There is no magic to losing fat or getting in shape or being fit, how you get there depends on many things and factors and varies from person to person.
Over the years, there has been a lot of hype about various forms of exercises that target fat loss and fitness levels, all claiming to be the best.
The most common used in the general fitness industry to date are HIIT sessions, also known as HIIE (high intensity intermittent interval training) or SIT (speed interval training). Typically these sessions are targeted at 85-90% of an individual’s maximum heart rate with a short rest period between cycles.
HIIT training is not new and has been used as early as the 1970s by Peter Coe, father of Sebastion Coe, who was inspired by German trainer Wolderman Geschler and adapted racing outfits for his son, Olympian Sebastion Coe.
In more recent times, the most popular and widely used regimen is the Tabata method, which was formed by Professor Izumin Tabata, who was developing speed for Olympic speed skaters using a maximum speed of 20 seconds at around 170% of his speed. VO2 max capacity, followed by 10 seconds of rest repeated for a cycle of 8 with one minute of rest at the end of cycles, before repeating cycles between 4 and 30 minutes.
Other regimens you may want to check out are “The Little Method,” the Zuniga regimen, and the Timmins regimen, all of the various forms of HIIT training.
Most people will have heard of HIIT training in more modern forms like Metafit, Grit, Insanity, and Tabata, to name the best known.
The benefits of this type of training are that the body burns glycogen at a high intensity (basically carbohydrates) and fat is also burned as a secondary fuel source.
Next, let’s look at the other side of the coin with LISS (Low Intensity Steady State Cardio) which basically does what it says on the tin, sessions are typically long duration and aim for 45-60% of maximum heart rate of an individual.
Low-state training is effective as it uses fat as the body’s main food system, thus burning fat.
The benefits of HIIT and LISS training are quite similar, as both have been shown to
Improve blood pressure
Improves cardiovascular health
Increases sensitivity to insulin.
Lower cholesterol
Decrease body fat.
Decrease body weight (maintaining muscle mass ACSM 2014)
When it comes to HIIT training, there is a slight downside to some of the benefits, HIIT training won’t help.
Hyperlipidymia
Individuals with severe or morbid obesity
Motivation of the subject (people must be highly motivated to continue this type of training)
Other benefits of HIIT training
It can be adapted to most types of training.
Times may vary for circuits.
Commonly used in industry.
The least common factor known in relation to HIIT training is the EPOC effect.
EPOC effect of HIIT training
Consuming oxygen after exercise is a benefit of HIIT and benefits include
Burning calories 24 to 48 hours after training
ATP production and replacement
Muscle glycogen resynthesis
Restoring body temperature to resting levels.
Restoration of oxygen levels.
Help proteins in the repair and growth of muscles.
Heart rate zones
In order for you to stay within the heart zones mentioned above, below is a short guide to the Karvonen method that will allow you to calculate the zones required for your training.
220-year maximum heart rate (MHR)
MHR – heart rate resting (RHR) = heart rate reserve (HRR)
HRR X Training intensity (%) + resting heart rate (RHR)
For instance
A 50-year-old man with a resting heart rate of 65 bpm who wants to train at 70% of the intensity of his maximum heart rate (MHR)
220-50 = 170 (MHR)
170-65 = 105 (HRR)
105 x0.7 + 65 = 139 bpm (70% training intensity)
Two HIIT circuits for you to try
The first will be the traditional bodyweight HIIT.
Exercises 6
Round time 4 minutes rest 1 minute between rounds
20 seconds on 10 seconds rest
Cycles 8
Total circuit time 30 minutes
Series 1
Belching
Goalkeeper push-ups
Squat jumps
Pistol exercises (jump lunges)
Jelly beans
Corkscrew push-ups
Set 2
You’re up
10 exercises 10 repetitions each without rest
Rest 1 min after completing the set, repeat as many sets as necessary
Belching
Goalkeeper push-ups
Squat jumps
Pistol exercises (jump lunges)
Jesus curls
Corkscrew push-ups
mountain climbers
Military press up
Tuck jumps
Burpee to double jump
Synopsis
HIIT training is ideal for losing fat and increasing fitness levels, more aimed at motivated people who enjoy this type of training.
LISS training has the same benefits as HIIT, however, it is better suited for people with specific medical conditions, post-operative recovery, obesity, etc., who can then progress to other types of training if they wish.