What is HIIT Training?
What is High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)?
Short bursts of intense exercise (i.e. where you have to work a bit harder!) will demand greater energy from your body both during and after the session. This in turn will boost your metabolism to burn fat, increase stamina, develop power, and help you to sleep better. They make a great addition to your other physical activities.
Short periods of intense exercise followed by short rest periods done in repeated cycles until you are worn out are often referred to as HIIT sessions (High Intensity Interval Training). Although the exercises and the timings may vary, all HIIT sessions will follow the same pattern: a warm-up period, followed by repeated cycles of 20-40 seconds of intense exercise alternated with 10-40 seconds of lower intensity movement or rest. Most HIIT sessions are 20-30 minutes long.
What is Tabata Training?
So what is a Tabata session? Well, think of it like a HIIT session on warp speed!
For the origins of the Tabata, we’re go back to Japan. 30 years after Dr.Yoshiro Hatano announced his 10,000 steps regime that became a worldwide phenomenon - another doctor in Japan was proving the benefits of ultra-intense exercise. His study was based on Olympic speed skaters performing 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 cycles – for a total of 4 minutes. His name was Professor Izumi Tabata.
Both ‘standard’ HIIT training sessions and Tabata sessions will raise your heart-rate and bring you the benefits of fat burning and increasing stamina. The main difference is really that word ‘ultra-intense’ – Tabata training is pushing you harder in a shorter space of time (just 4 minutes!) compared to a standard HIIT session that is generally 20-30 minutes long.
Which exercise should I do for the ‘intense’ part?
The beauty of a HIIT or a Tabata session, is that you can mix and match your favourite exercises in to your cycle. Meaning you can do push-ups, body-weight squats, running, cycling or weightlifting etc. And depending on which movement you chose to incorporate you can do it either indoors or outdoors.
The key thing is to alternate bursts of intense activity with shorter rest periods. Then repeat the cycle for 20-30 minutes if you are doing a HIIT session. Or just 4 minutes if you want to go for the ‘warp-speed’ Tabata version
So wait, I really only need 4 minutes for a workout?
Yes really! Here’s why I love the Tabata workout:
When you ran out of time in your day, you can always find 4 minutes! Aka ‘movement snack’
It’s a great way to release any frustration (!)
It will boost your metabolism to burn fat both during and after
It Increases stamina and power
It will help you to sleep to better
You can take a minute rest, pick another exercise and go for another 4 minutes
Great to use as a ‘finisher’ after another type of workout.
Follow along!
You can find my example 4 minute Tabata workout here.
I chose for a combination of 2 natural movement exercises to maximise the benefits even further within your 4 minute session. So we follow this routine:
20 seconds of ‘Hop Over, Step Under’
10 seconds of Rest
20 seconds of ‘Lateral Crawling’
10 seconds of Rest
(Repeat for 4 cycles)
There are quite a few apps out there that you can download to your phone which are handy for timing your Tabata workouts. They will tell you when to ‘work’ and when to ‘rest’ after you plug your timings in and the number of cycles that you want to do. I often use ‘Tabata Pro’.
Other ways to raise your heart rate
You can raise your heart rate and get the same benefits with other forms of exercise such as brisk walking, fast running, tennis, cycling etc.
Do the longer 20-30 minutes HIIT sessions only 2-3 times a week as it will push your body and you need time to recover. You can choose a lower-moderate activity to alternate it with.
Most importantly, keep the quality of your movements in mind – technique is the most important for all of your moves and it can be easily forgotten when you are doing high speed workouts!
Hiit session examples:
Start with a 5 - 10min warm-up
A session of 15 - 40 min of 30/30 (30sec work/ 30sec rest) or
3 - 4 tabata ‘exercise specific sessions. Leave 4min between sessions or
20 - 30min of 45/30 (45sec work/ 30sec rest)
Many other combinations are possible. Start with shorter sessions and build up. Always go for good technique.
More Benefits:
Hiit improves insulin sensitivity (Insulin resistance is linked to Diabetes type II)
During the session your HR is high so you will burn more calories.
Up to 6h after the session you can benefit from the ‘after burn’ effect. Hiit deprives your muscles from oxygen much quicker then moderate intensity exercise. This forces your body to burn more fuel during the repair proces.
Intensive exercise longer than 45min will raise cortisol levels (stress hormone) in the blood. This might not always by a good idea when living an already stressed lifestyle. Keep your intensive workout < 45min BUT move all day!