High intensity Interval training

Hi Everyone,

There is a discussion on Cathe's FB wall about Hiit.
I thought I may share on here and Hopefully have opinions from all of us who prefer High intensity interval training.

"Do you prefer high intensity interval training because of the shorter workouts, fun factor, or the calorie burn?

When you want to get in shape and not waste time, high-intensity workouts are the ticket. Heart-pumping workouts like Tabata training and fat-blasting cardio workouts where you do short bursts of intense activity have reshaped the way people look at getting fit. No wonder it was one of the hottest health trends of the year. As if you need to be reminded, here are five reasons high-intensity workouts rock"

Response from me is: fun firstly, calories then short.

Here is the article: Cathe Friedrich - 5 Reasons Why High-Intensity Workouts Rock
 
I like them because they are short and effective and I really feel like I have done something in terms of working out.
 
This is my question, if you are doing HIIT then you are doing it to burn calories in a short am amount of time but if that is the reason to do them and you get the after burn then why do you do it as long as you would a moderate exercise. I mean I like short intense workouts for days I do weight lifting and maybe one more day of HIIT but I see a lot of people wanting to do HIIT for 45 minutes or more, and isn't that defeating the purpose of HIIT? It seems to me that doing HIIT for over 45 minutes isn't really good one the heart? I am not trying to say it is wrong I am ASKING the question because I don't know. I would like to do moderate and or steady state such as running for a longer period and on days you do HIIT you do thirty minutes should be plenty? Or how are they suppose to work? Is it safe to do longer HIITs is it safe to do HIIT five times a week or Only once or twice a week?
 
Longer Hiit

This is my question, if you are doing HIIT then you are doing it to burn calories in a short am amount of time but if that is the reason to do them and you get the after burn then why do you do it as long as you would a moderate exercise. I mean I like short intense workouts for days I do weight lifting and maybe one more day of HIIT but I see a lot of people wanting to do HIIT for 45 minutes or more, and isn't that defeating the purpose of HIIT? It seems to me that doing HIIT for over 45 minutes isn't really good one the heart? I am not trying to say it is wrong I am ASKING the question because I don't know. I would like to do moderate and or steady state such as running for a longer period and on days you do HIIT you do thirty minutes should be plenty? Or how are they suppose to work? Is it safe to do longer HIITs is it safe to do HIIT five times a week or Only once or twice a week?

Hi Renee,

While working out Hiit, the heart rate raise about 85-90% of maximum HR.
Because this is very demanding on the heart, it is naturally not possible to steadily workout at that level for more than a minute! Elevating the heart rate to that level is what is called working anaerobically.

Now What happen with longer (more than 30 minutes) Hiit, the intensity is switched from anaerobic interval to aerobic interval.

IMO what happen during longer during long Hiit, we get to work both anaerobically and aerobically. In this way We get the benefit of both. Hiit is still better for the afterburn and fat loss.

Hope this answer your question.

Kind Regards,
 
So, 20-30 mins is enough, twice per week. Done. 45 mins of this is not needed, and daily doses not recommended.

You want your fitness week to reflect variety: variety of types of exercise and variety of intensity. HiiT daily is a short road to burn out, depression and injury.

If you try and maintain it of r45 mins, if it is truly intense, it won't all be performed at the same level of intensity. The body will get tired and later intervals will not be performed to the same degree of intensity as those in the first half of the workout. So, you are better off quitting after 30 mins, cooling down and doing some lifting, walking, yoga, or anything else!

This article Cathe sent should also be in your inbox this week if you subscribe to the newsletter, so you can read more there.

But generally speaking, don't worry about what other people are doing: do what works for you, feels good to you and what makes you feel alive, energetic and limber. You also don't have to do anything: just because exercise physiologists suggest and recommend a particular type of exercise, it's up to you to decide if you like it, like the way it makes you feel or of you prefer something else. What works for each individual cannot be dictated by exercise science, only by an individual's trial and experimentation.

Clare
 
I tend to think that way too! I mean I am trying to get the best way to lose weight so I try to mix it up. I do a HIIT twice or once a week I jog once and step once because I love moderate intensity, jogging and I am just getting to where I like lifting weights so I try to do that as well.
I just think it gets confusing when you do a HIIT and they are 45 minutes or longer! Cause I think okay the purpose if the HIIT was we can have a shorter workout! Oh well I think I may try to do a tabata on one of the weight days and see if that helps with my weight. In addition to my jog and step and the other hitt. Just so much information. I did read the article as well so that helped some to.
I still don't see what the difference is between the tabatas and HIIT.
 
I still don't see what the difference is between the tabatas and HIIT.

Tabata is a specific form of HiiT. It is 20 seconds of high intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest. This move or different moves are done a total of 8 times to make a 4 minute Tabata.
 
I enjoy Hiit and Tabata workouts a lot and it's tempting to do them more than twice a week. However, Clare's posting here is a good reminder to exercise moderation (arrgh, sorry for the unintended pun) and do them no more than twice a week, as Cathe recommends.

I've found that my results are better when I mix things up. :)

Avoiding injuries and staying strong/agile are the most important things to me---I want to keep active into my latter years (well, further into them).
 
I love how Cathe is so informative and tries to teach us balance using all types of cardio methods. I remember how crappy I felt doing insanity. Now that I know better it's no wonder why, I was overtraining, under-recovering and burning out with pushing to the max 6 days per week.
 
HIIT

You guys are so informative! Six weeks ago or so I asked about this too because I was doing HIIT about every other day, not knowing any better. I was getting results but came to dread doing it because it is a lot of work. I just finished the first 6 weeks of Cathe's beginner rotation so I could get familiar with her and get more conditioning and she didn't fail me!

Now I'm ready to add back the Cardio Supersets just ONCE a week to the second 6 weeks. I kind of jumped ahead because I was getting a little bored so I think that will help. I still need work on endurance and leg strength but I'm so much better than I was 6 weeks ago. I love what HIIT does and I do it for the results, which is the reason for any workout I do. I want to see results whether it's weight loss, strength improvement, or endurance improvement not to mention how good it makes me feel!

Susan :)
 
Hiit

Hiit lasting no longer than 30 is the recommended frequency.

Now any metabolic lasting longer 30 minutes are high and low intensity alternating intervals, with or without the use of weight. It's not everyone taste/ cup of tea nor is it everyone's comfort zone :) but it does serve a purpose and certainly whip into good shape;)

There is no harm in working out MET once or twice per week as long as you let your body recover accordingly.
 
Last edited:
So can someone list all Cathe's HiiT workouts and then all her metabolic workouts and tabatas? Or are the ones that are metabolic longer than HiiT? And the tabatas only the one she lists as tabatas?
 
So can someone list all Cathe's HiiT workouts and then all her metabolic workouts and tabatas? Or are the ones that are metabolic longer than HiiT? And the tabatas only the one she lists as tabatas?

Hi There,

if you click on link below you will find Hiit and intervals. Most of Cathe's MET are listed under Hiit/intervals and circuits.

I would add cardio leg blast and STS plyo.
Cathe has produced many MET and it's just hard to list them all.

Cathe Friedrich - What Exactly Is a Metabolic Workout?

http://shop.cathe.com/circuit_workout_exercises_s/58.htm

http://shop.cathe.com/HiiT_and_Interval_workout_DVDs_s/93.htm

Hope this help.
 
Last edited:

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top