High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an incredibly effective workout style. This exercise combines short bursts of high-intensity activity with a low-intensity recovery period. HIIT workouts are known for their efficiency—they can be done in half the time as a regular cardio workout. They offer numerous health benefits, such as improved cardiovascular fitness and increased calorie burning. If you’re looking to kick your activities up a notch, read on for some tips on how to get started with HIIT.
Choose the Right Exercise
The key to any HIIT workout is selecting the proper exercise. You want to choose a challenging activity you need a break from after working out for 30 seconds or so. Examples of activities that work well for HIIT include sprinting, burpees, jumping jacks, and mountain climbers. Before you begin your workout, warm up properly by doing light aerobic activity like jogging or cycling for 5-10 minutes. This will help your body adjust to the intensity of the workout and reduce your risk of injury.
Set Your Timer
Once you’ve chosen your exercises and warmed up, it’s time to set your timer. Most HIIT workouts consist of intense 30-second intervals followed by 1 minute of rest or low-intensity activity like walking or jogging. Start by selecting your timer for 30 seconds, and then do as many repetitions of the chosen exercise as possible until the timer runs out. Once it does, take 1 minute of rest before repeating the process from the beginning. For beginners, aim for three sets of each exercise during each session; more experienced exercisers can increase this number if desired.
Create Challenges
If you’re looking to add an extra challenge to your HIIT workouts, try incorporating weights into some exercises like squats or lunges to increase the difficulty level. You can also try increasing or decreasing the length of both intervals and recovery times depending on your available time and how hard you want to push yourself during each session. Whatever challenges you decide on, ensure they are within your limits so that you don’t overexert yourself while exercising!
High-intensity interval training is one of the most efficient ways to fit quickly with minimal time investment. It combines short bursts of high-intensity activity with a low-intensity recovery period to maximize its effectiveness in improving cardiovascular fitness and calorie-burning power in half the time it would take with other types of cardio exercises alone!
With these tips on getting started with HIIT training, now all that stands between you and achieving peak physical performance is pushing yourself just a little bit harder every day!
