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What is HIIT Training?
Before I get into specific HIIT training routines I wanted to make sure you know what it is. It is also known as interval training or high intensity interval training.
It refers to alternating an intense workout pace with a light workout pace. The most basic HIIT workout goes like this.
Start out by warming up for 5 minutes. Follow that up with 30 seconds of sprinting and then go back to a fast walk for 60 seconds. That is one interval. Repeat for a total of up to 10 intervals. Then follow that up with a 5 minute walk to cool down.
This is what I like to think of as the bog standard HIIT routine. It is found on lots of fitness blogs and magazines. It is the chosen choice of cardio for a lot of people and has really overshadowed what is known as steady state cardio. Steady state cardio refers to moderate exercise like jogging for a long time (usually about an hour).
The reason I bring this is up is because research shows that losing body fat dramatically increases if you include both HIIT training and steady state cardio in your workout routine. So in this hub I will go over cardio routines that include both interval training and steady state cardio. But first let me explain a thing or two about steady state cardio vs. HIIT training.
Sunset Run
HIIT Training Vs. Steady State Cardio
When I got into fitness and the concept of losing fat I quickly came across the HIIT workout above and decided that was my replacement for my 3 mile runs.
I didn't really find out til way later that performing sprints for 20 minutes does not actually burn more calories than jogging for 60 minutes does.
Now the main difference with HIIT and steady state cardio is this. HIIT speeds up your metabolism and triggers your fat burning hormone known as HGH. Steady state cardio does not.
So you burn extra calories even after your HIIT workout which you don't get with steady state cardio. BUT you don't burn that much more.
A rough estimate of how many calories are burned with 20 minutes of intense exercise is about 350 calories and that includes the "afterburn" you get with intense exercise. A rough estimate of how many calories are burned with 60 minutes of jogging is around 700 calories!
And when it comes to fat loss a large factor is how many calories you burn. I had this problem for a while because I only performed training thinking that I was burning more than I really was. I overestimated it which I think is a problem a lot of us fitness nuts have.
So am I saying to go back to only performing hour long jogs and ditch interval training completely? No because like I said you don't release your HGH as efficiently with long steady exercise as you do with interval training. So what should you do to achieve rapid fat loss? Do them both.
HIIT + Steady State Cardio = Rapid Fat Loss
Why choose just one when you can get the best of both worlds through a more strategic approach? By combining the two in the same workout you will ramp up your fat loss because you will increase your HGH through HIIT and then burn a lot of calories with long duration cardio afterwards.
Increasing your HGH levels is what will teach your body to burn fat for fuel rather than just stored energy. That is what intense exercise does. You know you will have achieved this when you start to sweat and your skin turns a bit red.
After an intense workout your body breaks down your fat cells (not stored carbs) and by performing moderate exercise right after for a good 20 minutes your body will finish the job and burn the fat.
When it comes to fitness I believe that many of us want to look sharp and increase muscle definition. You know, get that hot look that fitness models and celebrities seem to have all the time. This is done by burning off the fat and using this strategy in your workout routine will develop a major change if you are not used to it.
So now that you know how to really lose body fat with cardio let's go over some cardio workouts. You can really use any type of exercise for cardio whether it is jump roping or swimming.
Circuit Training
Body Weight Circuits
Circuit training is interval training combined with resistance training (weight training). It can be done with any form of exercise whether it is kettle bell exercises, barbell exercises, dumbbell exercises, or of course body weight exercises.
You can check out the video for a good idea. I will also give you a guideline to follow. Keep in mind that when it comes to workout programs there is no one size fits all.
The way this works is you will complete each one of the exercises below immediately after each other so you will not rest until you have performed each exercise.
Rest for 2 to 3 minutes afterwards. Then repeat for up to 4 times for a great workout. If you are not used to circuit training then this will really get you in shape.
After you finish this HIIT training follow it up with a 20 minute jog/walk.
Front Squats
Barbell Circuits
What I love about barbell circuits is that you are still keeping the equipment to a minimum and you can perform all exercises while standing in one spot.
I recommend performing these exercises with just a 45 pound barbell without any added weight. This is to ensure that you get your form down which is very important even when doing circuit training.
