SparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more

Fitness Articles  ›  Focused Fitness

High Intensity Interval Training

Take Your Fitness and Fat Loss to the Next Level

-- By Dean Anderson, Fitness & Behavior Expert
SparkPeople advertisers help keep the site free! Learn more
If I told you that there was a way to burn more calories, lose more fat, and improve your cardiovascular fitness level while spending less time doing cardio, you’d probably reach for your phone to report me to the consumer fraud hotline, right?

Well, this is one of those rare times when your natural it’s-too-good-to-be-true reaction could be mistaken. If you want to take your fitness and fat loss to the next level—without spending more time in the gym—then high intensity interval training (also known as HIIT) could be exactly what you're looking for.

Before getting into the details, notice that I didn’t say HIIT would be easier, just that it would take less of your time. In fact, the HIIT approach to cardio exercise is very physically demanding and isn’t for everyone. If you have any cardiovascular problems or other health concerns that limit your ability to exercise at very intense levels, or if you are relatively new to aerobic exercise or not already in good shape, HIIT is not for you—at least for now. If you have any doubts or concerns about whether it might be safe for you, check in with your medical professional before trying HIIT.

What It Is and How It Works
HIIT is a specialized form of interval training that involves short intervals of maximum intensity exercise separated by longer intervals of low to moderate intensity exercise. Because it involves briefly pushing yourself beyond the upper end of your aerobic exercise zone, it offers you several advantages that traditional steady-state exercise (where you keep your heart rate within your aerobic zone) can’t provide:
  • HIIT trains and conditions both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. You train your anaerobic system with brief, all-out efforts, like when you have to push to make it up a hill, sprint the last few hundred yards of a distance race, or run and hide from your spouse after saying the wrong thing.
  • HIIT increases the amount of calories you burn during your exercise session and afterward because it increases the length of time it takes your body to recover from each exercise session.
  • HIIT causes metabolic adaptations that enable you to use more fat as fuel under a variety of conditions. This will improve your athletic endurance as well as your fat-burning potential.
  • HIIT appears to limit muscle loss that can occur with weight loss, in comparison to traditional steady-state cardio exercise of longer duration.
  • To get the benefits HIIT, you need to push yourself past the upper end of your aerobic zone and allow your body to replenish your anaerobic energy system during the recovery intervals.
The key element of HIIT that makes it different from other forms of interval training is that the high intensity intervals involve maximum effort, not simply a higher heart rate. There are many different approaches to HIIT, each involving different numbers of high and low intensity intervals, different levels of intensity during the low intensity intervals, different lengths of time for each interval, and different numbers of training sessions per week. If you want to use HIIT to improve performance for a particular sport or activity, you’ll need to tailor your training program to the specific needs and demands of your activity.

General HIIT Guidelines
  • HIIT is designed for people whose primary concerns are boosting overall cardiovascular fitness, endurance, and fat loss, without losing the muscle mass they already have.
  • Before starting any HIIT program, you should be able to exercise for at least 20-30 minutes at 70-85% of your estimated maximum heart rate, without exhausting yourself or having problems.
  • Because HIIT is physically demanding, it’s important to gradually build up your training program so that you don’t overdo it. (The sample training schedule below will safely introduce you to HIIT over a period of eight weeks.)
  • Always warm up and cool down for at least five minutes before and after each HIIT session.
  • Work as hard as you can during the high intensity intervals, until you feel the burning sensation in your muscles indicating that you have entered your anaerobic zone. Elite athletes can usually sustain maximum intensity exercise for three to five minutes before they have to slow down and recover, so don’t expect to work longer than that.
  • Full recovery takes about four minutes for everyone, but you can shorten the recovery intervals if your high intensity intervals are also shorter and don’t completely exhaust your anaerobic energy system.
  • If you experience any chest pain or breathing difficulties during your HIIT workout, cool down immediately. (Don't just stop or else blood can pool in your extremities and lightheadedness or faintness can occur.)
  • If your heart rate does not drop back down to about 70% of your max during recovery intervals, you may need to shorten your work intervals and/or lengthen your recovery intervals.
  • HIIT (including the sample program below) is not for beginner exercisers or people with cardiovascular problems or risk factors. If you have cardiovascular problems or risk factors should NOT attempt HIIT unless your doctor has specifically cleared you for this kind of exercise.
A Sample Progressive HIIT Program
Please adhere to the general HIIT guidelines above for this program. To maximize fat loss, maintain an intensity level of 60-70% of your maximum heart rate (RPE of 5-6 on the 10-point scale) during warm up, cool down and recovery intervals.

