Does anyone else do HIIT?

kcjchang wrote: »

IE1 protocol? Only Olympic speedskaters, as test subjects, who can manage over 8 cycles of 20 seconds "on" and 10 seconds "off" intervals of 170% of VO2 Max at 85 rpm four times a week plus a day of steady-state training remained in the study, "not taxing", you're joking right? (By the way, anything less than four times a week is not IE1 protocol aka Tabata HIIT.)

If IE1 is too easy, try IE2 protocol. Not sure what's the point since Tabata's study found that physiological index magnitudes deteriorated in the last 10 sec of each repetition of IE2 and IE1 protocol taxed both the anaerobic and aerobic energy releasing systems almost maximally, but go for broke.

I think the most I've done it in a single week was 3 times, but have no doubt that the week long protocol is within the grasp of a normal and reasonably trained average Joe or Jane. I did it with other workouts in that day that exceeded the single day of steady state, and I'm no genetic freak of nature by any means.

The point on the IE2 protocol is no doubt quite valid, and I think for most that extra 10 seconds would be very taxing for the heart rate. But that also brings up the point I was making that without a power measure it would be very easy for someone to overdo it with the IE1 as well. My all out 100% short term effort would easily exceed 170% of VO2max, but I doubt me or any other average person would do it for many intervals.

Intervals should be a supplement to improving your over all cardiovascular health... think of intervals as muscle building for your heart, lungs diaphragm and circulatory system... NOT as a stand alone "fat burner" exercise. As some posters have suggested the idea is to approach "failure" levels in respiratory and muscle endurance during the "go" portion of the exercise... and to "recover" as quickly as possible...coming from a middle distance track back ground...We were coached to do intervals as a way to increase overall speed in middle and long distance running... don't let anyone tell you you can't do intervals on a treadmill... you just need to be able to step off the belt quickly for the rest interval... My current "poison" is the stairmaster... 30 seconds to 1 minute at my max pace... followed by 1 minute to 1:30 rest before stoking the fire again... interval training should be done using your biggest muscle groups (legs) in order to hit the anaerobic wall as quickly as possible... so stairs, track, or hills are the best "instrument of destruction"... when you hit your max... you should be uncomfortably out of breath and like going another 10 seconds is impossible... or you should be building to that level... To begin intervals you should absolutely have your doctor's input and already have a strong cardio "work ethic"... Intevals should never be done "cold" always warm up before beginning...

what Intervals will really do is turn a jogger into a runner... if you ever had designs on a sub 5 minute mile... this is what intervals were designed to do... make you faster and stronger for longer...

snerggly wrote: »

This exactly. I don't do HIIT regularly now, but I "thought" i was doing it in the past. I WAS doing interval running on a treadmill, and it wasn't close to HIIT (you can't really do HIIT on a treadmill, it's unsafe and transitions too slow).

That's why I usually start the intervals several seconds before rest period actually ends because of the lag period. It's possible to do it on a treadmill, but I will agree that it is risky because I have almost fallen off going at max speed. I want to take it outdoors, but I'm afraid people will think I'm running for my life.

I take Les Mills GRIT classes a few times per week - they are 30 min HIIT. It's brutal. I can't say that I like it...but I continue to take it anyway because I've noticed a difference in my fitness levels. I keep hoping it'll get easier! But I guess that defeats the purpose, huh?

kcjchang wrote: »

Your intensity is too low. What is your method and duration used to estimate/identify VO2 Max. From your previous posts, you indicated that you have done laboratory tests to determine your lactate threshold (4 mmol L). The VO2 at lactate threshold is not VO2 Max. In world-class athletes lactate threshold typically occurs at 70-80% VO2 Max. In untrained individuals it occurs much sooner, at 50-60% VO2 Max. The other method is to estimate using the formula from American College of Sports Medicine based on the 5 minute mean maximal power or power at the steadier, “pay as you go” pace, from a well-paced pursuit-style effort (e.g. 3 km pursuit race) ignoring the initial spike at start.

robertw486 wrote: »

My all out 100% short term effort would easily exceed 170% of VO2max, but I doubt me or any other average person would do it for many intervals.

That's because one is relying solely on the phosphagen system (~5 seconds of all out effort plus declining output for 12-15 seconds before glycolysis kicks in). Re-phosphorlation will never catch up for the remaining intervals for IE1. This is why downtime (re-phosphorlation) consist of the bulk of the duration for a sprint workouts. Max heart rate is not a limiter on how high the intensity on can go. Same goes with Ventilatory Threshold. The whole point is to tax and maximize one's anaerobic threshold.

I've used several methods to calculate VO2max, and all come up reasonably close. As for intensity, it's metered to 170%, and thus to the protocol, not below it. But that is my point, 170% is not full ability. For people that have no meter, going beyond 170% for even an interval or two would make completing 8 intervals or more much more taxing. I've experienced this as I increased my VO2max to the point where the machine won't read it out in instantaneous reading.

I've never done any lab LT testing, and fully understand that LT and VO2max are two different things.


And having done the Tabata myself, I maintain that it is well within the grasp of many if not most average athletes. Since VO2max is relative to cardio training it certainly won't ever get easier to do, but it's far from any elite level workout IMO.

HIIT is the best co-ordinator, every other thing feels great during and after exercise.