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High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

bruthaf

bruthaf

New member
I've heard a lot of arguments for and against HIIT. Many seem to believe that steady state cardio burns fat better than HIIT. I am on the fence.

I am a longtime steady-state cardio exerciser. I always believed that the time I spent on low-speed incline treadmills or elliptical machines were what helped burn that last bit of fat to get me in contest shape. But lately, I've been doing HIIT exclusively and I must say that I have seen really good results. My belly fat has melted away, and my diet has not been the best. So what are your thoughts? HIIT or standard cardio. Here's a good example of my current HIIT treadmill workout routine - 2-3x per week (I modified a routine I found online)

5 Minute warm-up (2% incline - ramping up from 3.0 mph to 6.5 mph)
HIIT Treadmill Workout:



  • 2 minute run (2% incline; 7.5 mph)
  • 1 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (2% incline; 8.5 mph)
  • 1 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (2% incline; 9.5 mph)
  • 1 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (2% incline; 10.0 mph)
  • 1.5 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (3% incline; 10.5 mph)
  • 1.5 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (3.5% incline; 10.8 mph)
  • 2 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (4% incline; 11.0 mph)
  • 2 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (4.5% incline; 11.2 mph)
  • 2 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 5 minute run (2% incline; 7.5 mph)
  • 4 minute cooldown jog/walk (0% incline; 3-4.5 mph)

  • Note:
    About 15-25 seconds prior to a transition from walking to running, I place my feet on the sides of the treadmill to allow the treadmill to increase to the desired speed before climbing back on. As soon as the sprint is over I place my feet on the sides of the treadmill again to reduce the speed before getting back on.


I've heard that I should increase the last 5 minute run to ~20 minutes and lower the speed significantly (to ~3.5 mph). Thoughts about all of this?
 
bruthaf said:

I've heard that I should increase the last 5 minute run to ~20 minutes and lower the speed significantly (to ~3.5 mph). Thoughts about all of this?
Click to expand...
I don't disagree per se but I think what you're doing is fine as is. What incorporating a long interval like that would do is you would essentially be doing a workout followed by a typical cardio session (~25 minutes of working out [HIIT] and 20 minutes cardio [20 mins 3.5mph walking]). I don't really see a problem with this besides wearing you down really quickly, and it might hamper your results if you're a natural athlete unless you play around with your recovery.

I personally am a fan of HIIT. My problem is once I stop doing it, I stop doing it for a long time, so my adherence rate is pretty low vs. LISS where it's very high. I like to do both, and I think a few others in here also advocate doing both since each does something different to help you aesthetically and from an athletic standpoint.
 
Torobestia said:
I don't disagree per se but I think what you're doing is fine as is. What incorporating a long interval like that would do is you would essentially be doing a workout followed by a typical cardio session (~25 minutes of working out [HIIT] and 20 minutes cardio [20 mins 3.5mph walking]). I don't really see a problem with this besides wearing you down really quickly, and it might hamper your results if you're a natural athlete unless you play around with your recovery.

I personally am a fan of HIIT. My problem is once I stop doing it, I stop doing it for a long time, so my adherence rate is pretty low vs. LISS where it's very high. I like to do both, and I think a few others in here also advocate doing both since each does something different to help you aesthetically and from an athletic standpoint.
Click to expand...

I am the exact opposite. Since HIIT takes so much less time than LISS, it hasn't been a problem to stick with it. But like anything else, maybe I should try switching it up now and then as you mentioned.
 
I think that's a good template so long as the incline and speed is very challenging during the working period. The 5 min jog at the end really isn't needed. You would be better served with a series of 30-40 second jogs focusing on the same mechanics you used during the sprints.

Br
 
I think you have the right idea. You were doing steady state and that worked. Then you moved to HIIT and that was effective. Next do bicycle sprints. Then work the sled. Go back to steady state. Hit the Rock climbing gym.

Keep your body guessing!
 
bruthaf said:
I've heard a lot of arguments for and against HIIT. Many seem to believe that steady state cardio burns fat better than HIIT. I am on the fence.

