HIIT on an elliptical

I do MASSIVE HIIT routines on my elliptical. I will copy/paste a recent routine to one of my MFP friends.

There's a variety of ways to incorporate HIIT routines into the elliptical. Obviously good form, proper warm-up, and using the arms are prerequisites. Keep your abs taut throughout the routine, back straight as you don't wanna be slouching forward or leaning back, and a 5-minute warm up to get blood flowing are what will help the intensity process.

One method of increasing intensity is simply increasing speed. After the 5-minute slow to moderate pace of warming up, immediately go as fast as you can for the next 1 - 2 minutes [or as long as you can], then immediately go into a moderate recovery speed for about 2 - 3 minutes, then repeat the process of bursts of speed > recovery > speed > etc. for 15 - 20 minutes. While you increase the speed, make sure to be mindful of your form. Keeping your core engaged, you'll minimize arm flailing or too much swaying.

Another method of increasing the intensity is to increase resistance. This one will require much more use of the arm/hand holds to help propel you through the resistance level with the benefit of slight strength training. Again, after the warm-up, immediately bump up the resistance to one where you're able to do, but with a struggle. And do that increased resistance for the alloted 1 - 2 minutes [or as long as you can], immediately followed by a 2 - 3 minute recovery at a moderately lower resistance. And repeat for about 15 - 20 minutes. Core needs to be engaged for this one because form tends to collapse when you push through resistance rather than speed. Should your legs start feeling it, you can then start using your arms to propel you through the workout every now and then.

The third is basically just a combination of the first 2 methods. Increasing resistance + speed. The resistance will need to be increased high enough for you to struggle while going as fast as you can. Recover at a moderate pace and resistance. Again repeat for 15 - 20 minutes.

Now for a variation of any one of those 3 suggestions. This one requires the use of going backwards in-between intensity bursts. For any one of the methods aforementioned, propel forward for the initial intensity burst and recover period, then immediately propel backwards for the next intensity burst and recovery period, and repeat. This will engage almost all of the leg muscles and upper body when using the bars. Form is extremely important with your core actively engaged. It's very easy to get sloppy towards the end, as you should be feeling all types of burn from including the use of changing direction.

And lastly, I will describe to you MY specific routine. Because I've built up my endurance to this point, I immediately start off on the highest resistance level, even during my 5-minute warm-up.
After my warm-up:
> I switch directions and propel backwards as fast as I can for 1 - 2 minutes
> Recover at a moderately fast pace for 1 minute
> Switch it back propelling forward as fast as I can for 1 - 2 minutes
> Recover at a moderately fast pace for 1 minute
> Switch direction at a recovery pace for 1 - 2 minutes
> Increase intensity for 1 - 2 minutes
> Switch direction and recover for 2 minutes
> Increase intensity for 1 - 2 minutes
> Recover for 2 - 3 minutes ... [by this time, I'm already sweating my *kitten* off and in need of catching my breath]

And I'll repeat this process for however long I feel up to it. Generally my routines range between 15 - 30 minutes at such a short pace. If I decide to go longer, I'll increase the recovery times, but keep the intensity bursts and direction switches after every 5 minutes. I also time my workouts according to my music playlist, so I also have tracks arranged to recovery and intensity bursts. It helps with me with my timing.

From a HR standpoint, my HR is at a constant 135 minimum, and it jacks upwards to 160+ during the intensity bursts. I try not to do it for too long simply because the body will start to burn muscle [along with fat] the longer it stays at an elevated HR. So, for maximizing fat burn, I keep it relatively short.

For specificity's sake, I have a Reebok RL1500 at home which tracks calorie burns based on weight input, HR, and resistance level [also came with its own chest strap HRM specific to the machine], so I go by my elliptical's burn count, which are generally around 500 calories burned every 15 - 17 minutes, or between 30 - 33 cal/min.

