Holy Crap HIIT is no joke!
LovelyIvy466
Posts: 387 Member
I've been doing steady state cardio regularly for about a month and a half, in addition to yoga and lifting. I started with steady state because I was coming off of an extended period of time with no exercise at all, while recovering from surgery and I didn't feel up to anything high intensity. Today I decided to do my first HIIT workout, and Ohmigod it kicked my *kitten*, in the absolute best way. I'm easing into this, did a 10 minute warm up, then worked at my max for 15 seconds followed by a minute of moderate intensity repeated for another 17. I meant to cool down, but I had to sit. Plan to do some light yoga and maybe some foam roller/ yoga tune up balls on my legs to ease out any kinks. Would love feedback from folks who do HIIT- does this sound like a good place to start? I ended the workout feeling sweaty and definitely challenged, but not overwhelmed or nauseated.
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When I first started doing HIIT it was pretty much the same. I could only go max for about 15 seconds and then needed about 60 seconds recovery. Gradually worked up to trying to maintain for 30 seconds on/off. But I never really went beyond about 12 - 15 cycles, and sometimes only about 8 - 10. It really does kick one's *kitten*. I was doing HIIT on a spin cycle, BTW - low tension relaxed pace during recovery; crank up the tension and pedal like a zombie horde was fast on my heels during the high intensity period.
(I haven't done HIIT in awhile now, and imagine I'd be back to doing 15 seconds on / 60 seconds off for some time if I took it back up).0 -
When I first started doing HIIT it was pretty much the same. I could only go max for about 15 seconds and then needed about 60 seconds recovery. Gradually worked up to trying to maintain for 30 seconds on/off. But I never really went beyond about 12 - 15 cycles, and sometimes only about 8 - 10. It really does kick one's *kitten*. I was doing HIIT on a spin cycle, BTW - low tension relaxed pace during recovery; crank up the tension and pedal like a zombie horde was fast on my heels during the high intensity period.
(I haven't done HIIT in awhile now, and imagine I'd be back to doing 15 seconds on / 60 seconds off for some time if I took it back up).
Thanks! The 30 on, 30 off is my goal, but I'm not in a rush to get there. I've heard such good things about how effective HIIT is, I had to give it a shot. Did you find it effective for cardiovascular health? Did you note increased fat loss (if you were tracking that)?0 -
Its good stuff right!0
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My trainer has had me doing HIIT for a year now, and we measure my VO2 max from time to time, and it has increased a lot, whereas steady state cardio did not make much of a difference. Amazing that such a short workout can be so effective but it is!0
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susanlouise wrote: »My trainer has had me doing HIIT for a year now, and we measure my VO2 max from time to time, and it has increased a lot, whereas steady state cardio did not make much of a difference. Amazing that such a short workout can be so effective but it is!
Thanks! This is a major goal for me with my cardio, so good to know.0 -
I started doing sprints and stairs initially, but what really got me hooked on HIIT is this class at my gym where they do what is called a Tabata workout: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8x8 sets, total of 64 intervals. That class felt SO AMAZING. I definitely recommend checking out tabatas.0
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LovelyIvy466 wrote: »When I first started doing HIIT it was pretty much the same. I could only go max for about 15 seconds and then needed about 60 seconds recovery. Gradually worked up to trying to maintain for 30 seconds on/off. But I never really went beyond about 12 - 15 cycles, and sometimes only about 8 - 10. It really does kick one's *kitten*. I was doing HIIT on a spin cycle, BTW - low tension relaxed pace during recovery; crank up the tension and pedal like a zombie horde was fast on my heels during the high intensity period.
(I haven't done HIIT in awhile now, and imagine I'd be back to doing 15 seconds on / 60 seconds off for some time if I took it back up).
Thanks! The 30 on, 30 off is my goal, but I'm not in a rush to get there. I've heard such good things about how effective HIIT is, I had to give it a shot. Did you find it effective for cardiovascular health? Did you note increased fat loss (if you were tracking that)?
I don't know about cardiovascular health - I didn't really know of any way to track it (other than able to perform at medium / high intensity for longer periods, which was certainly true). I figured it would be good for my CV health, and I am not much of a fan of steady-state cardio, so I tried to sub in some HIIT and had used it in the past, too. As far as fat loss, I'm guessing it helped, of course, but it was such a minor variable in the grand scheme of things that I couldn't attribute anything magical about it. Definitely wore me out!
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I started doing sprints and stairs initially, but what really got me hooked on HIIT is this class at my gym where they do what is called a Tabata workout: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8x8 sets, total of 64 intervals. That class felt SO AMAZING. I definitely recommend checking out tabatas.
Those classes do look great. I gotta work my way up to it though- burpees and the like are not my friends!0 -
LovelyIvy466 wrote: »When I first started doing HIIT it was pretty much the same. I could only go max for about 15 seconds and then needed about 60 seconds recovery. Gradually worked up to trying to maintain for 30 seconds on/off. But I never really went beyond about 12 - 15 cycles, and sometimes only about 8 - 10. It really does kick one's *kitten*. I was doing HIIT on a spin cycle, BTW - low tension relaxed pace during recovery; crank up the tension and pedal like a zombie horde was fast on my heels during the high intensity period.
