HIIT has been observed to enhance cardiovascular health, cut down abdominal obesity, and preserve muscle mass, but, like any cardiovascular exercise, HIIT can also be overdone.
HIIT workouts should be
done more than two to three consecutive days because it is likely to lead to
fatigue and increased chances of an injury to the muscles if adequate time
between different exercises is not observed.
There is work on all
muscle groups and adequate rest and recovery; strength training, active rest,
and cardiovascular or high-intensity interval training.
It is a well-studied fact
that some form of exercise as an active lifestyle is beneficial to one’s
health, controlling factors including high blood pressure and having a
positive, healthy effect on mental health and cognition while also lessening
the incidence of disease such as heart disease and cancer.
According to CDC, adults
should have at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity-or 75 minutes of
vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week or a combination of both,
and also should incorporate muscle-strengthening activity that involves all the
major muscle groups at least two days a week. 1
For a more vigorous
workout, some people may choose a form of exercise known as high-intensity
interval training (HIIT), or workouts characterized by short bursts of intense
exercise (think: Intervals of activity that are often associated with running
(sprints or burpees, for instance), then there is recovery time.
The emphasis is made on
the fact that HIIT is actually safe for our body, and it makes all sorts of
positive changes to it, including improvements in cardiovascular health, a
decrease in abdominal fat, and the maintenance of muscle mass; however, it is essential
to avoid excessive physical activity of this type. There is much to learn about
how to implement HIIT training into your exercise regimen and how many of these
sessions should you include in your weekly schedule before you take a break.
Benefits of HIIT
Despite this, people
interested in HIIT workouts will see many benefits for themselves: these
workouts are incredibly intense (as the name suggests), but the benefits are
numerous and suitable for a rather diverse audience. Due to the fact that they
involve high intensity exercises, they can be accomplished in less time than is
required when doing low intensity exercises and this makes them perfect for
those who have no time.
HIIT workouts are highly
effective for enhancing cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive health as well
as reducing all-cause mortality. 3 They are also versatile – any exercise can
be done with them, be it cycling, running, swimming, or any other form of
exercise, and at any level of proficiency.
“HIIT workouts can be fun
and the mental challenge is there which proves to you that you can do hard
things,” Emily Nichols, CFT said to Health. “They are beneficial if you want to
increase your heart rate and metabolic rate during the workout and even after
you finished exercising, meaning more calories are burned”
What Nichols is referring
to is a phase that occurs after exercise known as the excess post-exercise
oxygen consumption (EPOC) which takes place after a rigorous exercise session.
This is the so-called post and during that time, roughly two hours of activity,
the body is re-establishing its pre-exercise levels and in the process burns
more calories. 4
Now, can someone please
tell me how often should you work out
Is it safe to perform
HIIT workouts daily?
However, since HIIT
sessions are explosive, they should not be performed on the daily basis.
“Your body cannot endure
that high pace, physically and spiritually, day after day,” said Nichols.
According to Nichols, the
HIIT protocols necessitate at least 24-hour break between sessions. Without
that recovery, she explained, you may have more extended exhaustion and muscle
soreness, stagnation in your fitness level, hormonal imbalances that may cause
you to lose interest in regular exercise – and therefore, make your exercise
regime become non-productive.
Nichols said, “I suggest
HIIT sessions lasting 20 to 30 minutes for two to three days a week with 24 to
48-hour rest intervals. ”“I prefer performing HIIT sessions alternatively with
moderate intensity exercising days including walking or performing yoga. ”
Disadvantages of HIIT
workouts of excessive amounts
However, if one overdoes
HIIT workouts, they end up more exhausted and sometimes even injured. “Excess
HIIT exercises may result to fatigue in your workouts or even poor workouts or
injuries if you do not incorporate sufficient rest periods,” noted Nichols.
The positive effects of
exercise can only be obtained when one is able to engage in it regularly — but
that does not imply exclusion of resting once in a while. For instance, Nichols
pointed out that to maintain an exercise regimen, one needs adequate rest;
failure to do so may result to one getting injured and thus having to spend
more time off exercise.
However, the cortisol
released during HIIT workouts also has some side effects of the body as well.
“One important thing to
know during HIIT workouts there are many hormones that are released and
cortisol is one of them,” Norma Orellana, NP, a cardiology nurse at UCLA
Health said. “Cortisol stimulates the sympathetic nervous system commonly
referred to as the fight or flight response and this results into metabolic
change.”
“The issue arises when
there’s too much cortisol within the body which is why intervals in between
workouts is highly recommended,” opined Orellana.
High levels of cortisol
can produce a number of negative effects, such as fatigue, mood
swings, sleeping disorders, and anxiety – and weaken the immune system and
raise the risk of getting ill, said Orellana.
Also worth noting: It is
only possible to get bored when one is engaging in HIIT workouts only.
“If is good for the body
when it comes to fitness,” responded Nichols. “Starting with strength training,
especially where the focus is the upper body for women; active recovery, then
HIIT workouts will make the workout schedule balanced and effective if practiced
regularly.”
The 20-Minute HIIT
Workout You Can Do Literally Anywhere
Should You Try HIIT?
HIIT can be applied to
most populations, But it is always advisable to consult a doctor just as you do
when starting any new exercise program.
Cardiac issues;
Individuals with a history of, or present, cardiovascular disease should not
take HIIT workouts until they consult a cardiologist. “This is because such
workouts demand a lot of effort on the heart” explained Orellana.
However, as soon as you’re
cleared by a doctor or any other associated health expert, then you’re ready to
start. For HIIT workouts, Nichols recommended the participants warm up properly
before starting out, and if one is a beginner, he/she should seek the
assistance of a certified fitness trainer on how to maintain proper form to
avoid getting injured while doing HIIT workouts.
In conclusion, HIIT offers
some impactful advantages, nonetheless, it must not be done excessively so that
you can keep on attaining it. Some of these negative effects of overtraining
include injury, fatigue, burnout, and hormonal dysfunction so it is recommended
to limit HIIT to only a few days a week to obtain the best results.
0 Comments