 Week   Warm  up  Work Interval (Max Intensity)  Recovery  Interval
(60-70% MHR)		  Repeat Cool
 down  		 Total 
 Workout  Time
 1  5 min.  1 min.  4 min.  2 times  5 min.  20 min.
 2  5 min.  1 min.  4 min.  3 times  5 min.  25 min.
 3  5 min.  1 min.  4 min.  4 times  5 min.  30 min.
 4  5 min.  1.5 min.  4 min.  2 times  5 min.  21 min.
 5  5 min.  1.5 min.  4 min.  3 times  5 min.  26.5 min.
 6  5 min.  1.5 min.  4 min.  4 times  5 min.  32 min.
 7  5 min.  2 min.  5 min.  3 times  5 min.  31 min.
 8  5 min.  2 min.  5 min.  4 times  5 min.  38 min.

After completing this eight-week program, you can continue working to increase the number of work intervals per session, the duration of work intervals, or both.

You can adjust this training plan to accommodate your particular needs and goals. If you find that this schedule is either too difficult or too easy for your current fitness level, you can make adjustments to the duration and/or number of high intensity intervals as necessary. For example, if you want to train yourself for very short, frequent bursts of maximum intensity activity, your program could involve sprinting for 20 seconds and jogging/walking for 60 seconds, and repeating that 15-20 times per session.

You don’t need to swap all of your aerobic exercise for HIIT to gain the benefits. A good balance, for example, might be two sessions of HIIT per week, along with 1-2 sessions of steady-state aerobic exercise. As usual, moderation is the key to long-term success, so challenge yourself—but don’t drive yourself into the ground. Get ready to see major changes in your body and your fitness level!
Click here to to redeem your SparkPoints
  You will earn 3 SparkPoints
Page 1 of 1   Return to main fitness page »

Related Content


About The Author

Dean Anderson Dean Anderson
Dean Anderson has master's degrees in human services (behavioral psychology/stress management) and liberal studies. His interest in healthy living began at the age of 50 when he confronted his own morbid obesity and health issues. He joined SparkPeople and lost 150 pounds and regained his health. Dean has earned a personal training certification from ACE and received training as a lifestyle and weight management consultant. See all of Dean's articles.

