HIIT - Does this actually work?
Discussion
Without question. I devoted myself to a 6 week hiit program along with a high protein low carb diet. I was 13 stone 3 and dropped to 12 stone 1. Went back to a 32 inch waist.
Problem is unless you enjoy the lifestyle (and I don't) it'll take no time at all to go back to your old ways. I'm now sitting at 12 stone 4 and counting due to lack of any excercise and beer and chocolate! I've slowed the process down by calorie counting but to answer your question. Yes it works. Bloody hard going though.
Each 1 hour session was harder than any 2 hour stint id done on my own in the past (although spending lots of time not knowing what I was doing and doing the wrong excercises)
Problem is unless you enjoy the lifestyle (and I don't) it'll take no time at all to go back to your old ways. I'm now sitting at 12 stone 4 and counting due to lack of any excercise and beer and chocolate! I've slowed the process down by calorie counting but to answer your question. Yes it works. Bloody hard going though.
Each 1 hour session was harder than any 2 hour stint id done on my own in the past (although spending lots of time not knowing what I was doing and doing the wrong excercises)
Anything will work as long as
1- you stick to it
2- you keep a calorie deficit.
HIIT as it sounds is very intense, you're meant to push yourself to the point of wanting to feel sick gasping desperately for air unable to talk. If you're not someone who likes to push yourself, or if you are unfit then it's probably not for you. (that goes back to point 1).
An alternative is to do LISS (low intensity steady state). you end up doing cardio for longer (50minutes) but its at a rate where you are still fairly able to hold a conversation.
1- you stick to it
2- you keep a calorie deficit.
HIIT as it sounds is very intense, you're meant to push yourself to the point of wanting to feel sick gasping desperately for air unable to talk. If you're not someone who likes to push yourself, or if you are unfit then it's probably not for you. (that goes back to point 1).
An alternative is to do LISS (low intensity steady state). you end up doing cardio for longer (50minutes) but its at a rate where you are still fairly able to hold a conversation.
Ordinary_Chap said:
I like it and have had great success with it after doing weights sessions.
Anyway, over to the one and only Hoofy the 2nd of Winchester!
Hoofy before;
Hoofy after;
Anyway, over to the one and only Hoofy the 2nd of Winchester!
Hoofy before;
Hoofy after;
Resistance training then some HIT cardio, or callisthenics/plyometrics/light weight work.
http://tabatatraining.org/
Doesn't have to be for an hour, and you don't have to go on some low carb can't keep it up regime. Small adaptations that change how you eat.
Agree with what Halb says. I seldom do steady state cardio and apart from 10-12mins on the treadmill to warm up before stretching my training consists of HIIT and plyometrics both in the gym and tennis court.
Everything else is just compound weights and reduce my rest times to 60 secs in between sets and slightly longer for deadlifts and squats.
I'm not after a physique that is too bulky as this hurts my agility on the court not to mention when I was heavier, my knees was giving me trouble. I don't reduce carb intake as I have to fuel up for and after my training/tennis.
I hit the gym 3/4 times a week and get all my work done in just over an hour so there's no need to drag on - make it as intense as possible for the hour then and get out.
OP, and to your original question, this will help you shift the pounds alright. I went from 16% BF to 6% in 10 months and stacked on a lot of lean mass with a build similar to Christian Bale had in American Psycho.
On the fitness side, I've recently started playing basketball again with some mates who are part of a club and most guys there are between 21-27 and a few of us are 30+ (I'm 35).
I've played a couple of games which lasts for 1.5hrs, it wasn't particularly taxing and what was even more interesting is that the coach got the guys to do a beep test the last 2 weeks, I was the last guy standing whilst the other younger guys were dropping off like flies. I wasn't even out of breath much at level 12. I think that's where the HIIT training combined with weights/plyometrics has made a difference.
Everything else is just compound weights and reduce my rest times to 60 secs in between sets and slightly longer for deadlifts and squats.
I'm not after a physique that is too bulky as this hurts my agility on the court not to mention when I was heavier, my knees was giving me trouble. I don't reduce carb intake as I have to fuel up for and after my training/tennis.
I hit the gym 3/4 times a week and get all my work done in just over an hour so there's no need to drag on - make it as intense as possible for the hour then and get out.
