HIIT

[greyghost]

If HIIT is better than spending hours getting bored shitless on cardio machines, what ratio is best, what duration, how many times a week.

1 miniute on, 1 minute off over 20 minutes, 3 times a week or what?

Interested to hear what everyone's doing.

[TheGus]

I can't say whats best cause different things will work for different people. I use ratios of 1 min on, 1 off. 40 seconds on, 1 min off. 30 on, 30 off etc. for durations between 10 and 25 minutes.

I liked the 40 on, 1 min off the best as I could go much harder/faster. 30 on, 30 off is hard work as well cause the rest is so short. Just try different ones til you find something you like, but always go as hard as you can in the on.

What equipment were you thinking of using for it?

[greyghost]

Bike or X-Trainer, perhaps rowing machine. Hate running.

[TheGus]

Sweet. I find it best on the X-trainer, treadmil and rower. But got told off for thrashing the xtrainer in my sprints.

[teamfatboy]

I found this article by Lance Armstrong's trainer quite helpful

As for the equipment, a spin-bike's prob better than an electric cardio bike, but I've done intervals on the treadmill, x-trainer and elliptical...and if they can handle my weight (lots!)/ effort, they should be fine!

[soundsgood]

I use the body for life method

1 minute at level 5

1 minute at level 6

1 minute at level 7

1 minute at level 8

1 minute at level 9 or 10

then repeat from level 5 three more times for 20 mins HIIT

I only use the treadmill so my speeds are easy to calculate i.e level 5 is 12km/h, level 6 is 13km/h etc to level 9 is 16km/h, 10 is 18km/h

[greyghost]

I use the body for life method

1 minute at level 5

1 minute at level 6

1 minute at level 7

1 minute at level 8

1 minute at level 9 or 10

then repeat from level 5 three more times for 20 mins HIIT

I only use the treadmill so my speeds are easy to calculate i.e level 5 is 12km/h, level 6 is 13km/h etc to level 9 is 16km/h, 10 is 18km/h

How many times a week?

[poos_n_wees]

If HIIT is better than spending hours getting bored shitless on cardio machines, what ratio is best, what duration, how many times a week.

1 miniute on, 1 minute off over 20 minutes, 3 times a week or what?

Interested to hear what everyone's doing.

I like the 2:1 ratio for HIIT, but thats just me.

20secs all out sprinting, 40secs recovery x 12-15 OR 30s:60s x 8.

Sometimes do 30:30 x10 or 90:90 x6, but thats only when I'm punishing myself for something lol.

Where you'd structure them in during the week depends on your training schedule and goals. What's your training split at the mo?

[greyghost]

If HIIT is better than spending hours getting bored shitless on cardio machines, what ratio is best, what duration, how many times a week.

1 miniute on, 1 minute off over 20 minutes, 3 times a week or what?

Interested to hear what everyone's doing.

I like the 2:1 ratio for HIIT, but thats just me.

20secs all out sprinting, 40secs recovery x 12-15 OR 30s:60s x 8.

Sometimes do 30:30 x10 or 90:90 x6, but thats only when I'm punishing myself for something lol.

Where you'd structure them in during the week depends on your training schedule and goals. What's your training split at the mo?

Just finished 6 days a week with Sundays off up to Saturdays comp. Not sure what bigMD has in store for me next week. Want to try and keep the bodyfat down after 16 months hard work.

[soundsgood]

I use the body for life method

1 minute at level 5

1 minute at level 6

1 minute at level 7

1 minute at level 8

1 minute at level 9 or 10

then repeat from level 5 three more times for 20 mins HIIT

I only use the treadmill so my speeds are easy to calculate i.e level 5 is 12km/h, level 6 is 13km/h etc to level 9 is 16km/h, 10 is 18km/h

How many times a week?

3 times a week. And do standard 40 minute roadrun twice a week. Cant always do HIIT, gets boring :pfft:

[modernvalkyrie]

I find the BFL method quite good also.

I was doing 60sec intervals, jog sprint, on the treadmill but found that 60sec progressive intensity intervals to be a better workout and starting doing minute inclines, increasing the incline every minute until i couldn't run anymore and then continuing the incline but with a powerwalk...then going back to the start and repeating.

