes way up, then comes down multiple times during the movement, that's HIIT.
  • mideon_696
    mideon_696 Posts: 770 Member
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    you're still doing intervals.

    may not be as high as you could handle, but still intervals, and still a good workout :). but yeah HIIT is generally max effort, then slow down, then max effort, then slow down...over and over. I do alot of Tabata intervals. great fun.
  • mark996
    mark996 Posts: 184 Member
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    Love tabata intervals. Did that a lot in Judo, had a lot of fun with it too. I'm still a huge fan of barbell/dumbbell/bodyweight complexes on cardio days when I can't get outside to run. Hate the dreadmill.

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