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Posts: 40
We've all heard of or done HIIT so I'm wondering what y'all's opinions of it is. I have read numerous articles claiming that it is the best form of fat loss, that the burn lasts longer than steady cardio, and that studies show it burns more fat in the long run. I've also read articles by people like Martin Berkhan that say it is unnecessary and very tough on the central nervous system/adrenals. I personally do it 2-3 times a week with lifting on 2 days because it makes the workout go by super fast and it feels very effective. Do you guys do it too? Do you think it's overrated?
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Posts: 6062
I knew there was a huge cardio thread here somewhere. I can't believe I found it. Search is fairly wonky.
http://happyeaters.net/forums/?page=post&id=8B1475AD-E3A9-481E-AF28-200E14510DBC&fid=A8A1578C-BEB5-4C48-88FD-B063D78E51B6
Note that my daily hilly dog walks are a distant memory since the dog got hurt. :-(
I think HIIT is overrated and cardio in general is overrated for fat loss. It's good for health and sanity but fat loss is all about the food. I agree that HIIT is extremely hard on the body if it's overused.
Post last edited Mar 9th 2012
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Posts: 370
all that you guys said AND it's extremely unpleasant. I'll take a pass unless i'm REALLY feeling good. Usually, it's walking, weights and controlling the food, like Skwigg says
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Posts: 396
It depends what you are trying to achieve. I suspect it is overrated if you believe that it is going to be the magic bullet for all your ills. But I think it is better than hours of long slow cardio at one paste. I agree that fat loss is about food but I also want to be fit so that I can climb hills and play with my kids (and really I want that more than to be thin). I want to be able to run for my train or bus (oh joys of the commuter lifestyle in London!) without feeling like I am dying. HIIT can help with that.
On the fact of it being hard on the body if overused, I liked this post from Cranky Fitness- on the merits of Somewhat High Intensity Interval Training, including this piece of common sense "But this is crucial: if you're absolutely miserable and traumatized, then TURN IT DOWN A NOTCH, DOOFUS! "
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Posts: 173
You could try it, and see if you love it, and base your decision on that. I think it's really important to listen to your body. HIIT is partially how I burned myself out. I used to do it four or five times a week. Now I only allow myself to do it once a week, at that, if it's FUN. Most of the time, I don't find it fun at all. I'm with Skwigg on watching the intake-and I believe it's more about the calorie burn throughout the day than an individual workout.
Jessica Smith's "Look Better Naked" is a DVD that I enjoy-it's broken up into two workouts that can be combined for a total of a 50 minutes. The intervals are athletic but fun, and there are modifications, and it goes by fast. Plus, you don't have anyone screaming at you to do more. I'd suggest doing one of the workouts rather than the whole DVD and see how you feel.
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"Somewhat High Intensity Interval Training, or SHIIT."
OMG, that cracked me up. I'm still chuckling. That's brilliant. It may even be what I do. With my 5-15 minutes of cardio twice a week, the intensity is way, way up there (burpees, kettlebell swings,plyometric jumps). There is a lot of sweating and gasping going on but it's an exhilarating sort of thing. I no longer cross into hallucinating and puking territory. And perhaps most importantly, I give myself several days to recover before I do it again.
Superbeauty - Posted 77 Minutes Ago
On the fact of it being hard on the body if overused, I liked this post from Cranky Fitness- on the merits of Somewhat High Intensity Interval Training, including this piece of common sense "But this is crucial: if you're absolutely miserable and traumatized, then TURN IT DOWN A NOTCH,DOOFUS! "
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Posts: 150
I do what is basically HIIT as regular training for dance. One round in competition consists of 3 steps, essentially dancing all-out for about a minute and a half. At the championship level, that's the equivalent of like... sprinting for a minute and a half lol. When I practice, I usually do the three steps like.. 6-8 times, resting in between.
In my experience, HIIT has been the most efficient form of working out-- I get maximum training in miminum time. It's the only way I build stamina, and it keeps me pretty small even when I'm into the chocolate >.>. However, I am invariably leanest when I am eating properly.
In the end, I endorse it :) But to work it needs to be in combination with a good diet.
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Posts: 72
It has a place in SOME training programs. If your focus is true training for an athletic event, it is an essential part of becoming faster/stronger/more able to handle the demands of a race situation.
If you're just working out to work out, do what you enjoy -whether it be hiit, running, swimming, resistance work, dancing, etc etc. etc.This will ensure that you continue moving for a long, long time...Which is what it is all about.
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Posts: 40
toreishi - Posted 20 Hours Ago
If you're just working out to work out, do what you enjoy -whether it be hiit, running, swimming, resistance work, dancing, etc etc. etc.This will ensure that you continue moving for a long, long time...Which is what it is all about.
I love this! I went through the old thread Skwigg posted and I think what it all comes down to is eating less for fat loss, resistance training for muscles, and cardio for whatever extra benefits you enjoy.
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Posts: 16
I go through cycles where I love it. It seems to help me with fat loss, but maybe that's just because I am assuming that it's the key. Maybe it was everything else I was doing more than the HIIT. Still, I occasionally love the intense and short workout.
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