Burn Baby Burn

Take it to the next level without any extra time working out…..is that really possible? It sure is! The type of cardio training that is good for fat burning and calorie scorching is called high intensity interval training (also known as HIIT). It is an excellent way to burn calories and fat in shorter periods of time. Some of the best ways to achieve this type of training is by doing intervals on a bike, running, elliptical, or adding the high intensity cardio/plyometric spurts into your weight routine. The proper way for intervals is to alternate short bursts of energy (high intensity) followed by a “rest” period.
This type of exercise can actually help you maintain muscle mass. Most of the time, people who are trying to lose weight, tend to lose muscle too. If you have ever lost weight, you know that you can lose that muscle too and look a little soft. HIIT will change that! It will help you lose the weight (inches) and keep that toned look.
Now, I never said that HIIT would be easier, I just said it would take less of your time to burn as many calories as if you were doing a regular workout. HIIT will also help burn calories after you are finished with your butt kicking workout. Change the way you workout for good and get moving today!
Because HIIT requires you to push yourself beyond your aerobic capacity, it offers several advantages that traditional exercising does not. High intensity interval training is not recommended for everyone. If you have any type of heart condition or are new at exercising, you should stay away from this type of exercising until cleared by you doc.

How often should you do HIIT? Because HIIT pushes your body to the limit, it is good to complete these workouts 2-3 times a week. You will want to give your body proper rest in between the killer workouts to make sure you are not over training. On your off days from HIIT, you should be lightly jogging, riding your bike at a moderate pace, or walking the dog.

Sample HIIT workouts:

Stairs- Warm up for about 5 minutes before jumping into running stairs. The best stairs to find are either in a tall building or at a high school track. After you have done your warm up (light jog), 1. you are going to sprint up to the top of the stairs, and then walk back down to the bottom. Your sprints should be about 30 seconds to 1 minute long). After you get back to the bottom, 2. you will then walk to the top of the stairs, skipping every other step. When you get to the top, walk back down to the bottom. Repeat 1 and 2 10 more times.

Running- Take your stop watch outside and begin with a 5 minute walking warm up. Once your legs are warm, you will then jog for 1 minute, then take it up a notch and sprint for 1 minute. After sprinting, you will walk for 1 minute, jog 1 minute, then sprint 1 minute. Repeat this series 5 more times for a total of 25 minutes.

Bike- If you are on a flat road, ride your bike for a 5 minute warm up, then sprint when you hit minute 6 for 1 minute. After sprinting, take it back to a steady ride for 2 minutes. Again, sprint 1 minute. Steady ride for 2 minutes. Sprint 1 minute. You will repeat the 2/1 ride/sprint for 6 more times for a total of 30 minutes.

Walking with jump squats- You will begin your exercise with walking. After your five minute warm up, you will do a set of 20 jump squats. Every 3rd minute, you will do 20 jump squats. Repeat this until you reach 30 minutes.

Have fun and remember to stretch after your workouts!

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