The article below perfectly aligns with the DIY Active philosophy of performing research-backed exercises to make workouts more efficient and sustainable.
High-intensity training is one of the best ways to reach your fitness goals because it’s efficient, offers cardiovascular benefits, and provides both physical and mental challenges.
High intensity simply means pushing your body to its limit. You might also hear it called high-intensity interval training or HIIT because it involves exercising in intense intervals. For example, you might sprint as hard as you can for 30 seconds, then walk or jog slowly for a minute, and repeat this cycle throughout your workout.
High-intensity cardio is excellent for burning a lot of calories in a short amount of time. Some common forms include:
– Running very hard for a set period. This can be done on a treadmill, sidewalk, road, or track.
– Rowing, an Olympic sport. If you don’t have a boat or access to water, rowing machines at the gym are a good alternative.
– Biking, which can be done on a stationary bike or a regular bicycle.
One major benefit of high-intensity cardio is that it boosts your metabolism and keeps your heart rate elevated for hours after you finish. This means you’ll continue to burn more calories even while at rest.
So, why are so many people into high-intensity training? There are several reasons:
– You can burn the same amount of calories or build the same amount of muscle in 10 to 15 minutes with high-intensity training as you would in 30 to 45 minutes of moderate exercise.
– It improves your heart health and endurance. The more you work out your cardiovascular system, the better it functions.
– Studies show it helps boost your metabolism for up to 24 hours after you exercise.
High-intensity training is also great if you get bored easily because you can do various exercises. Beyond basic cardio like running, biking, and swimming, you can include hybrid workouts like jump squats or burpees. On the strength training side, you can apply high-intensity principles to almost any lift, as long as your form is correct and you’re not lifting more weight than you can handle.
While high-intensity training is very effective for losing weight and building muscle, there are some precautions. If you haven’t worked out in a long time or are very out of shape, start with moderate exercise and gradually increase the intensity. If you have a medical condition, especially related to your heart or muscles, consult your doctor before starting a high-intensity routine.
You don’t want to risk injury because of underlying health issues; it’s hard to get in shape from a hospital bed.
For more fitness tips and ways to stay in shape, check out John Balor’s What is Fit blog. You can learn more about high-intensity training, exercises to avoid, and the downsides of too much cardio.