We’ve all heard of HIIT training at some point, and if you haven’t yet, then here’s a brief description courtesy of Wikipedia.  Ok so now that we’re all on the same page I want to outline this routine as the bases of fat burning essentials.

This kind of training requires good fitness and the ability to put your body through strenuous routines to exhaust the muscles completely.  Most folks out there have believed that they are already doing HIIT training at home or in the gym, when in fact they are not.

You see, when you have done HIIT training, you will find that it is almost impossible to pass the 15-20 minute mark if done correctly.  You should also be able to only do about 20-30 seconds of each workout at full speed before you hit complete failure (which is the goal for each high intense set).  If someone says they just finished HIIT training in a 40-60 minute session that would be considered your regular high intensity workout routine, the same ones which most of us usually use.  Also, when you wake up the next morning, you’ll feel the soreness and burn from the hardcore workout you did the day before.

::::How is HIIT Training Done & What Are The Benefits::::

Simply put, the intensity of your workout is all or nothing at a 100 percent, followed by a low intensity minimal set.  This alternating style of working out offers four benefits to those who use HIIT training.  These benefits include, being able to burn more calories allowing your metabolism to increase at a higher rate, thus burning more fat.  Your able to increase you power due to sudden bursts of movement which continually shock the body’s muscles.  Increased endurance, from slowly adapting to the next level as you become fitter.  Fast movements which are conducted at 100 percent pace you are able to increase you speed with the particular movement that you chose to do HIIT with.

With changing intervals of your workout, you don’t allow your body to fall into the normal state, which is where is begins to conserve it’s energy and doesn’t burn fat.  As soon as you jolt your body into the full speed all out workout for one minute, you kick your body out of this normal energy conserving state and force it to start burning more calories and fat.

Some studies have also shown that by participating in HIIT at home or the gym you are able to continually burn fat long after your workout has ended (24 hours into the next day).  Some studies even show that you are able to burn approximately 9 times more fat than that of your conventional workout routines.  Now that’s what I call becoming the ultimate fat burning machine.

Here’s an example workout routine which you could do HIIT at home with:

Pick up a cardio vascular workout, stair climbing, biking, jump roping, running…etc.  Begin your warm-ups and stretches and folks please remember that warming up is essential and absolutely necessary to minimizing injury.  Now, start with a pace of 30% intensity for 30-60 seconds, rest for 20 seconds and then pickup at 80% for 30-60 seconds.  Go back down to the 30% and after your 20 second rest begin at 100% full speed.  Do this for about 10 minutes to begin with and if your longest workout can only be pushed to 5 minutes, try to do 6.

The entire HIIT routine is based around pushing your body to its maximum for the one minute which you are involved in.  Switching out the workout from one to another would show the best results due to the nature of each exercise and how they focus on different body parts/muscles.

I do want to point out that for those with almost no time on their hands who have that busy lifestyle, find 10 minutes out of your day at least 3 times a week and you’ll be surprised at the results you receive.  Increased energy levels will begin to show as well and you definitely can’t beat that! J