HIIT ( High Intensity Interval Training ) is a cardiovascular training that consists of introducing high intensity exercises of short duration between ones of low duration. Although this type of training is very effective for improving endurance, burning fat, gaining muscle, and stimulating metabolism and hormones, not everyone is ready to do it and for some people it is even dangerous to do HIIT .
When is HIIT dangerous?
Hypocaloric diet
In this type of diet, the calories consumed to lose weight are controlled and limited in a safe way and without affecting the health of the body. The menus are made up of low-calorie foods, such as vegetables and fruits, and are usually eaten raw or cooked steamed, grilled or baked.
HIIT is not recommended when you are on a diet of this type. With high intensity exercise, the body burns a lot of calories and with a hypocaloric diet there is a lack of glycogen in the body. Consequently, the person may experience dizziness and even loss of consciousness.
Joint or muscle problem
Joint pain can affect one or more joints and can be caused by many types of injuries or conditions, such as arthritis, bursitis, or muscle pain. Whatever the cause, this pain can become very annoying, and HIIT is strongly discouraged.
When you do HIIT, your joints and tendons are put under a very high workload. So for anyone who has a joint or muscle problem it can be dangerous to do HIIT because the risk of injury is so great.
However, when suffering from this type of problem it is best to go to a professional to indicate what type of training can be followed without putting health at risk.
Heart diseases
High intensity workouts like HIIT are not intended for people with heart or cardiovascular problems, much less for cases of high blood pressure. Doing HIIT, as well as other high intensity exercises, suddenly increases blood pressure. This kind of startle can harm people with heart disease.
In the case of suffering from hypertension or some cardiovascular disease, the practice of exercise should be carried out under the control of a professional and continuously controlled by a heart rate monitor.
Obesity or being overweight
For a person who is obese or overweight, HIIT is not suitable because it would subject them to a training requirement for which their body is not prepared. This could cause, in the first place, demotivation due to not being able to do the exercises completely correctly. Second, it could lead to joint problems, which are unprepared to cope with such an effort if your body weight is well above the recommended weight.
In cases of obesity and overpressure, the best training is progressive, positive both physically and psychologically because it will allow you to achieve short-term goals. HIIT can be practiced later, once the weight has been lost and the body is used to exercise.
Sedentary life
You cannot go from a sedentary life to high intensity training overnight. It has been proven through several studies that going from zero to one hundred in sport causes damage to joints and muscles . Explosive exercises without prior training increase the risk of serious injury . Also, a person without a physical base will not be able to keep up with a workout like HIIT. This will cause demotivation and possible abandonment before achieving the goal.
Before starting a high intensity workout, you can do a low impact HIIT workout with longer rest periods between exercise sets. Or you can also start with another type of softer training. In this way, a reliable base is built with which to make the leap to high intensity exercises without danger of injury or muscle and joint damage.
HIIT every day
In addition to the five cases above, it is also not recommended to practice HIIT on a daily basis . Doing high intensity exercises every day would be like working the same muscle on a daily basis. This leads to overtraining as the muscle does not recover and adapt. If the tissues do not recover, in addition to problems in the joints and tendons, the opposite results can be obtained, that is, the loss of muscle.
In any of the six situations above, HIIT can be dangerous. Our advice is to consult with a professional before starting a high intensity training of this type. Each person, depending on their goals or physical condition, may need or may do better one training or another. Keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all method.
