MSU Extension Physical Activity

There’s a new buzz in fitness promising less time commitment with a high calorie burn, while still maintaining all the other benefits associated with exercise. If you haven’t heard of it yet, it’s called high-intensity interval training or “HIIT” exercise. Research shows that this type of brief but intense exercise can improve cardiovascular health, glucose tolerance, exercise endurance and lower blood pressure.

While most people are used to aerobic exercise at a slower pace for a longer period of time (when they walk, bike, or swim for example), HIIT exercise is intense, short periods of activity with longer periods of rest. HIIT forces the heart and lungs to work harder during increased exercise load to the working body. One study even showed that a larger portion of the muscle is engaged with HIIT training.

Incorporating short intense exercise bouts can remove some barriers to physical activity, such as not having enough time in the day or not finding the exercises enjoyable. These short periods of exercise are still beneficial for health. For individuals who find it boring to do a slower, more continuous workout, this may be something they would like to try, and it could make sticking to an exercise program easier in the long run. In addition, this type of exercise can be accomplished at any age and benefits many people with chronic conditions that may worsen as we age, such as heart disease, diabetes and pulmonary disease.

A publication by the American College of Sports Medicine has these tips for starting a HIIT exercise program:

• Consider the duration, frequency and intensity of the work intervals and the recovery intervals. These short, intense workouts can be done with any type of exercise like walking, biking, swimming, running or cross-country skiing. 
• Any exercise can be used if there is a possibility of intensifying the workout for short periods.
• Intensity should be 80 percent of your maximum heart rate (220 – your age). You should feel like you’re working very hard.
• The recovery period should be 40 to 50 percent of your maximum heart rate or a slowing down of movement to feel completely recovered.
• The ratio of exercise to recovery will improve different energy systems of the body. For example, a ratio of 1:1 might be a three-minute hard work (or high intensity) bout followed by a three-minute recovery (or low intensity) bout. These 1:1 interval workouts often range about three, four or five minutes followed by an equal time in recovery.

Michigan State University Extension encourages speaking with your physician before starting any exercise program. To see if you might enjoy this type of workout, you can check out this HIIT circuit from the American College of Sports Medicine.

Remember to have your fitness program fit your needs, allowing you to work at your own pace and not the pace of others. Physical activity every day is an important and necessary part of all our lives, so finding what works for you and doing any form of movement daily will pay you back tenfold. 

To find a new physical activity, check out Tai Chi for Arthritis and Falls Prevention and Michigan State University Extension's physical activity hub.