I like pyrimiding erg sprints too. 100m on, 100 off, 200 on, 100 off, 300 on, 100 off, 300 on, 100 off, 200 on, 100 off, 100 on, 100 off, 100 on, 100 off, 200 on, 100 off... etc.

OR...still sticking with the erg I also dig 30sec on 30 off, 45 on, 30 off, 60 on, 30 off, 60 on, 30 off, 45 on, 30 off, 30 on, 30 off...etc

or the good ol - as fast as you can until you run out of breath, then recover until your breath is stable then repeat...20mins usually enough.

[Tainui-toa]

For sevens we use hiit training,

Usually along the lines of this:

400m x 3 with a 1.30sec rest inbetween each

300m x 4 with a 1.30sec rest inbetween each

200m x 5 with a 1.10sec rest inbetween each

100m x 6 with a 60sec rest inbetween

All done a 100% effort.

We then usually finish off with medicine ball shuttles.

This works fantastic

[two_phat]

I use the treadmill - don't like the bike or x-trainer that much, kinda feels weird.

1 min on - 1 min off.

Usually use speeds off 8kph and 15kph.

[auck_builder]

For sevens we use hiit training,

Usually along the lines of this:

400m x 3 with a 1.30sec rest inbetween each

300m x 4 with a 1.30sec rest inbetween each

200m x 5 with a 1.10sec rest inbetween each

100m x 6 with a 60sec rest inbetween

All done a 100% effort.

We then usually finish off with medicine ball shuttles.

This works fantastic

Intense, sevens players r so fit !

[kitebean]

Most of you are describing good, useful interval training.

True HIIT is done to an intensity that you can simply not sustain for more than 20-30 seconds (I can get up to ~18kph). It's best done as sprints outside. If you want to do it on a treadmill, practice lifting yourself on and off the treadmill.

If you are after a truly vomit-inducing HIIT session, try high incline, high speed intervals on the tready.....

[SportsGuru]

Most of you are describing good, useful interval training.

If you are after a truly vomit-inducing HIIT session, try high incline, high speed intervals on the tready.....

some trainers cary a basket i carry a bucket

ps i need my bucket sign writen (any chch sign writers here )

[Rag the Dog]

Yeah I agree on the short bursts of intensity. I get clients going for 30 seconds and often the recovery will depend on their level of fitness, its easy enough to tell when they are sufficiently recovered to go again - generally only once a week, on the bike, mixed in with other endurance training

[nicksmith3]

I prefer the 1 min on, 1.30 off. On either the rower, or cycle.

[curtb]

True HIIT is done to an intensity that you can simply not sustain for more than 20-30 seconds (I can get up to ~18kph). It's best done as sprints outside.

I agree with this. When I was doing HIIT, I just did it on a stretch of asphalt at the local school in the evening. I timed myself on my watch and jsut sprinted back and forth for my one minute interval, then just walked, panting my guts out, for a minute, and so on and so forth.

The advantages of free runnign over the treadmill:

On the treadmill, you run at a prescribed speed.

If you run just by yourself, you can always be running at your maximum, which, as you get more ridiculously exhausted, will change.

This way, your speed is dynamic in relation to how much you can physically handle. Let me tell you, you'll be struggling to breath after three minutes.

[two_phat]

True HIIT is done to an intensity that you can simply not sustain for more than 20-30 seconds (I can get up to ~18kph). It's best done as sprints outside.

I agree with this. When I was doing HIIT, I just did it on a stretch of asphalt at the local school in the evening. I timed myself on my watch and jsut sprinted back and forth for my one minute interval, then just walked, panting my guts out, for a minute, and so on and so forth.

The advantages of free runnign over the treadmill:

On the treadmill, you run at a prescribed speed.

If you run just by yourself, you can always be running at your maximum, which, as you get more ridiculously exhausted, will change.

This way, your speed is dynamic in relation to how much you can physically handle. Let me tell you, you'll be struggling to breath after three minutes.

Thats the point of doing it on a treadmill though - you run at the prescribed speed for the prescribed time. The problem with free-running is that is dynamic in relation to how you are feeling physically and mentally on that very day. It is much easier to regulate and control your effort and speed on a treadmill.