(I haven't done HIIT in awhile now, and imagine I'd be back to doing 15 seconds on / 60 seconds off for some time if I took it back up).
Thanks! The 30 on, 30 off is my goal, but I'm not in a rush to get there. I've heard such good things about how effective HIIT is, I had to give it a shot. Did you find it effective for cardiovascular health? Did you note increased fat loss (if you were tracking that)?
I don't know about cardiovascular health - I didn't really know of any way to track it (other than able to perform at medium / high intensity for longer periods, which was certainly true). I figured it would be good for my CV health, and I am not much of a fan of steady-state cardio, so I tried to sub in some HIIT and had used it in the past, too. As far as fat loss, I'm guessing it helped, of course, but it was such a minor variable in the grand scheme of things that I couldn't attribute anything magical about it. Definitely wore me out!
Thanks for the info. I actually like cardio as a mood booster, but was starting to be kinda bored by it. HIIT feels like a good next step, and it's just as good for my mood!0 -
LovelyIvy466 wrote: »LovelyIvy466 wrote: »When I first started doing HIIT it was pretty much the same. I could only go max for about 15 seconds and then needed about 60 seconds recovery. Gradually worked up to trying to maintain for 30 seconds on/off. But I never really went beyond about 12 - 15 cycles, and sometimes only about 8 - 10. It really does kick one's *kitten*. I was doing HIIT on a spin cycle, BTW - low tension relaxed pace during recovery; crank up the tension and pedal like a zombie horde was fast on my heels during the high intensity period.
(I haven't done HIIT in awhile now, and imagine I'd be back to doing 15 seconds on / 60 seconds off for some time if I took it back up).
Thanks! The 30 on, 30 off is my goal, but I'm not in a rush to get there. I've heard such good things about how effective HIIT is, I had to give it a shot. Did you find it effective for cardiovascular health? Did you note increased fat loss (if you were tracking that)?
I don't know about cardiovascular health - I didn't really know of any way to track it (other than able to perform at medium / high intensity for longer periods, which was certainly true). I figured it would be good for my CV health, and I am not much of a fan of steady-state cardio, so I tried to sub in some HIIT and had used it in the past, too. As far as fat loss, I'm guessing it helped, of course, but it was such a minor variable in the grand scheme of things that I couldn't attribute anything magical about it. Definitely wore me out!
Thanks for the info. I actually like cardio as a mood booster, but was starting to be kinda bored by it. HIIT feels like a good next step, and it's just as good for my mood!
Then it sounds like you've found a winner!
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It's still HIIT, but follows the interval programming of Tabata protocol. Right now there's lots of programs out there that mimic the Tabata program, but there are very few people that can actually perform them as intended.I started doing sprints and stairs initially, but what really got me hooked on HIIT is this class at my gym where they do what is called a Tabata workout: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8x8 sets, total of 64 intervals. That class felt SO AMAZING. I definitely recommend checking out tabatas.
A TRUE Tabata protocol is only 8 interval times at 100% effort on every interval. Most people who are introduced to it hit the floor after the 2nd interval.
If someone can do 64 intervals, then they AREN'T going 100% on every interval.
Not saying that what you're doing isn't tough, it's just not authentic Tabata Protocol and should be labeled at HIIT.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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LovelyIvy466 wrote: »...did a 10 minute warm up, then worked at my max for 15 seconds followed by a minute of moderate intensity repeated for another 17.
Wait until you're fit enough that 4-8 cycles of 20 seconds of all-out is enough to leave you quivering...
:drinker:svetlay wrote:I started doing sprints and stairs initially, but what really got me hooked on HIIT is this class at my gym where they do what is called a Tabata workout: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8x8 sets, total of 64 intervals.
That ain't Tabata - Tabata requires going hard enough that you can't do more than about a half dozen intervals.
HIIT is awesome stuff, but if your goal is overall cardio fitness, it's not a replacement for low and medium intensity steady state cardio (eg running), it's an addition.
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Yes, a true HIIT session will metabolically blast you. One thing to look at is how well you’re recovering between work sessions. To get the most out of it, it is important to get to a recovery heart rate. Obviously, the fitter you are, the better you’ll recover. And when I find I’m not getting back to recovery within my “recovery window” I may do one more round, but no more than that. Also, I wouldn’t recommend doing more than two HIIT sessions a week.0
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I decided to have a go at what I think is HIIT this week! Sunny here (yippee!) so my gym (aka conservatory) far too warm for the Insanity session I had planned. So got my skipping rope out and after a 5 min general warm up did 10 x 1 minute hard skipping with 1 minute rest...kept moving in the rest and for the first few just skipped gently for some of the rest minute. Last few though I took full rest and was struggling to keep going but managed a decent last interval. 5 mins cool down. I was pooped and felt that pleasant (ish) slightly nauseous trembly weakness for an hour afterwards!
My calves really took a hit too despite doing a decent leg session once a week and not usually feeling they're a weakness.
