High intensity interval Training (HiiT) can sound like it is a training regime for elite athletes, yet it has become one of the most popular training formats to reach the fitness industry over the last six years.
HiiT training consists of short bursts of various activities to elevate the heart rate and increase muscular strength and endurance with variable breaks in between.
Here are a few reasons why it has become so popular:
Time-effective results
The pressures of modern life can leave us little time for specific exercise, particularly if it is not top on our favourite activities list. HiiT classes or workouts should only last up to thirty to forty minutes, so it is much more achievable to fit them into your busy schedule.
Suitable for everyone
The term “high intensity” can suggest that it is not suitable if you are unaccustomed to regular exercise. A well-trained instructor will be able to establish your current fitness levels and offer alternatives to ensure you are working at the right intensity for you. For example, a novice exerciser will achieve the same results with thirty seconds of vigorous marching on the spot as a more highly trained individual will get through thirty second sprints.
Did anyone say “menopause” and “middle-age-spread”?
This type of activity helps to balance hormones and relieve menopausal symptoms and help to aid weight loss, particularly in the mid section. Here at Renu, I have been advocating the benefits of a thirty-minute, circuit-based workout for the last twelve years, and many women of all ages and abilities have achieved fantastic results when they follow our gym or class programme.
Do you have to attend a class?
HiiT training is varied and transferable to your circumstances. I offer classes at Renu on a weekly basis, but I also show how you can utilise our gym equipment to get the same results. You can follow a HiiT programme on a spin bike, when you are out for a walk, or with a minimum of equipment in your kitchen. You just need a programme that is suitable for you.
Feel-good factor
HiiT results in increased endorphin releases in the brain, which plays a role in dampening physical and emotional stress. This helps to improve mood, improve sleep patterns and help you feel more motivated for your next workout.
Claire teaches HiiT classes at Renu every Thursday morning and Monday and Thursday evenings. She also promotes HiiT style training in the Renu gym and in spin classes, available all week. If you would like to find out how the Renu thirty-minute workout programmes can help you, please contact our reception team.