After three minutes, if you have exhausted yourself, then have wasted your time. You still need to be doing another 15 mins (at least) for it to be effective.

I see your point about running at your 'maximum', but as this changes with your decreasing mental and physical state, I don't believe you can regulate it as well as on a machine.

[emmzies]

Kinda an old thread but i just had a question...

After recovering from running injury i gave up long distance running for HIIT (plus the main appeal of long distance were the long leisurely runs in the beautiful summer sun, which is somewhat difficult right now.... bring on spring dammit!)

I have definutly found it far more effective for both cardio training and fat loss, plus alot more challenging. But I have no idea if i'm doing it either as long or as intensly as i should, or maybe too intensly?

I've been doing 15 mins (because thats all i can handle) which consists of 1min at 15.5kmph and 30 seconds off, but after reading your posts here should i be resting for a min, so i can go for longer? Is there a benefit for doing it less intensly (say 80% HR) so you can go for longer? Or benefit at going at 100% effort for less time?

In terms of cardio, my workout also (normally) includes 15 mins on the xtrainer at about 70% HR. Do i even need to keep doing this as well? I just thought since i was doing at least 40mins cardio when i was long distance running, i should keep doing at least 30 mins now that i've stopped it...

Any suggestions would be appreciated

[rose]

but i just had a question

Hey Law Chick, some of this reading may be of use to you:

One

Two

Three

Some school of thought is that intervals should be a ratio of 1:2. And if you feel you're not getting enough from HIIT, then do some more low intensity after a 5 minute rest:

"You can do intervals any number of ways, with any combination of work and rest. Alwyn uses a 1:2 ratio here, so you'll go hard for a minute, say, and then rest two minutes. In his experience, that's the most effective protocol for rapid fat loss in women who aren't either elite athletes or absolute beginners. (It's kind of an obvious point, but I'm journalistically obligated to say it anyway: Intervals aren't a good choice for someone who hasn't exercised since high school gym class.)

Now, if you actually enjoy endurance exercise, and would miss it if you couldn't do any, we don't want to discourage you from that. But Alwyn has come up with a unique way of making it more effective.

Do intervals first, to work off some of the glycogen in your muscles. Then step off the track or treadmill or get off the bike or out of the pool. That is, stop altogether for five minutes. Then get back on or in and do some steady-speed exercise at an easy pace.

Why bother? Because after you stop exercising, your body will immediately flood your bloodstream with triglycerides. Women's muscles use more of these fat molecules for energy than do men's. When you start exercising again, you'll have more fat readily available for energy, which means you'll burn more of it than you would if you'd done nothing but steady-pace work."

I just tried a few options and found the best one for me which turned out to be stair HIIT. I only did it twice a week max. The rest was steady state. Because I found stair HIIT very taxing.

Like everything else, no rules set in stone. Just try different things to find something that you can continue doing without either dying or quitting because you hate it.

Everyone has differing opinions on it.

HTH.

[Specter]

I put down my HITT training to that many long (toke) prayers to the gunja goddess :shifty: ....(Warning..Can Cause Extreme Munchies =P~ )

[rose]

gunja goddess

LOL, you stoner 8)

[emmzies]

Thanks Rose! Interesting stuff, particually that paragraph you quoted...

Do intervals first, to work off some of the glycogen in your muscles. Then step off the track or treadmill or get off the bike or out of the pool. That is, stop altogether for five minutes. Then get back on or in and do some steady-speed exercise at an easy pace.

Thats pretty much exactly what i've been doing, yay! I do my HIIT then weight training, then steady xtraining then more weight training. I guess i should be doing weight training first :shifty: but.....nevermind.

Intervals aren't a good choice for someone who hasn't exercised since high school gym class.)

:pfft: That reminds me of this girl beside me on the treadmill yesterday, she was trying her own version of HIIT, wasn't quite the right technique though. 5 seconds of HIIT then a minute of rest. But she was trying...

Since they reccomend 1:2 i think i should try reduce it to 1:1, from my 2:1, and up the intensity till i nearly die. We'll give that a try and see how we go