HIIT exercise

High intensity interval training. Its one of those exercise I used to dread, going all out for 30 – 45secs and then resting and then going again, essentially repeating until you’ve done 6-10 sets.

I will admit I used to be all about the endurance exercise, going for hours, putting the effort in, burning the calories, but over time by body got used to it and the exercise just became this thing my body was doing, it became used to it, and it as it became easier, partly because I was fitter, I knew I needed to shake it up.

So HIIT training it was.

I began slowly and built it up. My HIIT training began with spinning, the VP class held at Fitness First offers sprints section and race sections – short bursts of 30-60 seconds of full on, giving it your all with recovery in between.

I could feel myself getting fitter, and my body changing, but it wasn’t consistent enough for me to really feel like I was getting results, so I took advice from my partner and began interval training on the treadmill.

I started at my usual running pace of 10.8 on incline of 2 with 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off 6 sets, I gradually built this up over the months, trying to increase speed and incline as I go.

I have been doing this consistently for 6 weeks now, and I have improved from incline 2 -5 and speed from 10.8 to 13.2 each day is feeling easier and I am feeling far fitter and leaner. So it is safe to say I am a big fan of the whole HIIT thing now!

Benefits of this exercise:

It is fun! Time flies when you are on and off every 30 seconds and before you know 8 sets are done and you have finished!

Combine it with weight training for best results: I have started weight training properly 6 weeks in and I am doing less cardio more weights and feeling leaner and fitter every day. You burn more fat doing HIIT exercise, and you burn calories longer after weight training… so you want that hot summer body reevaluate your exercise plan and see the results!

Take it outside – sprints can be done on the treadmill, outside or on a bike! 

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