OP, and to your original question, this will help you shift the pounds alright. I went from 16% BF to 6% in 10 months and stacked on a lot of lean mass with a build similar to Christian Bale had in American Psycho.
On the fitness side, I've recently started playing basketball again with some mates who are part of a club and most guys there are between 21-27 and a few of us are 30+ (I'm 35).
I've played a couple of games which lasts for 1.5hrs, it wasn't particularly taxing and what was even more interesting is that the coach got the guys to do a beep test the last 2 weeks, I was the last guy standing whilst the other younger guys were dropping off like flies. I wasn't even out of breath much at level 12. I think that's where the HIIT training combined with weights/plyometrics has made a difference.
goldblum said:
If you want evidence of how HIIT can reduce the physique of a slightly unfit person to the proportions of a Biafran villager you need to speak to Hoofy.
Wait a sec - I was never "unfit". I just ate a bit too much and didn't put it to use. Before starting the first Challenge, I used to climb once or twice a week for 6-8 hours plus my regular weekly martial arts sessions.Which touches on the old "Are you fit?/Fit for what?" notion. To say you want to get fit is such an abstract thing, it's like saying "Recommend me a car." without specifying what you want to use the car for.
And as I stated in an old thread, I've always been functionally fit.
Edited by Hoofy on Thursday 17th January 11:45
toon10 said:
Each 1 hour session was harder than any 2 hour stint id done on my own in the past (although spending lots of time not knowing what I was doing and doing the wrong excercises)
An hour?Am I missing something here? That's not HIIT is it?
The whole point is brief high intensity - not possible to maintain for anything like 20 minutes let alone an hour.
Current bout/craze is probably down to Horizon: click.
HonestIago said:
Question is why bother? Perfectly easy to diet effectively with just a calorie deficit and a bit of easy steady state cardio if need be.
As I understand things:Advantages:
-time/efficiency - 10 minutes can equate to a calorie burn you get from 45 minutes of LISS running
-CV improvements
-afterburn effect
-reduced risk of LBM loss
Disadvantages:
-tougher for those who are not fit
-can be boring (cf running where you get to enjoy the view if that's your sort of thing)
-can be tricky to do it every day and can more easily lead to burnout
Hoofy said:
HonestIago said:
Question is why bother? Perfectly easy to diet effectively with just a calorie deficit and a bit of easy steady state cardio if need be.
As I understand things:Advantages:
-time/efficiency - 10 minutes can equate to a calorie burn you get from 45 minutes of LISS running
-CV improvements
-afterburn effect
-reduced risk of LBM loss
Disadvantages:
-tougher for those who are not fit
-can be boring (cf running where you get to enjoy the view if that's your sort of thing)
-can be tricky to do it every day and can more easily lead to burnout
HonestIago said:
Can you please explain that? Surely just lifting heavy weights does that?
Again, as I understand things (I'm no fitness pro), if you do HIIT with weights (eg hang pulls, thrusters) and not heavy weights, you'll burn fat whilst stimulating the muscle plus LISS tends to burn muscle more easily. Ectomorphs are advised to avoid doing LISS if they want to improve their composition.Remember, we're comparing HIIT and LISS not HIIT and weight lifting.
Hoofy said:
Again, as I understand things (I'm no fitness pro), if you do HIIT with weights (eg hang pulls, thrusters) and not heavy weights, you'll burn fat whilst stimulating the muscle plus LISS tends to burn muscle more easily. Ectomorphs are advised to avoid doing LISS if they want to improve their composition.
Remember, we're comparing HIIT and LISS not HIIT and weight lifting.
Is doing LISS counterproductive if you lift weights? Or is it ok as the muscles have already been stimulated from lifting sessions.Remember, we're comparing HIIT and LISS not HIIT and weight lifting.
ambuletz said:
Is doing LISS counterproductive if you lift weights? Or is it ok as the muscles have already been stimulated from lifting sessions.
In my unqualified opinion, I'd say it depends how much you're doing. As I understand things, the occasional 30 minutes of running (no sprints) will be fine and will burn a given amount depending on distance traveled and your weight. But as you increase LISS, I think there is a law of diminishing returns as your body becomes stressed and releases cortisol which encourages fat storage (in your downtime when you're eating). So you end up having to run in excess of 50 miles a week (or something unreasonable for the average person).There are some qualified PTers on PH who are welcome to dismiss my replies as complete broscience and I will accept their superior knowledge.
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