No, that is not a typo. It is spelled HIIT.
If you exercise and have NOT heard this term, it’s time you started keeping up on current events a bit more!
HIIT or High-intensity Interval Training is all the rage these days…now this is not new. It has actually been around for a long time, but science is now proving the enormous benefits of this training approach.
HIIT training is generally a short period of intense exercise – usually 30 seconds for example – followed by a less intense ‘recovery’ period. This pairing is repeated for anywhere from 20-36 minutes.
Think “boot camp” style…
**BTW, as a general rule, if you can go longer than 40 minutes doing this approach, you likely were NOT going hard enough! That is my experienced opinion.**
Anyway…
New research is showing that if you are in your 40’s and 50’s and are concerned about Type II diabetes, the FASTEST way to get your blood sugar under control is to do HIIT training!
It’s that simple.
HIIT training can be done on the road, on a treadmill, on a bike, in the gym with weights, just body weight, you name it. The key is the variation in intensity which requires you to work very hard and then recover somewhat as your heart rate comes down. Then you crank it up again to a high level.
Here is a typical Interval style training program you can do anywhere – no equipment needed:
Work period: 30 seconds
Rest period: 30 seconds (20 seconds if you find this too easy)
(NOTE: you can manipulate these numbers to suite your fitness level. Don’t go too crazy when you start, always stop if you need to and PLEASE see a physician prior to starting HIIT training if you have been sedentary for a long period.)
Exercise #1: Push-ups (regular or from the knees)
Exercise #2: Dynamic Lunge (Step forward with the back knee just above the ground and then return to a starting position)
Exercise #3: Lateral Shuffle (5 yards each direction, going back and forth quickly)
Exercise #4: Bicycle (lying on your back on a matt or rug, hands behind your head. Reach your elbow across for the opposite knee and alternate sides that way with your legs going in a bicycle motion.)
Exercise #5: Burpies (you can modify these by lowering your hands to a step 6-8” high if you need to)
Repeat all 5 movements 4 times through with a one minute break in between. Done.
Finally, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop running on the treadmill for 45 minutes straight at the same pace if you are trying to lose weight! There are FAR better things you can be doing with your time!