HIIT: the most commonly used variables of the workout of the moment
There are dozens of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) variations seen in gyms. People jumping, running, lifting weights, and finishing their workouts exhausted and drenched in sweat.
It’s definitely an intense workout, certainly structured with intervals of effort
and recovery, but it may not truly be HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training).
First, it's essential to clarify what HIIT training is not to truly understand what it actually is:
First, it's essential to clarify what HIIT training is not to truly understand what it actually is:
- HIIT is not about giving it all for a few seconds with little to no rest. HIIT is not a weight circuit pushed to exhaustion.
- HIIT is not a workout based solely on repetitions and intervals, as often seen. These are simply workouts based on sets and reps, not proper high-intensity interval training. The key to HIIT lies in its name: Intensity.
- Just working hard doesn't mean you've done an intense workout. You need to know exactly how hard you're working and for how long.
THE VARIABLES OF HIIT TRAINING
The initial training methods can vary: cycling, running, swimming, etc. Initially, cyclic activities like those mentioned above are recommended to maintain high intensity without worrying about technique or injury risk.
INTENSE PHASE
Duration of the Intense Phase
A variable is chosen according to the specific HIIT protocol, training goals, and the individual's physical condition.
Sprint duration options:
- All-out effort
- % VO₂max / % HRmax
- A key parameter to select based on the following variable ensuring the workout remains intense yet sustainable until completion.
Duration of the Intense Phase
A variable is chosen according to the specific HIIT protocol, training goals, and the individual's physical condition.
Sprint duration options:
- Up to 6"
- Up to 20"
- Up to 60"
- Up to 4'
RECOVERY PHASE
Active Recovery
Helps maintain high %VO₂max and %HRmax, allowing the athlete to reach the target training intensity (the so-called "red zone") by the second or third intense phase. It also facilitates a faster return to homeostasis.
Passive Recovery
In speed-based training protocols ranging from 6 to 20 seconds, active recovery would hinder phosphocreatine resynthesis, which is crucial for the workout's focus.
Recovery Duration
The longer the recovery, the greater the adaptations toward power development.
Active Recovery
Helps maintain high %VO₂max and %HRmax, allowing the athlete to reach the target training intensity (the so-called "red zone") by the second or third intense phase. It also facilitates a faster return to homeostasis.
Passive Recovery
In speed-based training protocols ranging from 6 to 20 seconds, active recovery would hinder phosphocreatine resynthesis, which is crucial for the workout's focus.
Recovery Duration
The longer the recovery, the greater the adaptations toward power development.
NUMBER OF SETS AND REPETITIONS
Once the most suitable HIIT protocol is selected, it should be performed as long as the same intensity can be maintained, regardless of whether the full session is completed.
As the variables above show, HIIT isn’t just about setting a timer and pushing to exhaustion. The key is understanding why this type of training is being done in the first place.
Many confuse secondary benefits with primary objectives, especially in the fitness world, where HIIT is often promoted for rapid fat loss or intense training in just 30 minutes instead of a full hour. Is that true? Partially.
Once the most suitable HIIT protocol is selected, it should be performed as long as the same intensity can be maintained, regardless of whether the full session is completed.
As the variables above show, HIIT isn’t just about setting a timer and pushing to exhaustion. The key is understanding why this type of training is being done in the first place.
Many confuse secondary benefits with primary objectives, especially in the fitness world, where HIIT is often promoted for rapid fat loss or intense training in just 30 minutes instead of a full hour. Is that true? Partially.
Will it reveal your abs faster than other workouts? Absolutely not.
It’s now clear that no exercise or workout can target fat loss from a specific part of the body. What HIIT does is not focus on subcutaneous fat but visceral fat, which, although often irrelevant to aesthetics, can be dangerous for your health.
As reiterated many times, careful planning of your workouts is needed to achieve the desired result. To target visceral fat reduction, your VO2max intensity needs to exceed 85% (with heart rate around 90%) and be maintained for at least 15 minutes—non-continuous, but as close together as possible. Considering the intense and recovery phases, a HIIT session will last around 30 minutes. Paying attention to this detail is crucial: 30 minutes is the total work time, alternating high-intensity phases with recovery periods.
During the intense phases, you need to remain above 85% of your VO2max, which requires a proper warm-up that allows your body to reach and sustain such intensities. Start your workout with a 10-minute warm-up, followed by the HIIT protocol, then a cool-down and stretching. The total session will last 50-60 minutes.
In gyms, you may see results from people who don’t exactly follow protocols, intensity, or recovery times. This is possible only for beginners: if the body isn’t accustomed to exercise, any activity will produce results for the first 3-4 months. Things change once results start stabilizing or when dealing with already-trained individuals. You cannot improvise in such cases, and specific rules must be followed.
It’s essential to emphasize that such workouts won’t produce results if done occasionally. They must be repeated multiple times a week for several consecutive weeks. Guidelines suggest doing HIIT protocols 3 times a week for at least 12 weeks, leading to the desired improvements and help stabilize them over time.
It’s now clear that no exercise or workout can target fat loss from a specific part of the body. What HIIT does is not focus on subcutaneous fat but visceral fat, which, although often irrelevant to aesthetics, can be dangerous for your health.
As reiterated many times, careful planning of your workouts is needed to achieve the desired result. To target visceral fat reduction, your VO2max intensity needs to exceed 85% (with heart rate around 90%) and be maintained for at least 15 minutes—non-continuous, but as close together as possible. Considering the intense and recovery phases, a HIIT session will last around 30 minutes. Paying attention to this detail is crucial: 30 minutes is the total work time, alternating high-intensity phases with recovery periods.
