High intensity interval training, the reason why you will burn more FAT at 180 Degrees Bootcamps.
So many fat loss methods, so many celebrity fat loss videos, so many weight loss surgeries and i can’t believe it, the highest definition of laziness, there is even weight loss gastric band hypnotherapy!!! What’s that all about……..
So what is best? Well I hate to say it, but nothing beats good old fashioned hard work! Forget prancing around your front room following the latest celebrity in a low impact Pilates session, although this is a start you’ll never reach your maximum FAT loss potential.
So what should you be doing? you should be booking in to join us at 180 Degrees Bootcamp for HIIT it is the answer to your body composition dreams.
What is HIIT?
High intensity interval training (HIIT) is when you alternate between high and low intensity exercise(s) or between high intensity exercise and a short period of rest.
For example, a short sprint across the Sandbanks beach followed by a walk back to Jazzys is interval training. Or a set of burpees followed by bodyweight rows at the 180 Degrees Bootcamp.
If you’ve ever participated in HIIT, you know that alternating body weight conditioning exercises for 15 minutes can be a lot more challenging than a jog around the park.
Ok so why is high intensity interval training so important, sorry it gets a bit sciencey now..
It’s physiologically impossible to sustain maximal intensities during exercise for an extended amount of time. This is because of how our bodies use fuel.
A good way to explain these systems to you is to tell you to go outside and run as fast as you can for 20 minutes. Here is what will happen:
Stage 1 – Phosphocreatine
The first 10 to 20 seconds are going great! You’re sprinting like the wind! That’s because you’re using a high-intensity energy source known as phosphocreatine.
Stage 2 – Lactic acid and anaerobic glycolysis
After about 20 seconds, your phosphocreatine starts to run low, and anaerobic glycolysis would dominate. At this point, more lactic acid would be produced and used as a fuel source.
You’re still be running as hard as you can, but you’d be slowing down, and your lungs are working overtime.
If you were a Lance Armstrong, you could probably maintain this for up to 10 minutes. But those who are not well conditioned would need to slow down and even stop and if this is your first time off the sofa, you might even consider throwing up, YUK….however don’t worry this is just due to the change in blood pH levels.
Well, it looks like the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. 20-minute sprint challenge: FAIL.
So why can’t you work at maximal intensity for an extended amount of time?
Oxygen: The molecule that makes the magic
One reason is the supply and demand of oxygen when working so hard, nature is full of trade-offs. In this case, we trade efficiency for intensity.
When you work at a lower intensity (such as plodding along on the treadmill at your gym), aerobic metabolism.
Your body uses oxygen to break down carbohydrate and fat for energy. This is very efficient, but you can’t work at top speed. With aerobic metabolism, you gain efficiency but lose intensity. Back in the caveman days, this would be useful for traveling long distances while foraging for food or water.
On the other hand, when you work at a higher intensity (such as sprinting), anaerobic metabolism.
Your body can’t get oxygen to where it needs to go fast enough. This is very inefficient, but it lets you produce short bursts of speed or high energy — very handy when you’re running away from a sabre-toothed tiger or similar.
So, we have these two systems, both of which have their own advantages and disadvantages. What if we could have our cake and eat it too? (Or, in this case, lose the fat we gained by eating the cake in the first place.)
Enter HIIT.
With HIIT, you alternate short bursts of very intense exercise (such as 10-20 sec of sprinting) with periods of lower intensity (such as 1 min of walking).
- The higher intensity periods create a metabolic demand that is very effective for long-term fat loss and overall conditioning.
- The lower intensity periods let you recover and use the aerobic energy system.
What you should know about HIIT
Exercise can range from gentle movements to maximal efforts. HIIT and heavy weights can elevate stress hormones.
Mostly every high intensity physical activity is a state of “crisis” in the body. It endangers oxygen supply to tissues, increases body temperature, reduces body fluids and fuel stores, and causes tissue damage.
Intense exercise creates endocrine and defense reactions that are similar to those elicited by low blood oxygen, high blood carbon dioxide, acidosis, high body temperature, dehydration, low blood sugar, physical injury and psychological stresses.
Hormonally, your body basically freaks out. Then it brings out the big guns to deal with the problem. High intensity exercise stresses the body so much that it’s forced to adapt.
Why HIIT?
HIIT is excellent for:
- losing body fat (while retaining lean body mass)
- strengthening the cardiovascular system
- developing sport-specific energy systems (e.g. training for that England Rugby team)
- developing “work capacity” (i.e. the ability to tolerate a high level of intensity for a longer period)
- improving fat and carbohydrate oxidation in skeletal muscle
- developing “mental toughness”
- making you a badass exerciser
- challenging the fast twitch muscle fibres — the fibres that are great for strength, power and looking great
HIIT is extremely efficient. It lets you get a bigger training effect with less time spent.
How to do HIIT
There are many ways to do HIIT. One is to come down to one of our Bootcamp classes for full a varied, motivational, high intensity and safe class or bust it alone with HIIT and remember the following principle: Alternate short bursts of very high intensity with periods of recovery/low intensity, such as…..
Don’t forget: Perform an adequate warm up and cool down when performing HIIT.
People always at this point ask what is HIGH intensity? Well, during your next sprint, envision a great big crazy polar bear chasing you. That should suffice.
So what are you guys and girls waiting for….get out there and smash some intervals.
