HIIT Question... - Exercise & Fitness Message Board

prnzcharmin · 12-10-2004, 01:21 PM

I have decided to take the advice of a few of you here.

I have read up on the HIIT program and I think it's something I would like to try. Here is my question for those of you in-the-know:

I prefer not to weight train so can I do the (3) days per week for (8) weeks the way the program is laid out, and THAT'S IT??? Or should I incorporate situps and pushups on the OFF days? OR should I do my regular (6) mile run the other (2) days that I am not doing the HIIT????? Basically my goal is to get lean. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S.:Any testimonials would be GREAT!!!

Naxis · 12-10-2004, 04:01 PM

wait, wait, wait... what "program" is this? HIIT is simply "High Intensity Interval Training", not really a whole program. It seems you have found soemthing somewhere that lays it out as a whole cycle. Since you can't list URLs, either tell me what to searc for to find whet you're looking at or lay it out the way you've read it.

prnzcharmin · 12-10-2004, 10:40 PM

It is an (8) week program, (3) days per week starting with (4) minutes...

WEEK 1
Day 1: Jog (30) seconds, Sprint for (30)...up to (4) minutes...
Day 2: SAME
Day 3: SAME, but add an extra minute...(Jog 30sec., Sprint 30 sec.)

You repeat this, but every other day, you add an extra minute...so by the time you get up to (8) weeks, you are doing (15) minutes of HIIT. -Chris

Naxis · 12-10-2004, 11:07 PM

that's a very slow way to start. HIIT is generally just an alternative method of cardio, so I would absolutely NOT stop lifting while employing this. If you are already fairly conditioned, START with 10-15 minutes and work your way up to 20-30. The way I do it is walk 1 min, min 1 min, sprint 1 min, repeat. But other formats work just as well. If you normally do cardio 5 days a week, then doing whatever you usually do for the other 2 days is fine. HIIT can be kind of hard on the body, especially doing sprints 3 days a week, so if you start to get excessively sore or get pain in the joints, back off a bit, to maybe 1 or 2 days a week. Or use another piece of equipment like a bike or eliptical trainer.

DMN · 12-12-2004, 05:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naxis

HIIT can be kind of hard on the body, especially doing sprints 3 days a week, so if you start to get excessively sore or get pain in the joints, back off a bit, to maybe 1 or 2 days a week.........

I have been doing just about the same routine for the last couple of months. But there is something you have to be very concerned with........WARM UP WELL!!!!! If you do a brisk walk for a minute and break into a sprint the stress could wreak havock with joints, tendons, ligaments etc. While you are sprinting keep very tuned into how you feel during the sprint, how your legs, ankles, and knees feel during the sprint.

A lot of us who do street cardio like to zone out for a big chunk of the time we are exercising. I found that you can't really zone out while doing HIIT. Thats how you injure yourself.

--
John