Carol Hirschfeld hits the gym for some High Intensity Interval Training and finds it can take you up a notch... If you fit the bill. So is HIIT right for you?
By Kate Pereyra Garcia
Watch a video segment from the episode here
Anyone who belongs to a gym has probably done it. Even those who don't have probably heard of it.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has had a lot of media coverage in recent years for being a quick fitness fix for anyone short of time; which is pretty much everyone, right?
Even RNZ has discussed its benefits.
HIIT is essentially short, intense bouts of exercise interspersed with periods of rest. It's the antithesis of long steady cardio training. Some of the more well-known studies involve participants sprinting on stationary bikes for one minute intervals at a maximum pace versus slow continuous pedaling.
As the Healthy or Hoax podcast team, led by host Carol Hirschfeld, found out HIIT definitely has some benefits. The most obvious is that you can finish a workout in 20 minutes instead of an hour... or more.
Performance physiologist and AUT adjunct professor Paul Laursen said studies showed participants achieved as much, if not more, in the shorter time.
"You wind up being able to accumulate a greater amount of hard work than if you were just going to perform that same amount of work continuous.
"So by breaking it up you get a longer period total of high intensity work."
But, Dr Laursen warned HIIT is not necessarily as good as it sounds.
"Sometimes it's just interpreted as 'all I need to do is go out and kill myself', and of course we've all got pretty busy lives, we're under a lot of stress, sometimes we're not always on the healthiest diet, so there's loads of different stressors."
In that case, adding further stress in the form of high intensity exercise is asking for trouble, he said.
"You can really speed your way to over training... ultimately you can make yourself sick, or feel run down, and you can injure yourself as well."
One to three HIIT workouts a week should be the maximum, Dr Laursen said.
Les Mills head of research Bryce Hastings said the gym's HIIT classes were for people who already exercise consistently.
"You might be up to five days a week.. and when you've got that going and you're pretty comfortable there and people are wanting that next level of improvement - that's where we see HIIT as being really really useful."
The most important thing was to be moving consistently, he added.
Fitness instructor Chris Richardson is a HIIT convert…
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.