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HIIT?

PsychotikBamboo
PsychotikBamboo Posts: 10
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello everybody!

I am trying this new thing (new for me yeah) called High Intensity interval Training. Any suggestion for me? I want to use it while running and biking!

Thank you!

Replies

  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Hello everybody!

    I am trying this new thing (new for me yeah) called High Intensity interval Training. Any suggestion for me? I want to use it while running and biking!

    Thank you!

    Are you primarily just doing cardio or also doing strength training plus cardio? I don't practice HIIT much, although a little, and it's intense and a solid form of exercise but not something you want to do all the time. Mix it up between high-intensity and low-intensity training.

    Examples: A few years back I belonged to a gym with a small indoor track, eight laps equaled one mile. I would sprint the straight-away and walk the curves and that's how I'd run a mile. When I first started of course, there were a few straight-always that I also walked or just jogged because I need a little more recovery before the next straight-away.

    One of my MFP friends posted this to me a few days ago and it's surprisingly effective I think, http://www.ellipticalhome.com/elliptical-hiit-training.html

    Edit: Your profile says you let yourself go??? Seriously, cuz it doesn't look like it.
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
    I do this when running and I also have a DVD that does it with other types of excercises. I find it to be a very intense workout!

    For running, I warm up for about 5 mins. Then I sprint (10 mph) for 1 minute and recover at a fast walk (4.5 mph) for 2 minutes. 1 minute on / 2 minutes recovery. I do this for 20-30 minutes (depending on how exhausted I am and how long I can safely push myself) and then cool down again. It's WAY better than my old 60 minute workouts!!! I'm sure you could use the same idea for biking. I do it on the treadmil so I have a timer to watch. But I've heard that you can buy interval timers.

    Oh ya, I've done it on the elliptical too. I was used to doing the elliptical at a steady pace of 75-85 (depending on the song I was listening to), so my pace was about 100-105 RPM (this is probably far too fast really - I probably should have increased the resistance instead, but I like speed) for 1 minute and then I recovered at around 70 RPM for 2 minutes.

    You'll have to pick what's high intensity for you - I think it's going to be different for everyone. And you'll probably have to adjust it as your body gets better at your sprints - which is why I moved to the treadmill from the elliptical because at 100+ RPM, the machine started flashing at me LOL - I don't think it liked it :-)
  • emilymiesel
    emilymiesel Posts: 207 Member
    I have the HIIT workouts from turbo fire And they instruct you not to do them back to back days or to double up HIIT workouts :)
  • WolffEarl
    WolffEarl Posts: 379 Member
    Many people swear by this to increase your overall fitness. Most things I have read indicate about 8 to 10 intervals in one workout, with short bursts of high intensity sandwiched between your "rest periods" where rest here means normal or slightly slower than normal speed. So as a runner, might start with 20 seconds of quite a high pace (not quite sprinting), then followed by 45 sec to 1 min of slower speed to catch your breath, then speed up again. Same idea on your bike.
    If you are using a treadmill, even easier with either changes in incline while keeping the same speed or speeding up for a given time, then slow down again.
    I found it useful the first time to figure out what I could handle in terms of speed and duration, then aim to do a few seconds longer next time or a few seconds less of recovery time. After some weeks or a few months, try to get a 1 to 1 ratio or even a 2 to 1 ratio of high, then low intensity, so 30 second high speed, 30 second slow or even 1 minute higher intensity (really huffing), then 30 sec recovery.
  • PsychotikBamboo
    PsychotikBamboo Posts: 10
    @JNick77

    No I am only doing cardio workout since I really need to improve my cardio and my stamina. I play soccer 2 times a week for a total of 4 hours a week and I am not really good at sprinting. I want to try this new training since it's not demanding a lot of time in my schedule. Did you ever hear of Tabata training for runner?
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
    I've done treadmill tabatas - for those I do 20 seconds on / 10 second recovery. I do 10.4 MPH for 20 seconds and then just jump off for 10 secs. This is a MUCH more intense workout than my intervals (and also MUCH shorter). I do this some of the days when I lift because I'm usually short on time. But it's tough! Especially after lifting heavy (squats, lunges step ups, etc. with heavy weights - my quads are crying by the time I hit the showers, but I love it!)
  • PsychotikBamboo
    PsychotikBamboo Posts: 10
    @TonyaGonya

    4 minutes! You think that will improve my in-game performance? Haha! I read that is it really effective for weight lost and improving cardio overall
  • spiritcrusher
    spiritcrusher Posts: 326 Member
    I do HIIT 5 days a week when I'm cutting.

    It's the greatest.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    @JNick77

    No I am only doing cardio workout since I really need to improve my cardio and my stamina. I play soccer 2 times a week for a total of 4 hours a week and I am not really good at sprinting. I want to try this new training since it's not demanding a lot of time in my schedule. Did you ever hear of Tabata training for runner?

    @OP

    Yup, I've head of Tabata. I have different goals so I haven't tried it but I"ve heard it's effective. If you're interested, here are some good reference articles on Tabata. :)

    1) Fat Loss in Four Minutes: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/the_tabata_method
    2) Six New Tabata Workouts for Fast Fat Loss: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/six_new_tabata_workouts_for_fast_fat_loss.
    3) The Tabata Method Perfected: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most_recent/the_tabata_method_perfected
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