No Time, No Problem

We are all pressed for time. I feel ya. However, if you think you need an hour to get a good sweat, you're wrong! High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) not only allows you to sneak in a workout in less than 30 minutes, you can complete an effective HIIT workout in as little as 4 minutes! And, wait for it, it's even better than spending an hour on the treadmill! Sounds too good be true? Get ready to change your workout routine forever, studies have proven these amazing benefits of HIIT :

• Burn More Calories: Not only do you burn more calories during HIIT workouts than steady cardio alone, but the effect of all that intense exertion kicks your body's repair cycle into hyperdrive. That means you continue burn more fat and calories 24 hours after a HIIT workout... burning calories while I sleep? Sign me up!

• Skip the Gym: Using exercises like high knees, lunges, squats, and pushups, all you need for a quality HIIT workout is a little bit of space (like your living room) and a timer (like this one) is helpful.  

• Lose Fat not Muscle: One problem with rapid weight loss, is the loss of muscles as opposed to fat. Studies have shown that unlike going for a long run, interval training preserves muscles and that most of the weight lost comes from fat... hooray for lean muscle!

• Increased Metabolism: stimulates production of your human growth hormone  (HGH) by up to 450 percent during the 24 hours after you finish your workout. HGH is not only responsible for increased caloric burn but also slows down the aging process.

• Immediate Results: Just 2 weeks of high-intensity intervals improves your heart and lung health as much as 6 to 8 weeks of endurance training. Furthermore, 15 minutes of interval training (done three times a week) is more effective than the girl jogging on the treadmill for an hour. 

(Source)

What is HIIT?

 Now, you may be thinking, "Great Christina! This HIIT business sounds fantastic, but what exactly is it?" HIIT is a series of excises that alternate from intense bursts of exercise to less-intense periods. For example: 20 seconds of sprinting, followed by 10 seconds of walking. The key to benefit from a HIIT workout is to push yourself to the maximum. We should feel out of breath and our heart rate should reach it's max during our workout to achieve the most benefit.

Ready to give it a try? I have been incorporating High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) into my classes. I'm now teaching in both Los Angeles and Orange County, so if you live in Southern CA, get your booty to one of my classes! I'd love to meet you. I've also posted workouts here and here.  This website (where I get a lot of exercise ideas) posts a new HIIT every single day... well isn't that convenient? Guess the "I don't have enough time"excuse ain't gonna fly anymore.