Whether your new year’s resolution was to become more active or hitting the gym has been a part of your regular routine for years, you’ve probably heard the term “HIIT workout.” HIIT stands for ‘high intensity interval training’ – a form of exercise that comes with a multitude of benefits and has been popular now for nearly a decade.
Recent studies have shown that the best interval routines are structured around 60 seconds of high intensity work followed by 60 seconds of rest repeating that in 6-10 interval segments. An example of a HIIT workout would be to start out on Jacobs Ladder and using the side rails, going 60 feet per minute for two minutes to warm up. Right after, you’d go into your first interval going as fast as you can for 60 seconds and then resting for 60 seconds – you’d repeat this over and over for about eight total intervals to complete a HIIT workout.
HIIT has become an increasingly popular workout with gyms, fitness influencers, and trainers encouraging the technique for justified reasons.
Benefits of HIIT
High intensity interval training has gained popularity because of the multitude of benefits it’s been proven to provide. Whether you are a seasoned athlete or just starting out, HIIT workouts can be adjusted to fit anyone’s comfort level with physical fitness all while providing benefits from weight loss to heart health.
Studies have shown that HIIT is one of the most effective ways to lose weight, build lean muscle mass, stimulate growth hormones, boost your immune system and more. From providing more long-term calorie burns to lower blood pressure, HIIT workouts provide a lot of benefits that are well worth the sweat.
Weight Loss
If you are focusing on weight loss, high intensity interval training is a great type of workout to pursue because of the calorie burn. HIIT workouts result in a surplus of fat burned during a shorter period of exercise – making it ideal for weight loss.
In fact, research has shown that a HIIT workout can burn 20-30% more calories compared to other forms of workout making it a go-to method for shedding points. HIIT also allows you to burn calories after you’ve completed your workout – your metabolic rate increases after a HIIT workout which means your body is burning calories for hours following it.
Boosts Metabolism
It probably comes as no surprise after reading the points above regarding weight loss that high intensity interval training workouts also boost your metabolism. Completing a HIIT workout triggers your body to produce more of your human growth hormone (HGH) up to 450 percent for nearly 24 hours after a workout, meaning your burning calories for hours to come.
As a result, your body continues to burn fat and boost your metabolism long-term. An increased metabolic rate can help prevent weight gain making the work that you put in that morning something you benefit from well into the evening and the days following when done regularly. Repeating a HIIT workout several times a week will inevitably boost your metabolism thus triggering weight loss.
Heart Health
The benefits of exercise aren’t just about losing weight but staying healthy – a big benefit of regular exercise is improving and maintaining your cardiovascular health. HIIT workouts have been proven to effectively increase your heart rate, especially during the intense bursts, resulting in a very beneficial workout for your heart.
HIIT can also improve your blood pressure because it’s improving your overall heart function. The Conversation focuses heavily on the heart health benefits that HIIT offers explaining that “low-volume HIIT was shown to improve the heart’s structure – such as chamber enlargement” offering proof that HIIT is improving cardiovascular health of those prioritizing it.
If healthy heart benefits weren’t enough, high intensity interval training exercise has been shown to boost your memory and improve decision making.
How often should I do HIIT?
We want to stress that it is important to do HIIT workouts in moderation – they aren’t meant to be your daily go-to exercise, but can be beneficial when incorporated into your regular workout routine. Greatist recommends starting a HIIT workout 2-3 days a week – this will allow your body to build muscle in hopes to avoid injury and not burn you out too quickly.
HIIT is a challenge and it’s important to take some time in between workouts. Rest days are vital especially if your HIIT workout is targeting primarily one part of the body – that part will need time to rest and recover. Easing into high intensity interval training and giving your body time between sessions allows you to really reap the benefits that we discussed.
Can you do HIIT at home?
HIIT can easily be done at home, and most importantly, it can be effective at home too. Something that makes HIIT workouts a “go-to” form of exercise for many people is that it can be done anywhere, anytime.
Both the Jacobs Ladder and the Jacobs Ladder 2 can easily be used for HIIT workouts at home – they take up minimal floor space while providing you with a full body workout. Whether you have to tuck it into a home office or the corner of a guest bedroom, both machines take up minimal square footage making it easy to do so.
Many people have started using a home gym as their main workout space over the last two years and Jacobs Ladder is proud to offer equipment that makes that possible. The Jacobs Ladder X can be seamlessly incorporated into a home gym and the machine makes HIIT workouts a breeze with a range of climbing positions and intensity levels.
Discover the Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training with Jacobs Ladder
Jacobs Ladder is proud to partner with customers that are prioritizing their fitness goals. Our machines can help you achieve those goals, whatever they might be, and push your at home workouts to the next level. Our equipment experts are standing by – reach out to them today with any questions you might have.