Go about it just as before. Complete all of these exercises back-to-back without letting the barbell touch the ground until the end.
Do 2 or 3 circuits with 2 or 3 minute rests in between. Then of course follow it up with some light exercise such as walking, jogging, shadow boxing, or jump roping.
Boxer Jump Roping
Jump Roping HIT Training
You don't have to take the circuit training approach. You can keep your resistance training separate from your cardio if you would like.
Also I find the same old running routine to be boring at times. That is why I recommend switching it up by doing stuff like hitting a heavy bag or skipping rope.
Here is how to release your HGH with an intense jump rope workout. It is basically the same old general outline used for alternating walks with sprints. Only this is jump roping which is a little tougher.
Your arms may even get sore the day after. Then there are some cool tricks you can perform to really challenge yourself. You can do double jumps which is when you jump really high off the ground and skip the rope twice before your feet hit the ground.
And then there is what i like to call the "Rocky Sprint". It is basically just jogging in place because you alternate jumping on your left foot and right foot each jump. This is great for increasing the intensity of your workout.
Then after this training session you can follow it up with a lighter session. Something like alternating light jump roping with resting should work just fine.
After a while you can just do as the boxer does in the video and alternate light jump roping with running in place.
Fresh Produce
Don't Forget About Dieting
HIIT training is only a part of the fat loss equation. You also need to eat right since most of your results comes down to nutrition. Here are some guidelines to follow.
Before I get into specific HIIT training routines I wanted to make sure you know what it is. It is also known as interval training or high intensity interval training.
It refers to alternating an intense workout pace with a light workout pace. The most basic HIIT workout goes like this.
Start out by warming up for 5 minutes. Follow that up with 30 seconds of sprinting and then go back to a fast walk for 60 seconds. That is one interval. Repeat for a total of up to 10 intervals. Then follow that up with a 5 minute walk to cool down.
This is what I like to think of as the bog standard HIIT routine. It is found on lots of fitness blogs and magazines. It is the chosen choice of cardio for a lot of people and has really overshadowed what is known as steady state cardio. Steady state cardio refers to moderate exercise like jogging for a long time (usually about an hour).
The reason I bring this is up is because research shows that losing body fat dramatically increases if you include both HIIT training and steady state cardio in your workout routine. So in this hub I will go over cardio routines that include both interval training and steady state cardio. But first let me explain a thing or two about steady state cardio vs. HIIT training.
Sunset Run
HIIT Training Vs. Steady State Cardio
When I got into fitness and the concept of losing fat I quickly came across the HIIT workout above and decided that was my replacement for my 3 mile runs.
I didn't really find out til way later that performing sprints for 20 minutes does not actually burn more calories than jogging for 60 minutes does.
Now the main difference with HIIT and steady state cardio is this. HIIT speeds up your metabolism and triggers your fat burning hormone known as HGH. Steady state cardio does not.
So you burn extra calories even after your HIIT workout which you don't get with steady state cardio. BUT you don't burn that much more.
A rough estimate of how many calories are burned with 20 minutes of intense exercise is about 350 calories and that includes the "afterburn" you get with intense exercise. A rough estimate of how many calories are burned with 60 minutes of jogging is around 700 calories!
And when it comes to fat loss a large factor is how many calories you burn. I had this problem for a while because I only performed training thinking that I was burning more than I really was. I overestimated it which I think is a problem a lot of us fitness nuts have.
So am I saying to go back to only performing hour long jogs and ditch interval training completely? No because like I said you don't release your HGH as efficiently with long steady exercise as you do with interval training. So what should you do to achieve rapid fat loss? Do them both.
HIIT + Steady State Cardio = Rapid Fat Loss
Why choose just one when you can get the best of both worlds through a more strategic approach? By combining the two in the same workout you will ramp up your fat loss because you will increase your HGH through HIIT and then burn a lot of calories with long duration cardio afterwards.
Increasing your HGH levels is what will teach your body to burn fat for fuel rather than just stored energy. That is what intense exercise does. You know you will have achieved this when you start to sweat and your skin turns a bit red.
