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NIFS Healthy Living Blog

Why High-intensity Interval Training Could Be For You

HITMore and more in today’s society, people have one resource that seems like it is only getting stretched out thinner and thinner: time. Too many of us seem to be cramming more and more things into our lives, whether that be work-related events, personal interests, or family events. With this ever-growing list of things we have taking time out of our day, many have to choose between stuff they need to get done and things they want to get done. One thing we all know we should do but sometimes choose to skip because of time constraints is exercising.

Now, we all know exercising is something everybody should do. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that every adult who is able to, exercise at least 150 minutes per week, and for many it can be more. But a good amount of people fall out of this group because they simply do not have enough time to exercise.

What is a way someone can get the most efficient exercise output in as little time as possible? The possible solution could be high-intensity interval training, or HIIT (aka HIT)! HIIT is a training technique that is all about intense bursts of exercise, followed by short recovery periods. The idea behind this type of training is that with these short bursts of exercise, the heart rate can remain elevated much higher in shorter time than traditional training.

Incorporating HIIT into Your Workouts

With the definitions out of the way, we can look at just some of the ways you can incorporate HIIT training into your daily fitness lifestyle. Many people opt for the route of either aerobic or resistance-style HIIT. Aerobic is more focused on cardio and increasing cardiac output, whereas resistance has a bit more to do with working the muscles of the body with varying degrees of weight.

Now which style is the best? That depends on what your goals are. But either will be a great route to choose to try and spike that heart rate and get in a great workout without too much time commitment.

The best thing about this type of training is that it can be anything you want it to be. For example, you can elect to do a sprinting-focused workout, or biking, rowing, swimming, etc. The idea is not behind what exercise you do, but rather how you’re doing the workout.

15-minute Bodyweight HIIT Workout

Here is a simple example of an introductory HIIT workout.

3 Rounds: 45 seconds each exercise with 15 seconds of rest

  1. High Knees in Place
  2. Squats
  3. Push-ups
  4. Dips
  5. Crunches

Don’t Skip Your Workout!

So the next time you are a little low on time and debating whether or not to skip a workout, high-intensity interval training could very well be the answer you’ve been looking for in order to keep up that consistency!

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The blog was written by Ricky Rocha, NIFS Health Fitness Specialist. To read more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

Topics: workouts muscles resistance HIT high intensity aerobic HIIT efficiency cardio workout

Two Workouts You Can Do Anywhere

GettyImages-1367691686The holiday season is here. That means a lot of us will be traveling to see family and friends. You might be worried about not being able to keep up with your fitness routine while on the road. I am here to show you workouts that do not require a gym.

A Strength Workout and a Cardio Workout

I’ve listed two workouts below. One is a strength workout, and the other is a cardio workout that doesn’t involve going outside for a run. Both workouts take only 20 minutes, giving you plenty of time to enjoy time with your family and friends. The strength workout is an AMRAP style. This means you will set a timer for 20 minutes and get through as many rounds as you can in that time (take breaks as needed). The cardio workout is a circuit-style workout. You will perform each move for 45 seconds, then take a 15-second rest before going on to the next move.

To make things easier for you, I recommend downloading an app on your phone that allows you to set interval times. This way you don’t have to worry about continually watching the timer. I personally like to use the app called Interval Timer—HIIT workouts.

The Workouts

Here are the two workouts.

Bodyweight Strength Workout

20-minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)

  • Squats (x10)
  • Dips (x10)
  • Push-ups (x10)
  • Curtsy lunge with side kick (x10 each side)
  • Plank (30 seconds)
  • Marching Glute Bridge (x10 each leg)

Bodyweight Cardio Workout

Perform each move for 45 seconds, then rest 15 seconds. Repeat the circuit 4 times.

  • Skaters
  • Single-leg reach and knee drive
  • 123 high knees
  • Side shuffles
  • 6 mountain climbers to a push-up

Remember, workouts don’t have to be an hour long to be “good” workouts. Getting any kind of movement for your body is great! Don’t be discouraged during this time if you miss a workout or two. Get movement in when you can, and enjoy the season!

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This blog was written by Kaitlyn Pando, NIFS Group Fitness Coordinator. To learn more about the NIFS bloggers, click here.

 

Topics: cardio workouts holidays traveling strength workout cardio workout