High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can provide the same health benefits as regular exercise, albeit for a shorter period of time. Other benefits of HIIT cardio include helping burn calories and reduce excess body fat, increasing heart rate, and balancing blood pressure.
Many people struggle to find time to focus on exercise. Busy schedules can make it difficult to exercise. HIIT cardio can be a great option for those who still want to find some time to maintain a healthy body through exercise.
But what exactly is HIIT training?
Understanding HIIT Exercise
HIIT is a general term for interval training. This workout combines several high-intensity exercise movements performed alternately for several minutes.
The purpose of this exercise is to significantly increase your heart rate, up to at least 80% of your maximum heart rate. HIIT incorporates not only high-intensity exercises, but also low-intensity exercises.
Typically, HIIT cardio workouts last 10–30 minutes. One of the main advantages of HIIT cardio is that you can get maximum health benefits from a short workout.
The exercise movements performed can vary, but generally include sprinting, cycling, jumping rope, and many more.
For example, in a HIIT cardio workout using a stationary bike , you could cycle as fast as possible for 30 seconds at high resistance, followed by several minutes of slow cycling at low resistance.
One set of these exercises counts as one repetition of HIIT cardio. It's recommended to do 4–6 repetitions during a HIIT session on a stationary bike.
How long you exercise and rest can vary based on the activity you choose, and how intensely you exercise.
Benefits of HIIT Exercise for Personal Health
1. Burns a Lot of Calories
When you do this high-intensity exercise, you can burn calories quickly and even more. One study compared the calories burned during 30 minutes of HIIT training, weight training, running, and cycling.
Researchers found that HIIT can burn 25–30% more calories than other forms of exercise. In this study, HIIT repetitions consisted of 20 seconds of high-intensity exercise followed by 40 seconds of rest.
This means that participants who did HIIT cardio only exercised for a third of the time spent by the group of participants who did running and cycling .
Although in this study each exercise was done for 30 minutes, participants who did HIIT training only used less time than other types of exercise.
In the end, it can be concluded that HIIT can help you burn more calories or burn the same number of calories as other types of exercise, in a shorter time.
Also read: Are You Sure You're Slim? Here's How to Calculate Your Ideal Body Weight
2. Increase Metabolism
One way this high-intensity workout can help you burn calories actually happens after you're done. Several studies have shown HIIT's ability to increase metabolic rate for hours after exercise.
One study even found that HIIT can increase metabolism after exercise, more so than jogging or weight training . The same study also found that HIIT can shift carbohydrate use to fat, which is used as an energy source in the body's metabolism.
3. Reduce Excess Fat
Research has shown that HIIT can help you lose excess fat. One study examined 13 experiments conducted on 424 overweight or obese adults.
From this study, it was found that HIIT and moderate intensity exercise can help reduce body fat and waist circumference.
Several other studies have also shown that HIIT can reduce body fat, even if done only for a short period of time. However, like other forms of physical exercise, HIIT is most effective for fat loss in people who are overweight or obese.
4. Helps Muscle Building
Besides helping burn fat, HIIT cardio exercise can also help increase muscle mass in some people who do this exercise regularly.
However, generally the increase in muscle mass occurs in the muscles that are used most frequently, and this usually only occurs in the muscles of the trunk and legs.
Furthermore, muscle mass gains from HIIT are more likely to occur in people who were initially less active. Weight training remains the most effective form of exercise for increasing muscle mass.
5. Reduces Blood Pressure
Regularly engaging in high-intensity exercise can provide significant health benefits. Numerous studies have found that it can help reduce heart rate and high blood pressure in people with overweight and obesity, where high blood pressure is common.
A study found that doing HIIT cardio for 8 weeks on a stationary bike can lower blood pressure as much as endurance exercise in adults with high blood pressure.
In this study, the group of participants who did endurance training exercised 4 days a week for 30 minutes per day, and the group of participants who did HIIT only exercised 3 times a week for 20 minutes per day.
6. Lowers Blood Sugar
HIIT training lasting less than 12 weeks can help lower blood sugar. A summary of 50 studies found that HIIT training not only reduced blood sugar but also improved insulin resistance.
Based on this information, it's possible that high-intensity exercise could be beneficial for people at high risk of type 2 diabetes. Several studies specifically conducted in people with type 2 diabetes have demonstrated the effectiveness of HIIT in maintaining blood sugar levels.
Also read: 10 Benefits of Cardio Exercise, Not Just for the Heart
How to Get the Benefits of HIIT Exercise?
There are many ways to start doing HIIT workouts. First, you just need to choose the exercise you want to do, such as running, cycling, jumping rope , and so on.
Next, you can try to fiddle with the duration of your workouts and rest periods, you can determine how long you will do intense physical exercise and how long you will rest to recover.
If you're just starting to exercise after a period of inactivity, start by training twice a week. HIIT workouts can be very tiring, especially when using higher-impact exercises. Adequate recovery time between intense training sessions is essential to avoid injury.
Maximize the Benefits of HIIT Workouts with Equipment from SVRG
HIIT training has been proven effective in burning fat faster, boosting metabolism, strengthening muscles, and maintaining heart health. Furthermore, HIIT helps increase stamina, improve workout efficiency, and provides an afterburn effect that keeps calories burning even after exercise is complete. With a consistent routine and proper technique, you can maximize the benefits of HIIT, even when done at home.
For optimal and comfortable workout results, complete your HIIT sessions with quality cardio equipment from SVRG. From anti-slip mats and resistance bands to breathable workout apparel , we've got you covered to support your best performance. Discover the SVRG product collection now and make your HIIT workouts even more effective, safe, and enjoyable!
