We know intervals can hurt, but here’s why they may be worthwhile

Extracts:

"High-intensity interval training can enhance fitness, improve health and even aid recovery from heart disease, according to a growing body of compelling evidence. But, experts caution, intervals should not replace moderate exercise completely. Instead, the two types of activity can complement each other, offering more opportunities for getting fit and staying motivated."

“No exercise is bad, and some exercise, whatever it is, is better than none,” de Heer says. “Aerobic exercise has all kinds of benefits. Intervals are even better. That’s my summary.”

"In one of the latest studies to compare intervals with less-grueling but more time-consuming exercise, Gibala and colleagues put nine sedentary men through three 10-minute interval sessions per week. After a warm-up and before a cool-down, the workout incorporated three all-out sprints on an exercise bike lasting just
20 seconds, with two minutes of easier cycling in between. Another group did 45 minutes of steady cycling at about 70 percent of their maximum heart rate. After 12 weeks, the team reported this spring, both groups had improved equally on measures of heart health and fitness, even though the interval group exercised for 30 minutes a week compared with the other group’s 135 minutes."

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How Resistance Cardio Training With HIIT And Kettlebells Can Speed Weight Loss

Very good article.

Extracts:

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The assumption ultimately was that training at 70% must therefore result in the maximum fat burned. And in the short term – it does.

But if you can alternate between 90% and 70%, then what you’re actually doing is forcing your body to use multiple types of energy systems. First, you use anaerobic systems which completely reduces the blood sugar level and available ATP and then you use the aerobic system. Because you’ve previously exhausted your blood sugar though, the body is going to be even more reliant on those fat stores and you’ll burn even more fat, even more efficiently."

Tabata Protocol

Similar to HIIT is to alternate between high intensity and short periods of complete rest. You can do this with a training method that is known as the ‘tabata protocol’. This is a 4 minute training routine that involves 8 intervals of all-out intensity, followed by 10 seconds of rest.

So for example, you might sprint on the spot for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds and repeat. Or you might punch a punch bag at full intensity for 20 seconds and then rest for 10. This should take 4 minutes in total and you shouldn’t knock it until you try it – it absolutely devastates you.

Tabata is an advanced level workout that seriously taxes the heart and the energy systems and it’s not recommended for those without experience. If you’re new to training, then consider starting with a 2 minute version or a 1 minute version and building up. Eventually though, Tabata can be your secret weapon in training

Resistance Cardio

The danger with HIIT is that it can still risk cannibalizing some muscle for energy and you’ll still drastically raise cortisol.

One way to get around this (and this works for fasted cardio to some extent too) is to train using ‘resistance cardio’. Resistance training refers to weights, refers to resistance machines and refers to anything where you are pushing or pulling against a force or resistance.

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