As a mom of two, I know how hard it can be to fit in a workout. You may think you need hours and hours of exercise to see benefits, but the good news is there’s a form of training that gets maximum results in minimum time – great for busy moms or anyone with a full schedule.
You may have heard of the fitness craze high intensity interval training, also known as HIIT. HIIT is a form of training that involves short intervals of maximum intensity exercise followed by longer intervals of low intensity exercise.
For example, a 30-second sprint followed by a 90-second walk. You can also apply this to a strength workout such as squats, completing 45 seconds of squats followed by one minute of a lower intensity walk. The combinations of activities are endless but the key element is the high intensity or maximum effort. By performing at maximum levels, you will burn more calories, burn more fat and improve your cardio fitness while spending less time exercising.
A HIIT workout is anywhere from 10-30 minutes, whereas a traditional workout can be as long as 60-90 minutes. As an added bonus, there’s an afterburn-effect known as EPOC (excess-post exercise oxygen consumption). You increase your metabolism and burn more calories for up to 24 hours after interval training, whereas going for a jog burns very few calories after.
Are you convinced yet? The research is overwhelming as to the benefits of HIIT; I just scratched the surface. To give you an idea of a basic HIIT workout following is a sample:
Sample HIIT Workout 1 – just cardio!
60 Seconds Sprint/Fast Jog
120 Seconds Walk/Slow Jog
NOTE: Interval training should begin with a 3-5 minute warm up and end with a 3-5 minute cool down.
Repeat 5 cycles for a total of 15 minutes (not including warm-up/cool-down). You are done in 21 minutes. Simple, but effective!
Keep in mind to allow a day in between workouts and only perform HIIT 2-3 times per week. Mix it up with different style of cardio (i.e. bike, elliptical) to prevent injuries as well as include strength training moves.
As with any exercise, HIIT is not for everyone so please use caution when doing this form of exercise. The general recommendation is you should have a base level of 20 to 30 minutes of continuous exercise at about 70-85% of your maximum heart rate before you attempt to do high intensity interval training. Check with your medical professional before starting a new exercise routine.
So find 20 minutes in your day and do HIIT training for maximum benefit in minimal time. You will feel great!
Want an exercise professional to build a plan for you? MacEwan University Sport and Wellness has highly-trained Exercise and Lifestyle Consultants certified with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiologists as Certified Exercise Physiologists or as Certified Personal Trainers. Have one of our trainers design a program for you, or we offer HIIT value-added classes that are free with a membership or as part of a facility drop-in.
