HIIT advice. How long at high intensity?
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stellet_licht
Posts: 33 Member
Hi all. Apologies if this has already been answered but the search will take days.
Question: In a 30 minute elliptical workout (for example), how much of the time should one be at high intensity? Right now I'm doing on average about 8 min at high intensity (approx 180bpm) and the rest mostly low intensity. Is 8 minutes enough? And I don't want to exceed 30 minutes in total. Thanks!
Question: In a 30 minute elliptical workout (for example), how much of the time should one be at high intensity? Right now I'm doing on average about 8 min at high intensity (approx 180bpm) and the rest mostly low intensity. Is 8 minutes enough? And I don't want to exceed 30 minutes in total. Thanks!
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Replies
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That doesn't actually sound like you're doing HIIT at all. If you can perform an activity for 8 minutes straight, I think it's safe to say that it is being done at a relatively low intensity. For HIIT, you want to remain (mostly) in anaerobic metabolic systems while exerting yourself. It would actually be pretty hard to achieve that on an elliptical. If you don't want to do weighted variations for HIIT, I would recommend doing it on a treadmill with an incline instead.
That being said, the most common starting place for people is 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 1 min of low intensity exercise for 20-25 minutes. This could be changed up however you feel is necessary, though. I have found that it is better to progress by shortening the rest periods than it is by extending the periods of work but other people would differ from this opinion.
You could also look up the Tabata protocol which is usually done with a weighted exercise (I like front squats and heavy keg slams) but it could be done with pretty much anything.0 -
I should have been clearer. I'm doing a 3 min warm up, then alternating 30s high intensity with 60s low intensity, then a 3 min warm down. Sorry.0
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And thank you. I think I'm relatively close to your suggestion.
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30 secs to 1min is a good place to start. How are you finding the minute in terms of ability to recover?0
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stellet_licht wrote: »I should have been clearer. I'm doing a 3 min warm up, then alternating 30s high intensity with 60s low intensity, then a 3 min warm down. Sorry.
That's not what is typically called high intensity. High intensity can't be maintained for more than about 20 seconds, because you're supposed to be going way over your 100% V02max limit. And you'll typically need more than 60s to recover from it, otherwise it'll be difficult to get back over 100%, but that is dependent on fitness level so you'll have to experiment.
This is also very taxing on the body - to get full benefits and minimize the risk of injury, a proper cardio base should be in place first.
But the first question to answer is....what, specifically are you trying to accomplish?0 -
I do circuits of 20 seconds high intensity 40 seconds medium recovery for 5 minutes and then 1 minute low intensity full recovery for half an hour with a 5 minute gradual warm up and then 10 minute gradual cool down.0
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Theres a couple here to give you an idea.
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/60/3768/try-this-hiit-workout-on-the-elliptical/0 -
That article is full of Wrong.0
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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.
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maroonmango211 wrote: »I do circuits of 20 seconds high intensity 40 seconds medium recovery for 5 minutes and then 1 minute low intensity full recovery for half an hour with a 5 minute gradual warm up and then 10 minute gradual cool down.
Thank you. It took me four time reading this to do the math! Haha. But I get it. I like it.0 -
stellet_licht 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.0 -
stellet_licht 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.
Calorie burn doesn't necessarily correlate with fat lost.0 -
stellet_licht 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.0 -
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stellet_licht wrote: »stellet_licht 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.
You mention in previous comments that you also steady state run as well I believe. HIIT is great to incorporate into any long term fitness plan but I wouldn't say its the best way to burn off fat specifically at least not compared to steady state distance running or similar.
It seem though like you already have that in your routine as well as rec sports, which I totally agree that HIIT is great for benefiting other quick paced explosive sports like Tennis.
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There are many interval patterns. The original was Tabata at 2/1 High/Low, which is oo much for me.
Whatever works for your current level of fitness and desires. Right now I can do 20 seconds on, 90 seconds because I've been slacking over this stupidly cold winter. I was up to 30 seconds on, 40 seconds off, repeat 5 times.
Personal preference, my minimum cadence is 80 rpm at the low end because when I get out on the real bike, I prefer to gear down and spin rather than mash.
Intervals I think will help with anaerobic capacity and VO2max. For explosiveness I think you might want to look into plyometrics.0 -
There are many interval patterns. The original was Tabata at 2/1 High/Low, which is oo much for me.
Whatever works for your current level of fitness and desires. Right now I can do 20 seconds on, 90 seconds because I've been slacking over this stupidly cold winter. I was up to 30 seconds on, 40 seconds off, repeat 5 times.
Personal preference, my minimum cadence is 80 rpm at the low end because when I get out on the real bike, I prefer to gear down and spin rather than mash.
Intervals I think will help with anaerobic capacity and VO2max. For explosiveness I think you might want to look into plyometrics.
Thank you. (Yes, awful winter is right. Too cold to walk two blocks to the gym #solazy)
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stellet_licht wrote: »
The human body can't oxidize stored fat quickly enough to support high intensity activities. The amount of fat used for any given activity maxes out once intensity has reached moderate levels - you can push harder, but you won't be able to burn fat any quicker, energy will be found from other sources (or you'll crash).
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stellet_licht wrote: »stellet_licht 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.
They are, as part of an overall program. Being able to run a moderate 10k produces physiological changes that interval training can then leverage to increase explosiveness.
Other than at the extremes, both intervals and steady state are needed to optimize physical performance. The ratio of the two will depend on what physical activity the exerciser is trying to optimize for.0
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