I know this question has been asked before, but for the life of me, I still can't figure the answer. This morning my girlfriend and I were trying to figure the definition/differentiation of types of workouts and their main purpose (cardio, endurance, strength, etc.). For example:
-What is the difference between HiiT and Tabata?
-What is the difference between Boot Camp, Circuit Training and MWT?
-What is the main purpose of each? (the answer might even help me differentiate).
I looked at how Cathe categorizes Boot Camp and Circuit Training on her shop.cathe site, but still am confused.
TIA!
Hi:
1. HiiT and tabata: not much difference really. Tabata is a form of HiiT. The only real difference between them lies in the timing. HiiT usually involves work and rest intervals where the ratio is 2:1 between rest and work. Obviously, you can play around with that ratio, and Cathe does. Tabata has its own protocol: 6 or 8 rounds of the same exercise performed back o back where the work and rest ratio is 20 secs work to 10 secs rest, then immediately into the next round of the same cycle, with the same exercise. Both HiiT and Tabata can involve intervals that use cardio and weights. Purpose? Build cardiovascular fitness fast. And if weights are used, some muscle endurance too, although the focus is on the heart rate.
2. Boot camp and circuit training: again, not a whole lot of difference between the two. Both will throw in intervals/cycles/periods of alternating cardio and weights work. The focus is on building overall stamina, endurance, both cardiovascular and muscular. You might take slightly longer breaks in between cycles than with HiiT or tabata. Typically, with each of these, one exercise is performed for as many reps as possible during a set amount of time, usually 1-2 mins, so each person will be working individually, according to personal abilities. All sorts of fitness toys can be included: weights, ropes, kbs, discs, a wide range of activity in each cycle and round. By the end of the workout, you would normally feel that you achieved a total body workout, having worked all muscle groups. You would not get that same "total body workout" feel with HiiT or tabata. Sometimes with circuit training, a particular program will choose just 4 rounds of exercises, where each round includes a set of two movements performed back to back. You would then work through all 4 rounds of the exercises, performing each set for the minute and seeing how many reps you can eke out. Then, you take a 2 min break, then repeat the whole circuit (4 rounds containing a set of two exercises in each) again, and see how many reps you can eke out this time in the 1 minute time allowed. Diminishing returns as you get tired!!! In this way, you limit the actual exercises you do, but by the end you achieve a large volume of work done. Volume and time = intensity here. For each circuit, you would try to choose 2 exercises that complement each other, say a cardio move followed by a weights move, or one for posterior chain and one for anterior, or one push and one pull, or one cardio and one core. By the end of all 4 rounds, you would feel, again, that you have achieved a full body workout. As far as I can see, depending upon how much or how little time taken between rounds, there's also not a whole lot of difference between this and metabolic workouts. There may be "scientific" differences, sure, but in actual practice, when I think of all the workouts I have labelled "metabolic conditioning," they come pretty close to circuit workouts really.
Gobias: I would not worry too much about the differences between HiiT and tabata, and then between boot camp, circuits and metabolic conditioning. Each group of workout type here has similar goals. Pick and mix, I say.
I have no idea what MWT means!
Clare