During the intense phases, you need to remain above 85% of your VO2max, which requires a proper warm-up that allows your body to reach and sustain such intensities. Start your workout with a 10-minute warm-up, followed by the HIIT protocol, then a cool-down and stretching. The total session will last 50-60 minutes.
In gyms, you may see results from people who don’t exactly follow protocols, intensity, or recovery times. This is possible only for beginners: if the body isn’t accustomed to exercise, any activity will produce results for the first 3-4 months. Things change once results start stabilizing or when dealing with already-trained individuals. You cannot improvise in such cases, and specific rules must be followed.
It’s essential to emphasize that such workouts won’t produce results if done occasionally. They must be repeated multiple times a week for several consecutive weeks. Guidelines suggest doing HIIT protocols 3 times a week for at least 12 weeks, leading to the desired improvements and help stabilize them over time.
HIIT PROTOCOLS
A quick internet search will reveal dozens of HIIT protocols, some scientifically recognized, others adapted and reinvented by more or less authoritative figures. In this article, we will briefly outline some of the original protocols that marked a turning point in high-intensity training worldwide.
Tabata
HIIT workouts do not train technique, are not sport-specific training, and do not target the muscular part of the body. One cannot expect to make a significant difference in their sport or training by solely practicing HIIT, but at the same time, one cannot expect substantial improvements without incorporating it.
Tabata
- 20 seconds all-out on a cycle ergometer at 85 RPM
- 10 seconds passive recovery
- Initially, 6 cycles; once adapted to the workout, 8 cycles will be done. If the 8th cycle is completed without a decrease in intensity, an increase of 11 watts will be required.
- Intensity of approximately 170% of VO2max
- Duration: 6 weeks, 4 days per week
- A 30-minute workout at constant intensity should be performed on the fifth day.
HIIT workouts do not train technique, are not sport-specific training, and do not target the muscular part of the body. One cannot expect to make a significant difference in their sport or training by solely practicing HIIT, but at the same time, one cannot expect substantial improvements without incorporating it.
Bangsbo
Primarily known in football circles, he has created several protocols. Here, we will revisit his most famous work.
HIIT workouts aim to push the performer to failure to target and improve the deficits that prevented them from completing the protocols.
Primarily known in football circles, he has created several protocols. Here, we will revisit his most famous work.
- 30” of low-intensity cyclical activity
- 20” of medium-intensity activity
- 10” all-out
- Immediately restart with the 30” of low-intensity, repeating the entire cycle for 5 complete rounds
- 2’ of recovery (either passive or walking)
- Repeat the 5 cycles again with the same structure.
- On the bike, 60” at 95-100% of VO2max
- Active recovery: pedal at 30 watts of power for 75”
- 8 cycles for the first 2 workouts
- 10 cycles for the next 2 workouts
- 12 cycles for the last 2 workouts
HIIT workouts aim to push the performer to failure to target and improve the deficits that prevented them from completing the protocols.
THE BENEFITS OF HIIT
HIIT workouts do not train technique, are not sport-specific, and do not focus on the body's muscular aspects. One cannot expect to make a significant difference in their sport or training by practicing HIIT. However, one cannot expect substantial improvements without it either. HIIT protocols target the metabolic aspect of the body, allowing those who perform them to experience less fatigue, feel it later in the workout, and recover faster.
Such training is essential for every discipline, from team sports, where maximum effort is required from start to finish, to power training, where there may not be direct performance improvements, but recovery between competitions and workouts will be faster. This enables athletes to maintain high intensity without reaching overreaching.
It is crucial to note that HIIT can produce performance results even for long-duration steady-state activities, allowing athletes to train for a relatively short time compared to sport-specific training. Regarding fat loss, the improvements are not so much in terms of more significant fat loss but in reducing the time needed to achieve such a loss (according to a recent review, 40% less time).
Is HIIT for Everyone?
HIIT workouts can be offered to everyone, but high intensities, such as those in various protocols, must always be carefully monitored and authorized by a sports doctor with a medical certificate, preferably a competitive one. It's helpful to rely on a professional who can understand and manage the variables that will arise during the training to achieve one's goals.
Once you know what HIIT truly is on a theoretical level, all that's left is to try it out practically. Don't forget to pack water, a good towel, and plenty of determination in your gym bag.
Such training is essential for every discipline, from team sports, where maximum effort is required from start to finish, to power training, where there may not be direct performance improvements, but recovery between competitions and workouts will be faster. This enables athletes to maintain high intensity without reaching overreaching.
It is crucial to note that HIIT can produce performance results even for long-duration steady-state activities, allowing athletes to train for a relatively short time compared to sport-specific training. Regarding fat loss, the improvements are not so much in terms of more significant fat loss but in reducing the time needed to achieve such a loss (according to a recent review, 40% less time).
Is HIIT for Everyone?
HIIT workouts can be offered to everyone, but high intensities, such as those in various protocols, must always be carefully monitored and authorized by a sports doctor with a medical certificate, preferably a competitive one. It's helpful to rely on a professional who can understand and manage the variables that will arise during the training to achieve one's goals.
Once you know what HIIT truly is on a theoretical level, all that's left is to try it out practically. Don't forget to pack water, a good towel, and plenty of determination in your gym bag.
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