Interval training has been used by multiple professional athletes for decades; however, we are just beginning to see and hear more about it and why it’s such a vital piece of their training regimen. Here’s a brief description of what interval training or HIIT workout is and why it’s the most important thing you should be adding to your fitness routine.

What is Interval Training and how does it work?

Interval training is described as aerobic training which utilizes different intervals that rotate from high to low in a specific pattern and is otherwise referred to as HIIT or high-intensity interval training. When implementing an interval training workout in your fitness routine you will add intervals or changes in intensity which rotate between high and low intensities to increase the overall output during a training session.

How to do interval aerobic workouts

What does a basic interval training session consist of?

Interval training consists of different intervals or intensity levels in a single session. You will rotate between the high-intensity level, which will increase your heart rate while working, to a lower intensity level which will decrease the intensity and allow your heart rate to recover and come down. These intervals can range from seconds to minutes.

Interval workouts can be highly-sophisticated and can include multiple interval patterns, or they can be very simple. Depending on your experience, goals, and physical ability you will want to discuss interval training with your medical provider prior to beginning. Interval training can be done on your own or with a fitness professional depending on your comfort- level, knowledge base, and goals.

Why is Interval Training Beneficial?

There are many benefits to adding interval training to your fitness routine. From performance improvements to physiological improvements, most individuals will see anyone or many of these benefits with the regular use of interval training. Benefits may include:

·         Increased utilization of fat as an energy source

·         Improved heart strength

·         Increased caloric burn

·         Improved recovery

·         Improved performance

·         Increased speed

·         Improved overall endurance

Increased efficiency in the cardiovascular system is a highly important benefit of utilizing high-intensity intervals. This is due to the effects that this single benefit can have on the rest of your body and the overall efficiency that is gained over time.

Improved efficiency will be seen as you begin to recover more efficiently from your workouts. This is one way to know that your aerobic endurance is improving. It is also seen in the improved tolerance and recovery from lactic acid build-up.

As you continue to train to utilize interval training, you will also begin to see an improvement in your metabolism and an increase in your overall caloric burn during exercise and after.

It is also important to remember that the most important thing when adding any new component to your fitness regimen is your safety. Below are a few tips to remember as you begin developing your routine:

Tip #1  Always warm up prior to your workouts

Tip #2  Start slow, build your repetitions and intervals over time

Tip #3  Intensity doesn’t always mean that you must increase your speed. You can use other variables such as incline, resistance, and increased duration to increase and improve your intensity.

The information in this article and our philosophy of the importance of a HIIT workout is based on the information found in the peer-reviewed study “Two weeks of high-intensity aerobic intervals increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women,” which can be found at:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17170203/

To learn more about interval training and how you may benefit from adding it to your fitness routine, go to www.mindmusclememory.com

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What gadgets and gear will help you get the most out of interval training?

Heart Rate Trackers are great for tracking your heart rate and recovering post-workout!