HIIT training is a hot topic again recently. HIIT is a training style that involves repeated, short bursts of high intensity cardio activity, followed by a short rest period. Training in this way allows you to work out for shorter periods of time, while achieving a high calorie burn that revs your metabolism. Athletes often use HIIT training to avoid the “plateau effect”. This happens when muscles no longer respond to continual, repeat training, with no improvement.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/15/how-1-minute-intervals-can-improve-our-health/?scp=1&sq=HIIT%20Training&st=cse
But what would happen to the muscle’s response over time if the groups were to exercise exclusively with intervals? The previously accepted belief was that HIIT training should not be done consecutively because it would be too hard on the joints and muscles of the athletes. Even the American Heart Association and other organizations have recommended that people complete 30 minutes or more of continuous, moderate-intensity exercise. Which training style can be tolerated by the body and still achieve the best results over time?
Most Americans don’t work out as many days recommended (5 days per week), nor for the length that is considered the minimum needed to achieve good health (30-60 minutes).
Would recommending a workout that took less time get more Americans on-board with the concept of regular workout? There is ongoing research to see if people who were not in top shape or even those with medical issues, such as cardiac rehab, could tolerate such intense workouts?
The researchers found that even with the small time commitment of a modified HIIT program, after several weeks of participating in it, both the unfit volunteers and the cardiac patients showed significant improvements in their health and fitness. This is significant because providing cardiac and less-fit patients with an exercise that strengthens their muscles (including their heart muscles), in less time, could ensure that the patients would continue to stick with the exercise after the study was over.
It doesn’t seem like a natural conclusion to draw that strenuous exercise would benefit or be safe for cardiac patients. Maureen MacDonald, an associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster who is leading an ongoing experiment states that “the cardiac patients showed ‘significant improvements’ in the functioning of their blood vessels and heart.”
Dr. MacDonald said. “It appears that the heart is insulated from the intensity of the intervals”, she said, “Because their effort is so brief.” MacDonald says the cardiac patients have embraced the routine. Her study was published in Medicine &Science in Sports & Exercise.
This study, and the use of HIIT training, is significant because it re-enforces, yet again, that exercise is so important for long-term health. It also gives those who say they don’t have time to exercise, less excuses because now time isn’t the issue any longer. You don’t need to walk on a treadmill for an hour when you can get higher cardio output in less time, with a HIIT program.
Sunday 02/19/12- Workout-:
stretch tape- 30 minutes
Sunday 02/19/12- Food Diary:
Breakfast-
3 -3 inch pancakes made with almond flour, protein powder, nonfat milk and 1/4 cup whole wheat pancake mix (150 cal)
1 piece low-salt bacon (90 cal)
bowl of mixed fruit of cantelope, strawberries, banana (70 cal)
A.M. Snack :
whole wheat pita chips (homemade) with Tahini dip *(190 cal)
Lunch-
4 oz chicken (187 cal)
1 whole wheat wrap, organic spinach leaves, mango salsa (130 cal)
1/4 cup rinsed organic no-salt black beans (190 cal)
P.M. Snack-
pear ( 57 cal)
12 organic roasted no salt almonds ( 70 cal)
Dinner-
4 oz wild-caught salmon(130 cal)
1 cup steamed broccoli (26 cal)
1/2 cup brown rice,peas, carrots, garlic, spices ( 220 cal)
Dessert-
8 oz. 0% Greek yogurt (130cal)
banana (90 cal)
TOTAL CALORIES: 1705
*Tahini Dip:
in a blender add-
1 1/4 cup adamame
1/4 cup tahini
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp EVOO
1/2 tsp each-sea salt, black pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 clove chopped garlic
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