***The HIIT Thread***

[Sgt. Hartman]

It seems like a lot of people in here are doing HIIT for their cardio so I thought it would be cool to see what other people's routines are like and to have a place to come up with new ideas.

Most of us don't do "true" HIIT but post up your best (ie. most excruciating) HIIT routine.

Here's what I did today.

5 minute warm up walking/jogging on treadmill

60 seconds at 12mph

60 seconds at 3.5mph

Alternated for a total of 20 minutes or 10 sets. No matter how good of CV shape I'm in this always crushes me. By the end it sounded like an elephant running on the treadmill and people were staring. LOL.

So let's hear 'em!

[baseline_9]

Warm up

10 sets of 15 second hill sprints with a 2.45min break

Fukin Killer


or

8-10 sets of Weighted sled sprints 50M forwards and 50M backwards

[baseline_9]

As I get into cutting mode a bit closer to the spring I will have to post some videos of some horrible HIIT workouts

[joshh]

i do 1 min at 90% then 2 min walk for 20 minutes, not sure if i'm doing it right? lol

[Sgt. Hartman]

i do 1 min at 90% then 2 min walk for 20 minutes, not sure if i'm doing it right? lol

It's not about doing it "right", it's about what yields results. When you say 90% I'm assuming you're talking about your HR, which is fine. But you should increase the total time of duration or decrease your rest period as you get in better CV shape as you're only dong 7 working sets if I'm understanding correctly.

Warm up

10 sets of 15 second hill sprints with a 2.45min break

Fukin Killer


or

8-10 sets of Weighted sled sprints 50M forwards and 50M backwards

^^^To me this is "true" HIIT. An absolute 100% maximum effort followed by a rest period that allows your HR to recover just enough to be able to perform the work portion again.

I've done a similar routine but on flat ground with a 15 second sprint and a 2 minute rest period. Sounds easy enough until you try it. Tastes like you're sucking on a mouthful of pennies by the time you get halfway through a set of ten, and after that your legs feel like spaghetti and you just want to puke.

[SlimmerMe]

So to clarify. Is the point to go 100% and then recover? And if so, what kind of time during each would be optimal lets say for a 30 minute session. I have been wondering this so I am happy to see this thread.

[slfmade]

I do 30 sec all out sprint followed by 90 sec rest. Total of 20 min.

I remember back in my HS football days my coach had us do bleachers. Sprint up the bleachers and walk back down. These were about 50 step bleachers. I was in the best CV shape of my life back then and these KILLED me.

The HS stadiums are open to the public during non school hours. As soon as I move back in May I'm planning on using this method for my HIIT. I would think this would be ideal HIIT. What are you thoughts?

[Sgt. Hartman]

The whole point is to maximize the effects of EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption), which means basically that your body is burning lots of calories for hours following your cardio routine.

This is accomplished by elevating your heart rate as high as possible for a brief period followed by a recovery period that allows your HR to recover just enough to perform the work portion again. It doesn't really matter if you walk or simply rest during the non-work portion of the exercise.

The point is that your muscles are deprived of oxygen even though your HR has recovered and for hours after the exercise is completed, your body will continue to uptake and burn oxygen at an exaggerated level, ie. burn more calories. There is no right or wrong way to do it but the basic principle is to elevate the HR as high as possible during the work phase (100% effort sprint uphill) and then let HR recover just enough to perform the exercise again, which will immediately elevate HR and it will but be unable to supply enough oxygen to the muscles performing the work, which is what maximizes EPOC.

The total duration of the routine and the length of time of the rest period is completely individualistic. But if you're gonna do true HIIT I would recommend no less than a 15 second work period with no more than a 3 minute rest period. Keep in mind that this type of HIIT must be a 100% all-out maximum effort for the 15 second work phase.

