HIIT -- when do you give up?

[Ninsha]

I was on the stairmaster machine last night doing my own freeform HIIT, 1 minute at a decent clip, a little faster than you would normally walk up stairs 1 at a time. Then 1 minute of "OH ****" breakneck speed, practically sprinting up the stairs.

After 6 minutes I was spent (funny, my girlfriend has to deal with the same thing...). But I seriously counted down the last 10 seconds of my final sprint as if I were going to die if the number did not hit zero soon.

I got off the machine, and my weight workout was GARBAGE afterwards. I just had no energy to put into the weights...I no longer wanted to be at the gym.

So the question is: When do you just give in and say 'I can't do any more'.

Also: the machine reads that like 130 calories were burned -- Taking into context the afterburn from HIIT, that number is misleading, right?

 

[SilentBob187]

you do cardio before lifting? if you're worried about garbage lifts do your cardio after you lift.

 

[Ninsha]

Yea, I was doing cardio before lifting because I was under the impression that it was best to get it out of the way. I will definitely start doing cardio afterwards. That was the worst workout I've ever had.

 

[Domenic]

Yea, I was doing cardio before lifting because I was under the impression that it was best to get it out of the way. I will definitely start doing cardio afterwards. That was the worst workout I've ever had.

Don't do a full-blown cardio session before you lift. Of course it'll be garbage because you'll be worn out.

 

[Rodja]

I lift then I do 10 sprints at 11 MPH at 5% for 30 secs with 30 secs rest. I don't recommend starting at this ratio; a 3:1 ratio of rest to work is good to start at.

 

[lilanimal]

i used to run on the tread mill. I would do 1 min sprint 3 min jog, 1 min sprint 2 min jog 1 min sprint 1 min jog and repeat. Killed my legs though. Started using the eliptical and now I do 1 min easy 3 sec hell. This has been working really well. My heart rate goes up to about 180 during sprints and is at about 140 during the min. And i always do this AFTER i lift.

 

[Hitstick]

I go one min jog at 6.0 and then one min sprint in intervals from 9.0 to 11.0. That gets me spent in like 15 mins or less.