What would you say if we told you there's an exercise routine that burns fat, strengthens your heart, and builds muscle all at the same time, and only takes fifteen minutes out of your day to perform? Before you start telling us to get out of town, let us tell you straight up that this kind of training already exists. It's called high intensity interval training (HIIT), and it's the kind of workout for which we designed our Promax Pro Series protein bars to be a perfect match. If the thought of a short but super-effective workout routine piques your interest, read on to learn more about the many health benefits of high intensity interval training.
What Is High Intensity Interval Training? The concept of high intensity interval training is a simple one – alternating between short bursts of high intensity exertion and periods of rest or less strenuous exercise. The most basic version of high intensity interval training looks like this:
- Run as fast as you can for one minute
- Walk for two minutes afterward
- Repeat for 15 minutes
For anyone who has trouble fitting a good workout into their daily schedule, HIIT is an efficient and quick way to get some exercise. That said, high intensity interval training isn't just for people with busy lives who need to take workout shortcuts. In fact, doing high intensity interval training has proven to come with great perks.
The Benefits of HIIT When studying the results of high intensity interval training, researchers discovered the following health benefits:
- Improves cardio health
- Burns fat and calories
- Builds muscle
- Increases metabolism
In other words, short HIIT workouts can achieve more results than an hour on the treadmill or lifting weights. Because high intensity interval training is about pushing the heart and body as far as they can go, high intensity interval training kicks the body's repair cycle into high gear, meaning that for the twenty four hours after HIIT, it is burning fat and calories while also building new muscle and promoting the creation of natural growth hormones. Add that to the cardio strengthening that comes with the bursts of extreme activity, and it's easy to see why high intensity interval training has become a popular workout choice for many.
How to Get Started with HIIT Creating your own HIIT routine is easy: simply find some simple exercises that you can perform intensely for one to two minutes at a time, followed by mild activity or rest before starting again. High intensity interval training can include:
- Running
- Stair climbing
- Jump roping
- Swimming
- Skiing
- Rowing
- And more
One thing to keep in mind with HIIT is that the less equipment you use, the better. Interval training is all about getting the heart going as fast as possible. Equipment like weights and exercise machinery can get in the way of getting the most exercise in the shortest amount of time. Another thing to keep in mind with high intensity interval training: it's hard work. Even though most routines only last for ten to fifteen minutes, the point is to push your body into the anaerobic respiration, where your body needs more oxygen than breathing is providing, so it starts relying on energy sources stored in the body to keep going. Don't let the short timeframe fool you: This is real exercise and it will feel like it.
Promax Pro Series Helps Power High Intensity Interval Training If you're using high intensity interval training to get in shape, then you need to start paying extra attention to the amount of nutrients you're putting into your body. Promax Pro Series energy bars have been precisely designed to provide the exact blend of macronutrients needed to power high intensity workouts, while leaving out all the preservatives, trans fats, and other fillers. When you need to know you're getting just the right servings of carbs and proteins to fuel your training, you can trust Promax Pro Series to provide you with just that.
For more information about Promax or the Promax Pro Series, check out our product page or our blog.