HIIT - anyone crazy enough to do it?

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folks,

I know there is a thread on here regarding martial arts and general fitness, but I couldn't find it.
I have just started HIIT ( High Intensity Interval Training ) and wondered if anyone here has experience of it? I am led to believe it is a very effective method, but it is bloody tough! After 30 minutes I am completely punctured, which is the point I guess.
I am also jump-roping, and once I get the bloody thing hung up, I will be whaling on the heavy bag.: I am also doing some basic calisthenics, as well as the obligatory 3 mile run a couple of times a week.
One thing I have noticed ( apart from losing a few pounds) is a general improvement in my mood. I can be a moody sh*te as times, but I find working out 4-5 times a week has really helped.

 

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I did a few HIIT sessions recently with kettlebells and clubbells. They absolutely kick the ar*e out of you!

 

Yeah I find doing exercise is great for energy levels and combating stress. I couldn't do HIIT as my body would fall apart so twice a week visits to the gym are more than enough for me as well as wiring myself up to a slendertone lol.

 

kettlebells are tough, what are clubbells?
Im just doing sprints between telegraph poles at max pace ( or close enough) then a 30 second or so recovery to walk back to the start.
My legs are wooden today, despite a warmup run, a pre-stretch, then another stretch after.
slendertone eh, sounds like a plan!
Im starting to wish I has started a boxing-specific workout 10 years ago!

 

Have a look here.
They are like big heavy baseball bats that you swing around!

 

Have a look here.
They are like big heavy baseball bats that you swing around!

Whoops, posted twice for some reason!

Anyway, I would definitely recommend them.

 

HIIT is a bit gimmicky I feel.

 

Fair enough, but I dont do it because its the "in thing", I do it because I am led to believe it improves aerobic and anaerobic fitness, as well as accelerates weight loss.. It gets the heart pumping much better than me plodding along at a steady pace for 3 miles ever will, and I certainly feel like I have put in the effort after it

 

I do the odd bit of HIIT on my exercise bike, but to be honest although it kills me I prefer sticking the bike infront of the tv and watching a movie whilst pedaling for a couple of hours.

I know that I'm not improving my fitness, but I'm buring the calories, and thats what I'm up for at the min.

 

The name makes it sound gimmicky, but there is an overwhelming amount of research that shows that it is much more effective than steady state cardio. If done right, 15 minutes of interval training can beat 30 minutes of running. It's not for everyone, though, but if you want to get bang for your buck it won't disappoint.

@veloce: Glad you have seen the "light" with hiit. If you like that I would highly recommend you check out the book "Cardio Strength Training" by Robert Dos Remedios. He's a highly regarded strength coach in the states, and the guy really knows his stuff. You should check out his youtube page... the guy is da bomb! (www.youtube.com/robertdos)

 

apoc, it ain't for everyone for sure, and the next morning when Im in agony I wonder why I bothered, but when time is tight, I think it makes sense based on the affects. I have been running 3 milers continously again for the past few weeks and it is beginning to feel monotonous.
I wil check out that youtube page

 

In exercise you can find research to backup either side of the argument sure you will feel the results at first you will with any kind of exercise but will you still be getting good results from it in 4-5 years time?

But as long as you are enjoying it thats all that counts.

 

in 4-5 years time my legs will have fallen off Rob!

 

Very true about there being two sides to every coin. At the end of the day it is about consistency in everything (nutrition and exercise). If you have a good balance of both then you can get results from (almost) any decent program. I'm personally a fan of any training that is effective, but not just done for the sake of doing something. If something saves me time, and gets me more results, then I am down. In the end, just getting off your butt is half the battle. But to each his own!

 

true Apoc, mind you, I bet your have a slightly nicer climate for training in Tasmania than sunny old Ireland!

 

Yes tried it, it works! but not sustainable over long periods. Its great if you use it to compliment your training schedule to break a plateau or during the "trimming" down stage. Then again this is coming from aguy who hasn't steped inside a gym for more than a year lol. I'm still paying membership fees though yikes!

 

I am definitely at the trimming down stage!

I gave up on gyms a while back, mostly the exorbitant fees. I went to a genuine amateur boxing gym last year for a few months and the £30 one off fee put things in perspective! I left each hour -long session feeling completely spent, but did not keep it up due to the hassle of commuting there. But basically, I can do most of what I did in that gym, at home

 

Ha... Unfortunately the climate here has not been very nice. I've been here since October and our "spring" was really like a winter-lite with lots of rain. From Jan-Mar the weather got slightly nicer, but there has been way too much rain on this end. I can deal with cold when it should be here, but the climate has not been that great tbh.