If you want to take your fitness and fat loss to the next level, without spending more time in the gym—then My high Intensity Group training (also known as HIGT) could be exactly what you're looking for. Its proven & it works.
Before getting into the details, notice that I didn’t say HIGT would be easier, just that it would take less of your time. In fact, the HIGT approach to exercise is very physically demanding and isn’t for everyone. If you have any cardiovascular problems or other health concerns that limit your ability to exercise at very intense levels, or if you are relatively new to AEROBIC/ANAEROBIC exercise or not already in good shape, HIGT is not for you—at least for now. If you have any doubts or concerns about whether it might be safe for you, check in with your medical professional before trying HIGT.
What It Is and How It Works
HIGT is a specialized form of interval weight training that involves short intervals of maximum intensity exercise separated short intervals of low to moderate rest periods. Because it involves briefly pushing yourself beyond the upper end of your aerobic exercise zone, it offers you several advantages that traditional steady-state exercise (where you keep your heart rate within your aerobic zone) can’t provide:
* HIGT trains and conditions both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. You train your anaerobic system with brief, all-out efforts, when you GROUP TOGETHER MULTIPLE EXERCISES.
* HIGT increases the amount of calories you burn during your exercise session and afterward because it increases the length of time it takes your body to recover from each exercise session.
* HIGT causes metabolic adaptations that enable you to use more fat as fuel under a variety of conditions. This will improve your athletic endurance as well as your fat-burning potential.
* HIGT appears to limit muscle loss that can occur with weight loss, in comparison to traditional steady-state cardio exercise of longer duration.
* To get the benefits HIGT, you need to push yourself past the upper end of your anaerobic zone and allow your body to replenish your anaerobic energy system during the recovery intervals.
The key element of HIGT that makes it different from other forms of interval training is that the high intensity intervals involve maximum effort, not simply a higher heart rate. There are many different approaches to HIGT, each involving different numbers of high and low intensity intervals, different levels of intensity during the low intensity intervals, different lengths of time for each interval, and different numbers of training sessions per week. If you want to use HIGT to improve performance for a particular sport or activity, you’ll need to tailor your training program to the specific needs and demands of your activity.
General HIGT Guidelines
* HIGT is designed for people whose primary concerns are boosting overall cardiovascular fitness, endurance, and fat loss, without losing the muscle mass they already have.
* Before starting any HIGT program, you should be able to exercise for at least 20-30 minutes at 70-85% of your estimated maximum heart rate, without exhausting yourself or having problems.
* Because HIGT is physically demanding, it’s important to gradually build up your training program so that you don’t overdo it.
* Work as hard as you can during the high intensity intervals, until you feel the burning sensation in your muscles indicating that you have entered your anaerobic zone. Elite athletes can usually sustain maximum intensity exercise for three to five minutes before they have to slow down and recover, so don’t expect to work longer than that.
* Full recovery takes about four minutes for everyone, but you can shorten the recovery intervals if your high intensity intervals are also shorter and don’t completely exhaust your anaerobic energy system.
* If you experience any chest pain or breathing difficulties during your HIGT workout, cool down immediately. (Don't just stop or else blood can pool in your extremities and lightheaded or faintness can occur.)
* If your heart rate does not drop back down to about 70% of your max during recovery intervals, you may need to shorten your work intervals and/or lengthen your recovery intervals.
* HIGT (including the sample program below) is not for beginner exercisers or people with cardiovascular problems or risk factors. If you have cardiovascular problems or risk factors should NOT attempt HIGT unless your doctor has specifically cleared you for this kind of exercise.