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High Intensity Interval Training is something that has been around for awhile, but I didn’t find out about it until this past summer. It made sense and so I began a program for myself.
Basically, it is working smarter, not longer. Here’s what some of the research says about it. What I found most interesting is that the research coming out is saying that those long hours on the treadmills, bikes, and what have you only cause your body to wear down and begin aging quicker. And, who wants that….
By Dr. Mercola A recent study looked at the heart function of 40 elite long-term endurance athletes after four endurance races of varying lengths. By measuring cardiac enzymes and taking ultrasounds, the researchers were able to measure the acute effects of extreme exercise on the heart. They found that: Right ventricular (RV) function diminished after races Blood levels of cardiac enzymes (markers for heart injury) increased The longer the race, the greater the decrease in RV function 12 percent of the athletes had scar tissue in their heart muscle detected on MRI scans one week after the race The authors of the study concluded that, “intense exercise causes dysfunction of the RV, but not the LV. Although short-term recovery appears complete, chronic changes may remain in many of the most practiced athletes.”
Research Overwhelmingly Supports HIIT
Compelling and ever-mounting research shows that the ideal form of exercise is short bursts of high intensity exercise.
Not only does it beat conventional cardio as the most effective and efficient form of exercise, it also provides health benefits you simply cannot get from regular aerobics, such as a tremendous boost in human growth hormone (HGH), aka the “fitness hormone.”
One study published in the Journal of Obesity2 reported that 12 weeks of HIIT not only can result in significant reductions in total abdominal, trunk, and visceral fat, but also can give you significant increases in fat-free mass and aerobic power.
Other research published in the journal Cell Metabolism3 showed that when healthy but inactive people exercise intensely, even if the exercise is brief, it produces an immediate measurable change in their DNA.
Several of the genes affected by an acute bout of exercise are genes involved in fat metabolism. Specifically, the study suggested that when you exercise your body almost immediately experiences genetic activation that increases the production of fat-busting (lipolytic) enzymes.
Yet another study found that unfit but otherwise healthy middle-aged adults were able to improve their insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation after just two weeks of interval training (three sessions per week).4 A follow-up study also found that interval training positively impacted insulin sensitivity. In fact, the study involved people with full-blown type 2 diabetes, and just ONE interval training session was able to improve blood sugar regulation for the next 24 hours More
According to Dr. Jade, There are 4 key biofeedback signals that tell you whether or not you are getting the hormonal effects that will recondition your metabolism during the Metabolic Aftershock workouts. Dr. Jade calls them the B’s and H’s, and they stand for: * Breathless * Burning * Heavy * Heat Each of these biofeedback signals is associated with specific hormonal effects. For example, when you are breathless, it’s a sign that catecholamines are being released, which speed your heart rate and open your lungs. They also liberate fat and sugar during your workouts, and, the first step in burning fat is liberating it from fat cells. So the release of catecholamines are a critical step in the fat-burning process. These B’s and H’s are proof positive the workouts are effective. When you feel breathless, you have that burning sensation in your muscles, your body feels heavy, and your pouring sweat, you can be certain that you are eliciting the metabolic aftershock that will keep you infat-burning mode for days after your workouts are complete.
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