Most people though find a way to do HIIT on a treadmill or stairmill or other. Just figure out what works for you to elevate your HR as high as your health will allow and then do a rest or recovery period just long enough to be able to perform the work portion again. Like I posted above, I do 60 seconds at 12mph (which is the maximum speed the treadmills at my gym will go) followed by 60 seconds of rest at 3.5mph. This works great for me but some people could probably do much more and some much less. If you can talk normally or don't feel nauseated then you're not doing it right.

[Sgt. Hartman]

I do 30 sec all out sprint followed by 90 sec rest. Total of 20 min.

I remember back in my HS football days my coach had us do bleachers. Sprint up the bleachers and walk back down. These were about 50 step bleachers. I was in the best CV shape of my life back then and these KILLED me.

The HS stadiums are open to the public during non school hours. As soon as I move back in May I'm planning on using this method for my HIIT. I would think this would be ideal HIIT. What are you thoughts?

The most effective form of HIIT is what base posted in post #2 above. 100% maximum effort, preferably uphill, followed by a minimal recovery period, done 10 - 15 times. Stadium steps = perfect.

[-KJ-]

When we trained back home for soccer, my coach had what we called "the parachute". I prayed every night the next day was not windy... lol

ATM I do 20min HIIT Cardio on elliptical. 10 sets. 20 seconds @ level 15 all out. 1min 40 seconds @ level 5-7 moving just enough so I dont cramp

[baseline_9]

When most people Say they do HIIT what they really mean is they are doing intervals...

One will only be able to truly appreciate HIIT after doing some kind of sprint training agains resistance....


Anyone who says they do HIIT inside a gym on a treadmill or whatever has never done HIIT... HIIT is horrible, not nice at all... But it will dramatically increase sporting performance...


HIIT is great for sports men/women.... It is very hard in your body though... After a HIIT session I will feel like I have done a massive leg session for a day or two...

[-KJ-]

When most people Say they do HIIT what they really mean is they are doing intervals...

One will only be able to truly appreciate HIIT after doing some kind of sprint training agains resistance....


Anyone who says they do HIIT inside a gym on a treadmill or whatever has never done HIIT... HIIT is horrible, not nice at all... But it will dramatically increase sporting performance...


HIIT is great for sports men/women.... It is very hard in your body though... After a HIIT session I will feel like I have done a massive leg session for a day or two...

I completely agree... Although we try achieve HIIT inside a gym therefore say we have done it.

Another HIIT session i use to do is:

Go to a soccer pitch. Begin at one corner... Sprint all out the length of the pitch. Walk the end line, the other side lne and end line again. Repeat as soon as you return to the start.
Not good at all if done properly.

[Back In Black]

When most people Say they do HIIT what they really mean is they are doing intervals...

One will only be able to truly appreciate HIIT after doing some kind of sprint training agains resistance....


Anyone who says they do HIIT inside a gym on a treadmill or whatever has never done HIIT... HIIT is horrible, not nice at all... But it will dramatically increase sporting performance...


HIIT is great for sports men/women.... It is very hard in your body though... After a HIIT session I will feel like I have done a massive leg session for a day or two...

Have to disagree. On a treadmill I do HIIT. My heartrate regularly gets to OVER 100% during my sessions. I have 2 regular HIIT treadmill programmes:-

1. Warm up 5 mins then 200m at 2%incl @ 20kmh interspersed with 100m walks at 5.5kmh. 12 reps. Cool down

2. Warm up 5 mins then 150m at 10% incline @16kmh interspersed with 150m walks at 1% incl 6kmh.

I've also done resisted HIIT with tires and sleds but that is rarely possible for most people due to lack of space/equipment. I don't believe my treadmill HIIT is any less beneficial.

101%MHR is HIIT. Period.

[baseline_9]

Have to disagree. On a treadmill I do HIIT. My heartrate regularly gets to OVER 100% during my sessions. I have 2 regular HIIT treadmill programmes:-

1. Warm up 5 mins then 200m at 2%incl @ 20kmh interspersed with 100m walks at 5.5kmh. 12 reps. Cool down

2. Warm up 5 mins then 150m at 10% incline @16kmh interspersed with 150m walks at 1% incl 6kmh.

I've also done resisted HIIT with tires and sleds but that is rarely possible for most people due to lack of space/equipment. I don't believe my treadmill HIIT is any less beneficial.

