If you are planning to add something crazier to your daily routine exercise, you need to look at exercises like HIIT. HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. It consists of several types of exercises that boost your endurance and burn tons of calories.
These HIIT exercises can be done anywhere, anytime, without or with just a little equipment because they include Sprints, burpees, running in place, Vertical jumps, body-weight squats, and many more. But it's not just about the calorie burn. High intensity exercise also offers a variety of other benefits, including increased metabolism, improved cardiovascular health, and enhanced overall fitness.
HIIT is a short form of high intensity exercise training. It is a form of cardiovascular exercise. This type of workout alternates between hard and easy exercises and short interval breaks. The primary purpose of this exercise is to elevate your heart rate and increase your body's endurance level to the maximum.
HIIT is not limited to a few exercises. It is a sea of different exercises, including cardio exercises like running and cycling and body-weight exercises, including burpees, jumping jacks, and many more. The key to this exercise is to endure the pain until your last limit and pull yourself from your comfort zone.
If you plan to adopt these exercises in your daily workout, it may seem not easy at first, but gradually, you can endure these High intensity exercises.
One of the easiest ways to start is by adding a HIIT workout to your routine once or twice weekly. This can be as simple as replacing one of your regular cardio sessions with a 20-minute HIIT workout. As you become more comfortable, you can gradually increase the frequency and intensity of your HIIT sessions.
You cannot directly do high intensity exercise for a long period. You need to understand your body and start with shorter intervals and longer recovery periods. Once you become fitter, you can decrease the recovery time and increase the intensity of the exercises. Remember, consistency is key if you want to see better results. So, try to hit up HIT exercises thrice a week in your daily exercises.
High intensity exercise offers a multitude of benefits that go beyond just burning calories. Let's explore some key advantages of incorporating HIIT exercise into your fitness routine.
1. Increased Metabolism
One of the significant benefits of high intensity exercise is its ability to increase your metabolism. The intense bursts of exercise cause your body to consume more oxygen, raising your metabolic rate. In addition, your body continues to burn calories for a few hours or 24 hours after exercise. This calory burning process is called the burn effect.
2. Improved Cardiovascular Health
High intensity exercise are excellent for improving cardiovascular health. These exercises help the heart work efficiently to increase oxygen supply to muscles. Over time, this can lead to improved heart and lung function, increased endurance, and a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases.
3. Enhanced Overall Fitness
In addition to improving cardiovascular health, High intensity exercise can help enhance your overall fitness level. These workouts include a mix of cardio, strength, and endurance exercises, providing a well-rounded fitness routine. Challenging your body differently will improve your endurance, build strength and flexibility, and boost agility.
Endurance is the ability of your body to sustain prolonged physical activity. Whether a beginner or an experienced athlete, adding HIIT exercise to your daily workout can help you boost your endurance and fitness level.
During HIIT workouts, you push your body to its limits and challenge your cardiovascular system. While doing these intense bursts of exercises, you force your heart and lungs to work harder, increasing your aerobic capacity. Consequently, your body becomes more efficient at utilizing oxygen, allowing you to exercise longer without fatigue.
In addition to improving aerobic endurance, High intensity exercise also targets your anaerobic system. This energy system kicks in during short bursts of intense activity, such as sprinting or lifting weights. Training this system through HIIT exercises will improve your ability to perform high-intensity activities and enhance your overall endurance.
High-intensity exercise is your secret weapon if you aim to burn calories and shed those extra pounds. These workouts are incredibly effective at torching calories during and after your workout.
The high-intensity intervals during HIIT workouts cause your body to work harder and burn more calories than slow cardio exercises. Moreover, these exercises activate multiple muscle groups, resulting in higher burn calories.
In addition, as we mentioned above, HIIT workout has afterburn effects; therefore, calories burned do not stop here. This is due to the increased metabolic rate caused by intense exercise. So, if you spend only 20-20 minutes on HIIT, this process will be continued.