I am a longtime steady-state cardio exerciser. I always believed that the time I spent on low-speed incline treadmills or elliptical machines were what helped burn that last bit of fat to get me in contest shape. But lately, I've been doing HIIT exclusively and I must say that I have seen really good results. My belly fat has melted away, and my diet has not been the best. So what are your thoughts? HIIT or standard cardio. Here's a good example of my current HIIT treadmill workout routine - 2-3x per week (I modified a routine I found online)

5 Minute warm-up (2% incline - ramping up from 3.0 mph to 6.5 mph)

HIIT Treadmill Workout:




[*]2 minute run (2% incline; 7.5 mph)
[*]1 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
[*]1 minute run (2% incline; 8.5 mph)
[*]1 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
[*]1 minute run (2% incline; 9.5 mph)
[*]1 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
[*]1 minute run (2% incline; 10.0 mph)
[*]1.5 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
[*]1 minute run (3% incline; 10.5 mph)
[*]1.5 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
[*]1 minute run (3.5% incline; 10.8 mph)
[*]2 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
[*]1 minute run (4% incline; 11.0 mph)
[*]2 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
[*]1 minute run (4.5% incline; 11.2 mph)
[*]2 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
[*]5 minute run (2% incline; 7.5 mph)
[*]4 minute cooldown jog/walk (0% incline; 3-4.5 mph)


Note:
About 15-25 seconds prior to a transition from walking to running, I place my feet on the sides of the treadmill to allow the treadmill to increase to the desired speed before climbing back on. As soon as the sprint is over I place my feet on the sides of the treadmill again to reduce the speed before getting back on.



I've heard that I should increase the last 5 minute run to ~20 minutes and lower the speed significantly (to ~3.5 mph). Thoughts about all of this?
Click to expand...

For you personally, which one do you feel works better for you?
 
Well, I might be biased(former collegiate sprinter) but nothing beats hill and sprints. I'd recommend doing 10 sprints starting at 8.0 with a slight incline going 10 seconds on 30 seconds off. Increase the speed with each sprints as far as you can handle. As you get better at it, increase the sprints and the duration. Fat will literally fall off
 
sprintstar01 said:
Well, I might be biased(former collegiate sprinter) but nothing beats hill and sprints. I'd recommend doing 10 sprints starting at 8.0 with a slight incline going 10 seconds on 30 seconds off. Increase the speed with each sprints as far as you can handle. As you get better at it, increase the sprints and the duration. Fat will literally fall off
Click to expand...

I'd expand upon this to say that nothing beats hills done on solid ground. You have more control over surface and constant speed on the treadmill, but the caloric expenditure and musculature used on ground is greater.

Br
 
ZiR RED said:
I'd expand upon this to say that nothing beats hills done on solid ground. You have more control over surface and constant speed on the treadmill, but the caloric expenditure and musculature used on ground is greater.

Br
Click to expand...

Right. I was meaning hills on solid ground. Thank for clearing that up for me!
 
Layne has a new article on the benefits of HIIT on his Site.

I prefer the Wilson's brothers approach. Which is 5-10 minutes of hiit to rapidly increase lipolysis, followed by liss for 20-40 minutes to burn fat (oxidation).
 
AaronJP1 said:
For you personally, which one do you feel works better for you?
Click to expand...

HIIT works better for me...by far. I ran a half marathon earlier this year. I was pavement running 3-4 times per week for 1-1.5 hours per session at a moderate pace (~8.5 minute miles). But I was not burning fat the way I do on HIIT. Now I am doing HIIT sessions from 20-40 minutes and the results are just so impressive. I am sticking with it but I currently throw in some stair climber routines too (1 minute rest / 1 minute HIIT).
 
sprintstar01 said:
Well, I might be biased(former collegiate sprinter) but nothing beats hill and sprints. I'd recommend doing 10 sprints starting at 8.0 with a slight incline going 10 seconds on 30 seconds off. Increase the speed with each sprints as far as you can handle. As you get better at it, increase the sprints and the duration. Fat will literally fall off
Click to expand...

I am sort of already doing that. My HIIT session starts at 7.5 (instead of 8) and goes for 1 minute (instead of 10 seconds). Then I keep increasing speed and incline for each HIIT session following 1 minute of rest (at a low incline).



  • 2 minute run (2% incline; 7.5 mph)
  • 1 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (2% incline; 8.5 mph)
  • 1 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (2% incline; 9.5 mph)
  • 1 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (2% incline; 10.0 mph)
  • 1.5 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (3% incline; 10.5 mph)
  • 1.5 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (3.5% incline; 10.8 mph)
  • 2 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (4% incline; 11.0 mph)
  • 2 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 1 minute run (4.5% incline; 11.2 mph)
  • 2 minute rest/walk (2% incline; 4 mph)
  • 5 minute run (2% incline; 7.5 mph)
  • 4 minute cooldown jog/walk (0% incline; 3-4.5 mph)
 
Royd The Noyd said:
Layne has a new article on the benefits of HIIT on his Site.

I prefer the Wilson's brothers approach. Which is 5-10 minutes of hiit to rapidly increase lipolysis, followed by liss for 20-40 minutes to burn fat (oxidation).
Click to expand...

Is this the article you are referring to on simply shredded.com?
 
How do you incorporate HIIT into your workout? HIIT in the morning followed by lifting in the afternoon/evening? Or HIIT then lifting shortly after?
 
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