101%MHR is HIIT. Period.

HIIT for me is short burst of explosiveness where you take the whole body (muscularly and cardiovascularly) to failure repeatedly...

Anything over 20 seconds I consider interval training... Not HIIT. But that is just my opinions and everyone is entitled to there opinion...


I just hate it when I see people sayin I do HIIT PWO 4 times a week, 30 seconds sprint / 1 min walk.... That is not HIIT.

I also don't Like the idea of HIIT training on gym equipment because I don't think it is very safe.


I think that HIIT and normal interval training are almost becoming the same thing in many peoples minds.

IMO HIIT should look like this

10-15 second bursts of 100% sprinting against resistance
120-180 seconds of complete rest

[--->>405<<---]

My routine is similar to SteMs:

Treadmill 5min warmup at 6mph
30secs 12 mph at 4 incl
90sec walk 3mph at 4incl for 4 sets then:

30secs 12mph at 5incl
90sec walk 3mph 5incl

30 secs/12mph 5.5incl
90sec walk 3mph/5.5 incl

30sec/12mph 6incl
90sec walk 3mph 6 incl

30sec/12mph 6.5 incl
90sec walk/3mph 6.5

And so on up to 12 total sprint sets..By then end sometimes i cant walk and just have to straddle the treadmill..

I also have an interval routine for elliptical thats similar but i increase resistance and decrease resistance.. Also tuff but not as tuff Easier on the old knee though...

[Sgt. Hartman]

Have to disagree. On a treadmill I do HIIT. My heartrate regularly gets to OVER 100% during my sessions. I have 2 regular HIIT treadmill programmes:-

1. Warm up 5 mins then 200m at 2%incl @ 20kmh interspersed with 100m walks at 5.5kmh. 12 reps. Cool down

2. Warm up 5 mins then 150m at 10% incline @16kmh interspersed with 150m walks at 1% incl 6kmh.

I've also done resisted HIIT with tires and sleds but that is rarely possible for most people due to lack of space/equipment. I don't believe my treadmill HIIT is any less beneficial.

101%MHR is HIIT. Period.

Kind of interesting you mentioned the HR thing. I was doing HIIT regularly about a year ago and wearing a HR monitor and my HR would frequently get to my max and occasionally over my max. I was kind of worried if it was dangerous so I started reading up on it.

Basically, the 220 - your age formula is a bunch of garbage. Max HR is the absolute maximum times your heart can beat per minute without going into fibrallation. You can't exceed your max HR, it is the absolute maximum your heart is capable of beating, or better yet you can't exceed it and live to tell about it. Your max HR is based on genetics and it doesn't change based on your level of CV conditioning or fitness level. It simply is what it is.

Chances are none of us have ever achieved our max HR. It would be impossible for most people to push them self hard enough to max out their heart rate. But even if someone did push them self hard enough to reach max, it would be a miserable experience. You would see black spots and/or have tunnel vision, your legs would give out and you would fall to the ground feeling dizzy and disorientated, some people would fall unconscious, others would vomit, you would feel terrible. And even though that sounds miserable, the worst part is that even though your heart would not be in fibrillation, you would feel like it was, like you're having a heart attack, and you would probably want to just go ahead and die. I don't think I care to ever find my max HR.

HIIT for me is short burst of explosiveness where you take the whole body (muscularly and cardiovascularly) to failure repeatedly...

Anything over 20 seconds I consider interval training... Not HIIT. But that is just my opinions and everyone is entitled to there opinion...


I just hate it when I see people sayin I do HIIT PWO 4 times a week, 30 seconds sprint / 1 min walk.... That is not HIIT.

I also don't Like the idea of HIIT training on gym equipment because I don't think it is very safe.


I think that HIIT and normal interval training are almost becoming the same thing in many peoples minds.

