When it comes to how to lose weight quickly, finding the most effective program comes down to a simple formula – how to burn the maximum number of calories in the shortest period of time. For decades the debate has raged between long slow cardio and intense short aerobic or anaerobic exercise.
Over recent years, however, several scientific studies have finally put that debate to rest. High intensity interval training simply blows away every other exercise variant in it’s ability to burn calories while you are exercising – and to elevate your metabolism so that you are burning more calories for a full 24 hours after your work-out.
HIIT involves repeat intervals of short intense periods of all out performance of an exercise, followed by even shorter rest periods. By way of example, commonly trainers perform the sprint or effort portion for 20 seconds, followed by a 10 second recovery.
The best type of exercise to choose are ones that will allow for all out effort on the sprint portion of the program. Running, cycling on an exercycle and skipping are great options.
Lets look at an example. After a few minutes warm-up, a trainer might suggest say 8-10 cycles of a 20-10 routine, for a total work-out time of 4-5 minutes. This is followed by a warm-down of a few more minutes.
HIIT sessions should be performed a maximum of 3 days per week, on alternate days. Here’s how the program would look with running as the exercise of choice.
Find a training area with a 100m open space.
Perform a 5 minute slow jog, concentrating on warming up the body ready for explosive exercises.
Sprint all out for 20 seconds. Imagine that you are being chased by a large, hungry doberman. Pump your arms and go to your absolute limit.
Jog, or walk, for exactly 10 seconds.
Perform your second sprint. Work hard not to drop the pace. Keep going for the whole 20 seconds.
Repeat for another 6-8 cycles. Keep pushing hard on every sprint.
Perform a slow easy warm down.
Not only will HIIT training burn calories like crazy during that 8-10 minutes intensive period, it will elevate your metabolism, ensuring that your body becomes a fat burning furnace while you go about the rest of your day. In addition, HIIT training is the most effective way to improve your cardiovascular fitness. It will also help you to improve your recovery time from intense exercise, making you a more efficient player of any sport.
Still wondering how to lose weight quickly? By performing HIIT first thing in the morning you’ll be setting yourself up for a great day of weight loss. You’ll probably hate it while you’re doing it but after you’ve completed your HIIT session you’ll feel on top of the world.