If you're new to HIIT exercises, starting with beginner workouts that allow you to build your stamina gradually is important. Here are a few high intensity exercises that are perfect for beginners:
Jumping Jacks – You can initiate the jumping jack exercise in which you raise your hands while you jump and spread your legs when you land back in a standing position. Do it for 30 seconds, and then take a 30-second rest. Repeat it five times.
High Knees – Another beginner HIIT exercise includes high knees. In this exercise, you must run in a place while lifting your knees as high as possible. Do this for 30 seconds, and then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat it five times.
Squat Jumps – Perform squats, and as you come up, jump explosively. Do this for 30 seconds and stop for 30 seconds to rest. Do it again five times.
Keep taking breaks as per your body's requirements. Once you adapt to them, you can increase the duration of your exercises.
Once you have built up your stamina and feel comfortable with the beginner exercises, it's time to Increase your high intensity exercise. Following are second-level HIIT exercises.
Burpees – Burpees are a full-body exercise in which you drop down into a push-up position, then stand up and leap Into the air. Do this for 45 seconds and have a 15 seconds rest. Repeat this set five times.
Mountain Climbers – It is a body-weight exercise that involves lifting alternating knees to your chest in a plank position. Do each set for 45 seconds while taking 15 seconds of rest. Repeat it five times.
Jumping Lunges – This exercise helps you to increase athlete performance and stability. Initiate with a lunge position and jump explosively while switching air mid-way. Land back in the same position with the alternating leg forward. Do the first set of this exercise for 45 seconds while taking 15 seconds break. Do this again at least five times.
It is crucial to maintain proper position to prevent injuries. Focus on engaging your core, controlling your movements, and landing softly to protect your joints.
If you are already a seasoned athlete or have been doing HIIT exercises for a while, it's time to challenge yourself with advanced workouts. Here are a few advanced high intensity exercises to test your limits.
Box Jumps – Find a sturdy box or platform and jump onto it, landing softly in a squat position. Do this exercise for 45 seconds and then have a 15 seconds rest. Repeat it five times.
Battle Rope Slams – Hold a battle rope with both hands and slam it onto the ground, using your entire body to generate power. Do this for 15 seconds while taking 45 seconds of rest. Repeat it five times.
Plyometric Push-Ups – Perform a push-up, but as you push yourself up, explode off the ground and clap your hands together before landing back in a push-up position. Do this for 45 seconds, and take a 15-second rest. Repeat for a total of 5 sets.
These exercises require a higher level of strength, agility, and coordination. Ensure you're properly warmed up and have mastered the intermediate exercises before attempting the advanced ones.
Although HIIT exercises are incredibly effective for your calories and shape you while building your endurance and fitness, you still need to take some supplements to enhance your performance. Following are a few supplements that can be proven very effective in your whole workout journey.
Whether an athlete or a beginner, sometimes your muscles get sore due to high-intensity exercises. BCAAs are amino acids that reduce fatigue and muscle soreness and help reduce weight. You can take BCAAs before or during your HIIT workout. It will help you to prevent muscle breakdown and improve endurance.
Creatine is a popular supplement that increases muscle strength, power, and endurance. Taking creatine before your HIIT workout can help boost your performance and allow you to push yourself harder.
Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid that increases exercise capacity, decreases muscle fatigue, and improves vascular function. Using it before your HIIT workout can delay the onset of muscle fatigue and allow you to perform at a higher intensity for longer.
Before taking any supplements, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian to ensure they're suitable for you and there will not be any side effects from these.
No doubt, health always stands first. So, if you are an athlete or just planning to start working out, you should know that supplements are necessary to keep up with a strict exercise routine. Keeping this in mind, you should take supplements from a highly recommended company to reduce risk of health problems.
Revolution Nutrition company is one of the top-rated e-commerce platforms where you can buy essential supplements like protein powder, amino acids, pre-workouts, and weight management products. All of its products are manufactured with high-quality standards. Each of its products is tested by Quality Assurance Departments and by a third-party laboratory to ensure maximum quality control.
Conclusion
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises are a game-changer for boosting endurance, burning calories, and improving overall fitness. These exercises are recommended to every level athlete. By adopting these exercises in your daily workout, you will see the physical benefits but also experience a sense of accomplishment and empowerment.