IMO HIIT should look like this

10-15 second bursts of 100% sprinting against resistance
120-180 seconds of complete rest

If you go by the true definition of HIIT then you're right on as it requires a short 100% max effort for the work portion. Also, you should go from the rest phase straight to the 100% max effort with no delay which is either impossible or extremely dangerous to do on a treadmill. It's really semantics though because the net result is probably the same in that they both produce a greatly enhanced EPOC. I call what I do HIIT and I guess really it's not, but it is high intensity, and it is interval training, soooo...... You're right though, most of us do "intervals".


Bump for some more routines.

[baseline_9]

Kind of interesting you mentioned the HR thing. I was doing HIIT regularly about a year ago and wearing a HR monitor and my HR would frequently get to my max and occasionally over my max. I was kind of worried if it was dangerous so I started reading up on it.

Basically, the 220 - your age formula is a bunch of garbage. Max HR is the absolute maximum times your heart can beat per minute without going into fibrallation. You can't exceed your max HR, it is the absolute maximum your heart is capable of beating, or better yet you can't exceed it and live to tell about it. Your max HR is based on genetics and it doesn't change based on your level of CV conditioning or fitness level. It simply is what it is.

Chances are none of us have ever achieved our max HR. It would be impossible for most people to push them self hard enough to max out their heart rate. But even if someone did push them self hard enough to reach max, it would be a miserable experience. You would see black spots and/or have tunnel vision, your legs would give out and you would fall to the ground feeling dizzy and disorientated, some people would fall unconscious, others would vomit, you would feel terrible. And even though that sounds miserable, the worst part is that even though your heart would not be in fibrillation, you would feel like it was, like you're having a heart attack, and you would probably want to just go ahead and die. I don't think I care to ever find my max HR.





If you go by the true definition of HIIT then you're right on as it requires a short 100% max effort for the work portion. Also, you should go from the rest phase straight to the 100% max effort with no delay which is either impossible or extremely dangerous to do on a treadmill. It's really semantics though because the net result is probably the same in that they both produce a greatly enhanced EPOC. I call what I do HIIT and I guess really it's not, but it is high intensity, and it is interval training, soooo...... You're right though, most of us do "intervals".


Bump for some more routines.

Great point in bold, something I missed out...

[RaginCajun]

Kind of interesting you mentioned the HR thing. I was doing HIIT regularly about a year ago and wearing a HR monitor and my HR would frequently get to my max and occasionally over my max. I was kind of worried if it was dangerous so I started reading up on it.

Basically, the 220 - your age formula is a bunch of garbage. Max HR is the absolute maximum times your heart can beat per minute without going into fibrallation. You can't exceed your max HR, it is the absolute maximum your heart is capable of beating, or better yet you can't exceed it and live to tell about it. Your max HR is based on genetics and it doesn't change based on your level of CV conditioning or fitness level. It simply is what it is.

Chances are none of us have ever achieved our max HR. It would be impossible for most people to push them self hard enough to max out their heart rate. But even if someone did push them self hard enough to reach max, it would be a miserable experience. You would see black spots and/or have tunnel vision, your legs would give out and you would fall to the ground feeling dizzy and disorientated, some people would fall unconscious, others would vomit, you would feel terrible. And even though that sounds miserable, the worst part is that even though your heart would not be in fibrillation, you would feel like it was, like you're having a heart attack, and you would probably want to just go ahead and die. I don't think I care to ever find my max HR.





If you go by the true definition of HIIT then you're right on as it requires a short 100% max effort for the work portion. Also, you should go from the rest phase straight to the 100% max effort with no delay which is either impossible or extremely dangerous to do on a treadmill. It's really semantics though because the net result is probably the same in that they both produce a greatly enhanced EPOC. I call what I do HIIT and I guess really it's not, but it is high intensity, and it is interval training, soooo...... You're right though, most of us do "intervals".


Bump for some more routines.

so true about the HR. i was wearing a HR monitor when i was triathlon training and went over the supposedly max HR numerous times.