Member Comments

  • PESKIGIRL
    HIIT is the best thing! :) - 6/14/2013 8:47:41 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • PERCJESTER
    "run and hide from your spouse after saying the wrong thing" ... HAHA! - 6/14/2013 9:37:59 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • WRAVENESS
    I was in the best shape of my life when I did HIIT. And to me, it's easier to stick to...not because it's less intense, but because it's short! You can do HIIT on any machine and it's pretty easy. Just start out, for example, on level 4 on an eliptical for a few minutes, then crank it up to level 13 for 2 minutes, then back down. IOn a treadmill I would walk fast for 3 minutes then run as fast as I can for 2 minutes then repeat. IT's that simple. I did it about 3 times a week for 12 - 30 minutes each day. I'm naturally muscular so when I did this training, my muslce cuts began to show through immensely after a couple of months. I highly recommend this type of training and can't wait to move into my new house (which will give me the room for equipment) to start this up again! - 6/14/2013 9:09:53 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • CAROLINEHEARN
    Does anybody know how important it is to return to 70% MHR between intervals? I ask because I've been doing the Jillian Michaels workouts on DVD and my heart rate, though it goes up and down, doesn't ever return to 70% between harder intervals. Should I press pause to get more benefit from HIIT workouts, or do I get more benefit from just staying high and sometimes going higher? Thanks for any advice! - 6/14/2013 3:35:58 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • CHICAGOTOM
    HIIT vs LSD (Long Slow Distance): In the 1980s Mark Allan of Triathelon fame made famous his LSD method of training. LSD is simply the opposite of HIIT. In other words, you move slowly and workout for a long time and over a long distance and you stop working out long before you hit the wall. I followed LSD back then and lost tons of weight. However, I also lost tons of weight following the "low-fat-diet" craze which was a bad idea, because I ended-up gaining back all the weight. Now, I am doing "muscle confusion" and a little HIIT off-and-on and eating clean super foods and avoiding unhealthy choices. It seems that HIIT is less time consuming (but harder) and changing-it-up seems to work well in keeping the body from adjusting. I believe that this has increased my metabolic rate. I am going to stick with HIIT for a while. - 6/3/2013 4:32:07 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • ERICNJ28
    Tabata training has given me the best results plus I'm done in 4 minutes (excluding warm up and cool down). You can find a ton of Tabata training videos on You Tube. Three times a week. Jammin! - 4/25/2013 3:56:11 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • TIMETOSHINE43
    I have been seeing HIIT and not know what it is until I finally looked it up on Sparkpeople...I am so excited...this is what I been looking for...something new and challenging that will get me results quick at the gym. HAPPY to try this out! Great information and very informative. The chart is so helpful too. - 4/10/2013 3:53:33 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • JSIEVERT
    If anyone is interested in doing this but wants guidance, try the TurboFire workout DVDs from Beachbody. Chalene will challenge you in a positive way. - 3/15/2013 8:26:56 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • INTERVALGETFIT
    I found out about the benefits of hiit when I was training for downhill mountain biking and combined with specific weight training it really made a difference, so much so that I wanted to start a website on it to explain the benefits of it to others. Here is a specific page from my site with details of some of the interval training that I do and hopefully others will find it useful: I've used the pyramid style of interval training with weights as well and often use a combo of swings, squats and shoulder press. I've details of the exercise here as well as other interval training I do: http://www.interv
    altrainingexe
    rcises.com/in
    terval-traini
    ng/high-inten
    sity-interval-training-workouts/ - 1/22/2013 4:17:46 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • ELIELECTRIC
    The boot camp I go to is basically just 60 minutes of HIIT. I love it. It's insane, but I feel so awesome afterwards, even when every muscle in my body aches. - 10/25/2012 8:43:38 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • ELWINR
    High intensity interval training is not new. Perhaps as a weight loss method but not to athletes. I remember my high school swim team coach clear back in the late 70's, don't laugh ;) having us do sprints. We would do sets of 20 or 30, 100 yard sprints on the two minute mark. That means we would sprint for about 1min and 5 to 20 seconds depending on how fast we were and then have 55 to 40 seconds rest. Then turn around and do it again until we completed 20 or 30 sprints. It is a killer workout. It develops both quick sprint speed as well as cardio endurance at the same time. I am sure people that run track would also have experience with high intensity interval training. - 10/25/2012 8:06:10 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • LJOHNES
    A really good article. For any who are interested, you should also check out the BBC documentary "The Truth About Exercise". Just search google (or go directly and do the search in youtube).

    It's a documentary with Michael Moseley and covers HIIT and why exactly it works. It is a very good piece and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the best exercise to lose belly fat. - 10/25/2012 2:22:23 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • JOIE501
    DOES ANY ONE HAVE TIPS ON HOW TO DO THIS? Is it better on the treadmill or an ellipictal? Send ides this way please :) I would love to start doing this at my gym. - 10/25/2012 9:14:09 AM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • 2WHEELER
    My gym has a HIIT class and I'm working up to being able to handle it. Should be able to in a couple of weeks! Can't wait to give something new a try. - 10/3/2012 2:14:01 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
  • PETALIA
    Training in the anaerobic zone rules! - 9/28/2012 2:37:34 PM
    Report Inappropriate Comment
Popular Calories Burned Searches: Acting  |  Archery / Hunting  |  Bobsledding