Swap your mundane workout for HIIT

The term High Intensity Interval Training or the pithier HIIT was all the rage amongst fitness enthusiasts last year with the American College of Sports Medicine including it in the top fitness trends of 2017. And the craze doesn’t seem to get any slower in 2018 because of its fat burning claims. So what is this type of training all about?

HIIT is a training method which includes all-out, one hundred percent effort through short and intense bouts of exercise followed by an active or passive recovery period. What this does is it keeps your heart rate up and burns greater amount of fat in less time. Following such a high expenditure of energy, the body does not normalizeinstantly butafter a few hours or even days post exercise. During this phase more oxygen is needed for recovery, resulting in more calories burnt. So you are burning calories long after your workout is finished. Thisis called the afterburn effect or post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

Along with greater fat burn, HIIT has other benefits too. These are:
1.    Increased Metabolism and Strength
Combining HIIT with strength training will result in greater strength gains.This type of training is also perfect for dieters who are looking to lose weight and preserve muscle mass. So if you want to build muscle or lose fat, HIIT is the way to go.
2.    Time Saving
You are able to burn same or even more calories depending on the intensity in a short period of time in comparison to those long, boring and slow trudges on the treadmill.
3.    Afterburn Advantage

Over time the high-intensity workouts will result in improved VO2 max which is your body’s ability to use oxygen as an energy source. This means that you would be better able to manage long endurance activities like marathons. The interval style of training has a crossover to sports such as football, basketball, cricket, tennis and badminton. Training in the anaerobic zone is also good for the heart which means longevity and better quality of life.

So why not start the New Year with a new style of training which guarantees results and is good for your health and wellbeing.

At XFITT under the stewardship of Crossfit Level 1 trainer ShaileshShetty workouts involve cross-functional movements incorporating the H.I.I.T principle of training. He states, “You only live once and how you treat your body is directly related to the quality of your life. At XFITT, we offer specially designed workouts that will give you metabolic and musculoskeletal benefits and keep you coming back for more!”