I liked how this guy explained it:
http://www.thefatburner.net/articles/hiit.html

oooh! I have the best HIIT routine that I picked up online about a year ago its great! I always burn arund 400 calories in about 30 minutes. here is the routine I keep a sticky note on my machine at home with this routine, As you become better you can increase the max resistence. These resistence levels are based on a 10 max resistence, so you can adjust numbers to max on the machine you are using.

Min 1-5 Warm up with resistence 1-4
Min 5-5:30 Resistence 8-10 which ever max you are ready for
Min 5:30-6:30 4-5
Min 6:30-7 8-10
Min 7:00-8:00 4-5
Min 8:00-8:30 8-10
Min 8:30- 12:00 4-5
Min 12:00- 12:45 8-10
Min 12:45-13:45 4-5
Min 13:45-14:30 8-10
Min 14:30- 15:30 4-5
Min 15:30- 16:15 8-10
Min 16:15- 20:00 4-5
Min 20:00 -21:00 8-10
Min 21:00 - 22:00 4-5
Min 22:00 - 23:00 8-10
Min 23:00 - 24:00 4-5
Min 24:00- 25:00 8-10
Min 25:00 - 30:00 cool down I usually gradually work my way down from the Max resisitence like at 10 then reduce resistence by 2 each minute until I reach the distance or caorie goal I want to achieve but I alway can get over 400 calores burned and 3 miles by 35 minutes max.

Enjoy!!!! You can do it!!! And good luck!!!

Also changing the resistence mnually kind of helps keep the workout inteesting because your always watching the time and waiting for the next time when you change it so it motivates you and keeps you going until you reach your goal.

Bump

Technically it's almost impossible to do HITT on an elliptical. You can vary the speed and intensity but it's not the same as HITT. If you do HIIT correctly, during the high intensity part you should be going all out. Pretend a lion or bear is chasing you. If you can do over 30 sec on the high intensity part, you didn't push yourself enough.

Technically it's almost impossible to do HITT on an elliptical. You can vary the speed and intensity but it's not the same as HITT. If you do HIIT correctly, during the high intensity part you should be going all out. Pretend a lion or bear is chasing you. If you can do over 30 sec on the high intensity part, you didn't push yourself enough.

Actually, HIIT means raising your heart rate in intervals. It's not technically about speed. When I'm at Resistance 5 my heart rate is relatively low (but still in fat burning zone) and then for the high intervals I level up to R8+ and obviously my heart rate shoots up to 160+, they key though is to pace yourself. Keep your RPM at a good pace (but challenging) when on high intervals. On the low intervals keep the pace low but not so low that your heart rate is out of the fat burning zone. (You can look online for information on fat burning zones)

Also it's a good idea to switch directions during your elliptical workout! Going backwards works different muscles than going forwards (trust me you'll feel it) and I also like raising my arms over my head and off the machine and try to keep them up for the longest time possible. Really works on your core as your stabilising yourself on the elliptical machine.

I don't have a specific workout, I think it's really self-explanatory when you get on the machine, just switch between low and high resistance and timing them. The only thing that I keep in mind is that I never go below R5 and try and get to the highest resistance I can

Sometimes I like to raise the resistance each minute so starting from R5 then progressively go as high as I can each minute (usually R10) then shoot back down to R5 and repeat

Technically it's almost impossible to do HITT on an elliptical. You can vary the speed and intensity but it's not the same as HITT. If you do HIIT correctly, during the high intensity part you should be going all out. Pretend a lion or bear is chasing you. If you can do over 30 sec on the high intensity part, you didn't push yourself enough.

Technically, that is true. However, the workouts described in this thread, while they might not meet the Official HIIT Purity Standards, are likely much more appropriate and effective for the individuals who are doing them.

Higher-duration, higher-intensity but still sub maximal interval workouts can be highly effective for both weight loss and fitness improvement. They are workouts that are more achievable by beginners and those who are less fit, can be included more often in a weekly routine, and have a lower injury risk.