High Intensity Interval Trainings (HIIT) or Why you should quit long-lasting gym workouts?

A few years ago I used to spend around an hour and a half in the gym working out. That was sometimes without the time for going there and coming back. Now my workouts rarely take more than 30 minutes of my time. I do them at home or in the nearby park (so I save money) and I am loving the results. Read more about High Intensity Interval Training and its benefits...

What is HIIT?

High Intensity Interval Trainings are short workouts, that might last from 4 to 30 minutes. It is a form of
workout that alternates high intensity anaerobic exercises with lower intensity (or recovery) periods. A warm up is required before the workout and is recommended to be followed up by some stretching to cool down. 

The Tabata method

Probably the most famous kind of HIIT is the Tabata method. After a study, Izumi Tabata found, according to him, the most effective regime of training. The Tabata method alternates 20 seconds of a maximum- intensity exercise with 10 seconds of rest for 4 minutes, or 8 cycles in total. According to the study, this method performed 4 times a week produces the same results as a steady state training performed 5 days a week.

Benefits from HIIT

1. Fat burner cardio effect

Actually HIIT trainings burn more calories than regular cardio exercises such as jogging ! Apart from being a great fat burner during the workout, this regimen kicks off your metabolism so good that you burn more calories also in the 24 hours after the workout!

2. Metabolic kick

The fact that you keep on burning calories up to 24 hours after the workouts, means your metabolism is constantly working like a Swiss watch. It keeps on burning calories from fat and you do not lose any muscle unlike regular cardio activities! Moreover, it stimulates your body to produce more of the human growth hormone, which is an awesome anti-ageing effect.

3. Aerobic / Anaerobic benefits

Most of the people find it hard to keep up when they are in the anaerobic zone. This is the moment when you feel like your heart is going to jump out any moment and you are gasping for breath. With a few weeks of an intensive interval training, you can improve your anaerobic abilities and your sport performance in general raises to higher levels - also when it comes to aerobic exercises. 

4. Efficient

Apart from being very effective, HIIT workouts are the best regimen for a busy schedule that most of us have. The workouts are short - they take between 4 - 30 minutes -  and you can perform them anywhere you want - in the gym, in the park, at home. This means you can do it Anytime and Anywhere! 

4. Cheap - No gym equipment needed

To do HIIT you do not really need any equipment. Many variations of HIIT use only the weight of the body. So, you basically need to get some comfortable shoes and sweaty pants and you are ready for an awesome workout. If you do want to add some weight, you can equip yourself with a set of dumbbells or a bar at home, which is still quite cheaper than a regular visitation at the gym. 

Example of a HIIT workout

An example of an awesome HIIT workout that uses the Tabata regimen will show you the super cardio effect of interval trainings. 

Now enjoy sweating and getting lean! 

 Sweat is fat crying :)

Resources:

http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/8-benefits-high-intensity-interval-training-hiit

Sweating in the Summer Cardio Workout (Video)

Vacation is the time to rest and take off your mind all worries from your daily life that have been piling up throughout the whole year. It has proven that exercising is one of the best way to rest your mind so I hope you do not forget to workout during your holiday!

This workout is designed so that it effectively burns those calories you want to get rid of it, and it also shapes your body. It basically trains the whole body.

The Workout:

3 rounds
4 exercises + Cardio section in between
NO rest

35 x Jumping jacks
20 x Crunches
35 x Jumping jacks
20 x Triceps dips
35 x Jumping jacks
10 x Jump squats
35 x Jumping jacks
10 x Push ups

WOD: Run and Squat

Today I will show you a very good workout, designed to increase endurance and oxygen capacity of the athlete.
Down the list, workout looks very easy, but for many of you I'm sure will prove to be quite intense. The catch lies in the fact that after you ran 400 meters you need to do 50 squats, which will greatly inflate your thights. Then you have to do this round 3 more times. Do this workout for time.
However, once you feel confident of doing it you can put some weight when doing squats, increase the speed of running and\or do some extra rounds.

4 rounds for time
Run 400m 
50x Squats 

Keep it Strong!

Top 5 Exercises to Look Fit, not just Slim

In what stage are you: loosing weight, getting big muscles or maybe just looking fit? Well, this article is for those of you who have already slimmed down and are now looking for that great fit look...

How to Look not just Slim but Fit

There are many people that mistake the two
concepts of 'being slim/skinny' and 'looking fit'. I have personally seen and talked to many ladies (especially ladies) that are slim and have no muscles, believing that loosing more weight will give them the desired look. Well ladies...this is not the case! Get some muscle there! You do not need to look like a fitness model or a bodybuilder (by the way, there is no way this can happen unless you put it as your goal) to be looking good and fit. And forget about the skinny fashion models... Fit Is the New Sexy! 

How often should I train to look fit?

In order to look good and have some muscle (notice I say 'some' and not 'a lot' for those who are scared of getting muscular), you need to exercise at least 5-6 times per month for the beginners. This frequency of training will help you build some strength in your muscles and make them more tight. If you have already passed that level, you must increase to 2-3 times per week. You are going to feel the moment of transition yourself. There will be a moment when your muscles will be feeling it too easy and then you need to switch to the higher interval. For those of you who consider themselves "advanced", 3 - 6 times a week should be the best for you. It is always good to leave one day rest because otherwise your muscles "get used to" the workout and the effect is not the same.

What exercises should I do?

There are plenty of exercises that you can do to get your body toned and defined:

• Squats - to define the glute

There are many types of squats you can do and they are THE exercise for a shaped bum and hips. Start with normal squats, later add weights and from then on you can start doing variations.

Variations: Sumo squats, Sumo squats with leg raise, Jumping Squats, etc. 

• Lunges - also for glute and hips

Variations: Walking lunges, Front lunges on spot, Backside lunges, Back and Front lunges. Add weights !

• Push-Ups - for nice arms, shoulders and abs

Push ups are also a great exercise to add definition. They target various muscles so with one shot, you get more. It is a good idea to start with your knees on the ground. Later you can lift your knees up and from then on: 

Variations: Cross Leg push ups, Reptile push ups, try decreasing the distance between your hands, etc.

• Planks - for abs

I like doing planks. It builds strength in your muscles. Start with a normal plank but once you feel it is not a real challenge to keep it for one minute, start changing the variations:

Variations: Shoulder touch plank, Reptile plank, Side plank, Up and Down Plank

• Burpees - for the whole body

Burpees make many muscle groups in your body to contract and they also have a cardio effect. It is kind of an advanced move but the sooner you get used to including them in your workout, the better for your shape! And this is what we want right? I nice body shape...

So, these are my top favourite toning, muscle defining exercises for a fit look. What do you do to get them muscles visible?