After an intense workout your body breaks down your fat cells (not stored carbs) and by performing moderate exercise right after for a good 20 minutes your body will finish the job and burn the fat.
When it comes to fitness I believe that many of us want to look sharp and increase muscle definition. You know, get that hot look that fitness models and celebrities seem to have all the time. This is done by burning off the fat and using this strategy in your workout routine will develop a major change if you are not used to it.
So now that you know how to really lose body fat with cardio let's go over some cardio workouts. You can really use any type of exercise for cardio whether it is jump roping or swimming.
Circuit Training
Body Weight Circuits
Circuit training is interval training combined with resistance training (weight training). It can be done with any form of exercise whether it is kettle bell exercises, barbell exercises, dumbbell exercises, or of course body weight exercises.
You can check out the video for a good idea. I will also give you a guideline to follow. Keep in mind that when it comes to workout programs there is no one size fits all.
The way this works is you will complete each one of the exercises below immediately after each other so you will not rest until you have performed each exercise.
- 5 Chin Ups
- 15 Push Ups
- 10 Swiss Ball Leg Curls
- 15 Body Weight Squats
- 30 Seconds of Shadow Boxing
- 5 Burpees
- 50 Jumping Jacks
Rest for 2 to 3 minutes afterwards. Then repeat for up to 4 times for a great workout. If you are not used to circuit training then this will really get you in shape.
After you finish this HIIT training follow it up with a 20 minute jog/walk.
Front Squats
Barbell Circuits
What I love about barbell circuits is that you are still keeping the equipment to a minimum and you can perform all exercises while standing in one spot.
I recommend performing these exercises with just a 45 pound barbell without any added weight. This is to ensure that you get your form down which is very important even when doing circuit training.
Go about it just as before. Complete all of these exercises back-to-back without letting the barbell touch the ground until the end.
- 10 Bent Over Rows
- 10 Romanian Dead Lifts
- 10 Hang Cleans
- 10 Front Squats
- 10 Push Presses
- 10 Lunges
Do 2 or 3 circuits with 2 or 3 minute rests in between. Then of course follow it up with some light exercise such as walking, jogging, shadow boxing, or jump roping.
Boxer Jump Roping
Jump Roping HIT Training
You don't have to take the circuit training approach. You can keep your resistance training separate from your cardio if you would like.
Also I find the same old running routine to be boring at times. That is why I recommend switching it up by doing stuff like hitting a heavy bag or skipping rope.
Here is how to release your HGH with an intense jump rope workout. It is basically the same old general outline used for alternating walks with sprints. Only this is jump roping which is a little tougher.
- Warm up with a 2 to 5 minute jump rope.
- Jump rope for one minute as fast as you can.
- Then chill for 30 seconds. Stop skipping rope and catch your breath.
- Repeat for up to 10 intervals which amounts to about 15 minutes.
- Cooldown with another 2 to 5 minute jump rope.
Your arms may even get sore the day after. Then there are some cool tricks you can perform to really challenge yourself. You can do double jumps which is when you jump really high off the ground and skip the rope twice before your feet hit the ground.
And then there is what i like to call the "Rocky Sprint". It is basically just jogging in place because you alternate jumping on your left foot and right foot each jump. This is great for increasing the intensity of your workout.
Then after this training session you can follow it up with a lighter session. Something like alternating light jump roping with resting should work just fine.
After a while you can just do as the boxer does in the video and alternate light jump roping with running in place.
Fresh Produce
Don't Forget About Dieting
HIIT training is only a part of the fat loss equation. You also need to eat right since most of your results comes down to nutrition. Here are some guidelines to follow.
- Eat plenty of natural foods such as lean meats, fruit, vegetables, beans, and nuts.
- Limit junk food to 1 or 2 cheat meals a week.
- Eating 5 to 6 small meals a day does NOT speed up your metabolism.
- Feel free to have 2 or 3 large meals just as long as they are made up of quality foods.
- If you really want to drop the last 10 pounds of fat or so then getting on a calorie deficit is key.
- Consider intermittent fasting. It releases HGH in a similar way that intense cardio does.
- It also really helps you limit calories without having to count calories.