High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has become a cornerstone in the fitness world, renowned for its efficiency and numerous health benefits. The American College of Sports Medicine’s Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2018 highlights HIIT as the leading fitness trend. However, its intense nature requires careful planning and client screening to ensure safety. This article delves into the science of HIIT, strategies for safe implementation, and designing effective circuits, incorporating insights on integrating The HIIT Company’s programs (HIIT, HIITSTEP, HIITCIRCUIT, and HIITNRIDE).
The Science Behind HIIT
HIIT combines key exercise principles like anaerobic training, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), and movement proficiency. Anaerobic training involves intense, intermittent bursts of exercise. EPOC refers to the increased oxygen demand post-workout compared to pre-exercise levels. Movement proficiency entails executing bodyweight patterns like squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, or planks consistently without needing pattern correction. The ideal HIIT workout fuses high movement proficiency with intermittent high-intensity bursts, creating an EPOC effect and boosting metabolism. Timing is crucial in HIIT; the optimal ‘working time’ is 20-30 seconds per exercise with 10-15 seconds of recovery, focusing on simple yet effective exercises like jump squats rather than complex ones like kettlebell windmills.
Implementing HIIT Safely
- Risk Stratification: Assess clients for orthopedic or medical limitations, especially cardiovascular concerns, before starting a HIIT program.
- Fitness and Conditioning Assessment: Key tests include sustaining maximum heart rate for 10 seconds, performing a 60-second plank for trunk stability, Functional Movement Screen (FMS) for quality of movement, and basic agility tests for motor coordination.
- ‘Four Corners’ HIIT Workout: A group-friendly HIIT structure involves two exercises per corner, each lasting 30 seconds with a 10-second recovery and a 60-second recovery between rounds. Examples of exercises include:
- Corner 1: 180-degree jump squats and plank march.
- Corner 2: Plank on the Bravo Functional Trainer and running in place with an overhead medicine ball.
- Corner 3: Shuffle to sprints and cable pulldown on Bravo Functional Trainer.
- Corner 4: Kettlebell swings and SPARC sprint.
- Sequencing Variations: Alternate between clockwise and counter-clockwise sequences, or complete all ‘A’ exercises followed by all ‘B’ exercises, and vice versa.
Incorporating The HIIT Company Programs
Integrating programs from The HIIT Company, such as HIIT, HIITSTEP, HIITCIRCUIT, and HIITNRIDE, can enhance the variety and effectiveness of your training sessions. These programs offer structured routines that align with the fundamental principles of HIIT, ensuring that clients experience a balanced, challenging workout. They also provide an organized framework that can help personal trainers and fitness instructors create diverse, engaging sessions for different fitness levels.
- HIIT: Focuses on traditional high-intensity interval exercises.
- HIITSTEP: Combines HIIT with step aerobics for an elevated cardio experience.
- HIITCIRCUIT: Offers a circuit-based approach, ideal for group training sessions.
- HIITNRIDE: Integrates cycling elements, perfect for clients who enjoy spin classes.
These programs not only add variety to your training repertoire but also cater to clients with different interests and fitness goals. Incorporating these can lead to more engaging and diverse workout sessions, increasing client satisfaction and retention.
Incorporating HIIT into your personal training or fitness instruction can be a game-changer. It’s essential to approach HIIT with a safety-first mindset, tailoring workouts to individual client needs and abilities. Utilizing resources like The HIIT Company’s programs can provide structured, varied, and effective workouts that keep clients engaged and challenged. Remember, the key to a successful HIIT session lies in its simplicity and intensity. By mastering HIIT, you can offer your clients a highly effective and efficient way to improve their fitness and health.
