Weight loss is a scary task especially when you do
not have enough time to act on it. Here in this article, you will learn about
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). It is a great hit in the fitness
industry, even prior to it was officially introduced as a workout form for the
common man. HIIT workouts demand high endurance levels. That is you need to
evaluate your health and make sure to be well-matched with this workout form.
The
Fundamentals of HIIT
To start with HIIT, it is essential to concentrate
on the chore at hand. Get ready for the hard workout routine by setting proper
goals. As HIIT involves alternative sets of intensity training ranging from low
to high, you should get to understand how far you can go.
By doing so, fix a goal that is low in the initial
days and gradually increase the intensity level once you realize that your body
can pick it up. It is a good idea to have a heart-rate monitor in hand in order
to determine
your intended heart rate. HIIT regimen includes three important
zones. You can use the following zone list.
- Warm up zone - 65 to 75 % of your highest heart rate
- Recovery zone - 80 to 85 % of your highest heart rate
- Interval zone - 86 to 90 % of your highest heart rate
Step
1: Find
out the maximum heart rate by using this formula – subtract your age from 220.
That is, if your age is 40 years, then your maximum heart rate will be 220-40=180.
Step
2: You
can now determine the target zone by following the above percentages indicated
with the help of your maximum heart rate. Your warm up zone would be less than
117 if your maximum heart rate is 180. That is, 180 multiplied by 65%. Recovery
zone will be 144, and interval zone will be in between 154 to 162.
Invest
on Cardio Devices
Firstly, decide if you want to follow the HIIT workouts
at home or at gym. The benefit of following HIIT at gym is that you will have
real good equipment in hand, with some fitness machines having built-in heart
rate monitors for which you do not have invest on different equipment and a
heart rate monitor.
Some people prefer workouts at home as it saves time
for them. You can use a stationary bike or a treadmill at home. Or you can
perform some outdoor exercises like jogging, running, sprints and others.
How to succeed?
In order to succeed with this sort of exercise, you
have to be stubborn and have to put your maximum limits. If you like to start
with this exercise, follow two simple guidelines – Begin Simple and Push Hard.
Begin the workouts simple by understanding your
limits. Select a physical activity that best fits you. Avoid running if you
have any problem in your knees; rather prefer cycling or any other device that
suits you.
Pushing hard, here means achieving a level where you
drip sweat from the body and think that you cannot perform further. You don’t
need to save energy for the next stage. You can do your 90 percent highest.
And, do not forget to take plenty of water.