So...any thoughts as to how I might improve the session or keep going along the same lines on my intense cardio days (twice weekly)? Oh - I started out thinking 2 mins on and 1 off and quickly changed that!0 -
AllanMisner wrote: »Yes, a true HIIT session will metabolically blast you. One thing to look at is how well you’re recovering between work sessions. To get the most out of it, it is important to get to a recovery heart rate. Obviously, the fitter you are, the better you’ll recover. And when I find I’m not getting back to recovery within my “recovery window” I may do one more round, but no more than that. Also, I wouldn’t recommend doing more than two HIIT sessions a week.
Thanks for the recommendations. I stopped when the rest sessions weren't really enough to fully recover any more. And it's good to know that about frequency, as I would have thrown myself into this and tried to do it daily. Judging by the state of my calf muscles today that would have ended in tears.0 -
The funny thing about HIIT is you never really get "good" at it- you just suck less.
But yeah- they are pretty brutal. And the better you get at it- the harder you can push- which is why it never gets "easy".0 -
The funny thing about HIIT is you never really get "good" at it- you just suck less.
But yeah- they are pretty brutal. And the better you get at it- the harder you can push- which is why it never gets "easy".
Yeah. I think I was a bit afraid to try this because of all of the "hard core" people I know who talk about how sick they got doing HIIT, and how horrible it is. I love exercise, and I don't really do it with the goal of a horrible time! This was really challenging, and I can see how I'll be able to ramp it up as I go, but it it wasn't traumatic lol.0 -
What exercises can I do at home that'll work well with the HIIT system.0
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Forgot to add the ?0
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I've been doing Crossfit for the last three months. I get personal training with each session being about an hour long. Most of the hour is spent warming up and getting exercise coaching. The workouts alone takes no more than 20 minutes. I find some of the workouts fall into the HIIT category and most of the time they are timed. They are vigorous. I do this three times per week. At 300 lb and 60 years of age the workouts are taxing. I dread going to the sessions but am always glad I did since I feel better about myself afterwards. Not going to the sessions at this point does not seem like an option. I'm hooked. Now that winter has broken I will add road cycling to the mix. I feel both of these activities lend themselves to HIIT and they are never boring. Crossfit sessions are always different and I have numerous bike routes to choose from.0
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Lizandro88 wrote: »What exercises can I do at home that'll work well with the HIIT system.
Burpees, jump rope, squat jumps or any sort of jumps, switch kicks, plyo push ups, running / jumping lunges0 -
I do a HIIT class on a Tuesday we we do 20 secs on 10 secs rest 8 times, we do this with 6 different exercises so the same as someone else who posted above. It's a real killer especially when the exercise is burpees or squat jumps! It's good fun though and you know it's less than 30 mins in total. The fact I do it after an hour of kettlebells usually finishes me off!0
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Been doing HIIT for years and all my workouts are still less than 15 minutes (more like 12/13), minus 5 minute gentle warm up & cool down.
Honestly, if you can do more than 15 minutes you aren't pushing hard enough. Your work interval should be all out 100% effort, your rest interval should be 60-70% of your peak ability... otherwise it's just intervals, not HIIT.0 -
mountain climbers, spiders in plank formation, high knees, and even jumping jacks also work.0
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Yep. There's really no ceiling on HIIT because you always strive to be faster on reps or you can just increase resistance to make it harder. So sucking less at it would be a good analogy.The funny thing about HIIT is you never really get "good" at it- you just suck less.
But yeah- they are pretty brutal. And the better you get at it- the harder you can push- which is why it never gets "easy".
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition 0 -
Lizandro88 wrote: »What exercises can I do at home that'll work well with the HIIT system.
Anything that is metabolically challenging to the point that you can only do it for about 20 - 30 seconds before you have to stop (or significantly slow down).
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Lizandro88 wrote: »What exercises can I do at home that'll work well with the HIIT system.
Don't think of HIIT as a "training" system.
HIIT is merely how you arrange your training. HIIT is the TIMING of it.
You can do ANYTHING with HIIT... people make me a little stabby when they assume HIIT means get on the treadmill and crank it up to 10- then drop it to 3.5 ever 40/10 second splits.
I mostly do hiit at home- with body weight- or out in- say the park- all you need is a timer- or even rep sets (you'll see AMRAP which is HIIT.) Time ones to techncially count- like how long does it take you to do 50 burpess- it's like the baby version of hiit- anyway- moving on
So- pick 5 exercises-
1.) Squats
2.) Burpees
3.) Tuck Jumps
4.) Bridge Lifts
5.) Push Ups
Set a timer for 50 seconds work- 10 seconds rest or if you're new- do like 45/15- whatever- you can do 10/10 (PS this timing sucks- don't do it for anything more than like 3-5 min)
do 4-12 rounds of that- do as much as you can in each 45 second split. rest- then move on to the next exercise.
You're going to suck as you get to the end- so say for the first 45 seconds- you might get 25 squats. The last round- you might only get 19- that's totally normal- totally fine.
Again- you never get really good at it- you just suck less.
Go forth- be miserable. 0
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