HIIT is a highly recommended workout for athletes looking to burn fat faster and more effectively. This training has become very common and used in gyms for its incredible benefits and remarkable results. It is quite intense but very effective.
When it comes to figuring out how often to do these high intensity interval workouts, it is important to take into account your fitness levels and goals, remember that not all bodies or requirements are the same.
Find out more about HIIT, how it can help you achieve your goals and how often you can do a session of this training method depending on your characteristics.
What is interval training?
HIIT combines two methods of effective fat burning, interval training and high intensity training, for a highly effective (and popular) cardio training style.
HIIT alternates periods of moderate to high intensity exercise (sometimes called “bursts”) with periods of low intensity activity or complete rest. These are exercises intended for high-performance athletes, so don’t expect them to be easy if done correctly. If you are new to this type of training, you should gradually incorporate it to avoid injury.
How can HIIT help?
1. Improves cardiovascular health
Interval training or HIIT can help strengthen the heart and increase blood circulation. It also helps lower cholesterol and fat levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
However, clinical studies indicate that although cardiovascular exercise is good for the heart, interval training should not be carried out often if improving heart health is the main goal.
2. Lose weight
Studies suggest that interval training not only speeds up metabolism, but is also very effective in reducing body fat, especially in the abdomen area.
Lower intensity cardio is also effective in fat loss and can be performed in conjunction with interval training, alternating days to allow for adequate muscle recovery.
3. Maintain muscle mass
Do you want to burn fat without losing muscle? Doing too much cardio can slow down the increase in muscle mass , leaving the body without enough calories to grow and maintain muscles.
Keep in mind that experts do not recommend doing interval training very often, to avoid overtraining your muscles or losing existing muscle mass.
Interval training or HIIT for all levels
1. Beginner training (0 to 2 times a week)
If you are new to this workout, the key is to incorporate HIIT exercises slowly . Interval training can put a great deal of stress on the heart due to its intensity, so it needs to be introduced gradually and carefully.
Interval training is not for everyone. People who are overweight or have a history of heart problems should avoid interval training when starting a fitness program.
People over the age of 40 should also complete a physical exam before undergoing a vigorous exercise program such as interval training. If you think you fall into any of these categories, it is best to consult a doctor.
2. Regular training (2 to 4 times a week)
For those who already lead a more active life, it is advisable for heart health to perform interval training 2 to 4 times a week accompanied by low intensity cardio.
As for weight loss, try HIIT workouts two to three days per week accompanied by a session of resistance and metabolic strength workouts (Circuit Training). Training this way is probably one of the most optimal ways to lose weight.
3. Expert training (4 to 7 times a week)
For a greater challenge, those at more advanced levels of fitness can increase the frequency and intensity of bursts during interval training. A good tip is to vary your work-rest ratio when doing interval training.
conclusion
HIIT is a very effective training method to improve your fitness and health. If you want above all to increase the capacity of your heart, you should do interval exercises two to three days a week, in addition to two long-duration cardio sessions.
In the event that you also want to lose weight , you should add two or three strength training sessions to your training. On the other hand, if you feel that HIIT sessions are not hard enough for you, you can also decrease the amount of rest time between sets.
However, it is important to be aware that if you are thinking of adding these exercises to your routine, it is essential to go to the doctor for a review of your physical condition. If you are suitable for it, rest assured that you will enjoy the number of variants that this training method offers.
References:
- Cathy Zhu. How Often Should I Interval Train? To: Greatist [Revised November 2015]
