by Maximize your workout time with Men’s & Women’s Health’s guide to effective HIIT workouts for professionals. With the busy schedule everyone seems to have nowadays, even a moment for a workout feels as if you are trying to find a needle in a haystack. Between work obligations, household duties, and the appealing sights and sounds of the TV, it tends to happen that exercise is pushed down the priorities. But there’s no need to panic – there’s a silver lining for those of us working professionals who do not wish to commit several hours in the gym to be able to stay fit. Enter: HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training).
HIIT workouts fit the description of high speed and quick deployment which is why they are referred to as highway on ramps. They are short, beneficial and absolutely perfect for busy bees. Love it or hate it; whether you are a company’s CEO or you are the CEO of the couch, during the HIIT session, one gets to burn a number of calories when engaging in muscle building which in turn improves the work especially on the heart in a shorter duration.
In this article we will be discussing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and how it works, what is ideal timing for HIIT and showing you some gender neutral and comparatively packed workouts which can make you feel like you have taken over the world in just 20 mins. And since these activities are somewhat daunting, we will try to not make it too serious one by adding a few punch lines here and there.
What is HIIT and why do busy people love it?
HIIT means high-intensity interval training. In such workouts, an individual performs a few exercises intensely and after that a resting period of low intensity or recovery follows. The duration of a session of HIIT can take roughly from 10 to 30 minutes which is convenient for those who do not have the luxury of several hours to work out but still wish to benefit from a reasonable workout.
HIIT is effective because it accelerates the heart rate in the fastest way possible. It also increases the rate of metabolism after the point of exercise. This effect also known as afterburning and metabolic afterburn or EPOC or Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption explains how after one has exercised one continues to lose weight and calories even when in a resting position for hours after the exercise.
Funny Thought: “What’s the point of wasting 60 minutes in the gym, when it is possible to torture yourself with high-intensity interval training in 20 minutes and still have plenty of time to go for takeout?”
The Science Behind HIIT: Why It Works
You might be wondering, how can someone spending only 20 minute performing physical exercises manage to achieve the same results as a person who is spending hours at the gym. The answer is intensity. When you perform the high-intensity intervals, you are operating at the maximum workload of your body, thus increasing your heart rate and breath requirements.
This oxygen debt does not die down when this oxygen expenditure task that is exercise ends. Even afterwards, your body looks for ways to recover from the exertion and in the process, burns calories too.
HIIT and Fat Loss: It has been established that people are able to lose a great amount of body fat when undertaking high-intensity interval training. This is true especially for those fats that tend to grow around the belly. This means that there are very minimal or no side effects to using this weight loss method. Some lose fat even as they retain their muscles.
| Feature | HIIT | Steady-State Cardio |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 10-30 minutes | 45-60 minutes |
| Calorie Burn | Higher during and after workout | Moderate during workout |
| Fat Loss | Faster fat loss, especially belly fat | Gradual fat loss |
| Muscle Preservation | Helps preserve muscle mass | Can lead to muscle loss |
| Metabolic Boost | Significant post-workout boosts | Minimal post-workout boost |
| Heart Health | Improves VO2 max quickly | Improves endurance over time |
Funny Thought: ‘What I love most about HIIT is that in less than an hour, one can get to heavy breathing and clock-in some existential evaluations in record time as compared to the usual cardio. Talk about efficiency!’
How To Make HIIT Work for You If You Are Short of Time
There is no time anywhere that cannot be managed. This is the main reason that HIIT is so flexible. Whenever you have 10 minutes before a meeting or a half-hour before reaching home from work, HIIT can be crushed in the nooks and crannies of your day.
Tips For the Busy Professional:
Schedule Your Workouts: Like any appointment, add this to the calendar and block off the time for it. No excuses. Pick Time Efficient Workouts. Focus on compound movements that will give you the most results in the least amount of time.
Work Out Regardless of Location: Living room, office, out on the grass; it does not matter with HIIT, and no special equipment is required.
Rest and Recovery Come First: Shorter does not necessarily means easier. Investing energy in short durations very fast needs a well recuperated body to avoid wearing out.
Morning HIIT: Get energized in the morning through a quick HIIT workout that prepares your body for the day activities.
Funny Quote “It is now easy to look for HIIT, the way many people look for Wi-Fi while on a plane, because it was something many never thought would be achieved,” that is, makes perfect sense.” Under the endorsement of Men’s and Women’s Health HIIT is Deliberate and Medical HIIT is work intended to raise energy expenditure and includes exercise sessions. Such exercises are to be stipulated to be brief but frequent throughout the day that suits the busy men and women in all ages. Given below are some HIIT workouts which are aimed to fit into your tight timetable. These approach focuses on different muscle groups and can be used with men and women as well.
1. Jump Squats
Jump squat is one of those exciting plyometric exercises that aims to strengthen the legs and buttocks in addition to giving quite a workout to the heart.
2. Mountain Climbers
With this movement the entire body is involved while the heart rate is raised. This move is a rapid full body burner.
Funny Thought: ‘Mountain climbers: owing to the fact that on some occasions, simply standing and running does not present a challenging task. Please enable JavaScript in your browser & refresh the page to view content.’
3. Burpees
Burpee has a lot of negative connotations associated with it sometimes. However, love them or hate them, this aerobic will bring the most comprehensive effect.
4. High Knees
High knees are great lower body stationary cardio movers including the core area which is moderately active.
5. Plank Jacks
Plank jacks are a great core and shoulder strengthening exercise coupled with anaerobic activity.
| Exercise | Time | Rest | Rounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jump Squats | 40 seconds | 20 seconds | 3 |
| Mountain Climbers | 40 seconds | 20 seconds | 3 |
| Burpees | 40 seconds | 20 seconds | 3 |
| High Knees | 40 seconds | 20 seconds | 3 |
| Plank Jacks | 40 seconds | 20 seconds | 3 |
Funny Thought: “Is it even a burpee if you don’t look at your life twice: once before and then after completing a burpee?”
Elementary HIIT vs HIIT for Off Season Athletes
HIIT is very versatile in that the difficulty can be modified to suit each person’s level of fitness. Therefore, if you wish to incorporate HIIT training whether you are a beginner or an advanced individual there is a HIIT workout for you.
| Exercise | Beginner | Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Jump Squats | Bodyweight Squats | Tuck Jump Squats |
| Mountain Climbers | Slow Pace | Fast, Explosive Climbers |
| Burpees | Step Back Burpees | Push-Up + Tuck Jump Burpees |
| High Knees | Marching High Knees | Sprinting High Knees |
| Plank Jacks | Tap Out Feet in Plank | Explosive Plank Jacks |
Humorous Comment: “Breathe out forcefully during HIIT. And if you aren’t making a weird face then you’re not going hard enough, right?”
Last But Not the Least: Why HIIT Learn Professionals Have Won Most Heart
HIIT works best for people who are busy in their day to day lives. You do not require any high-end equipment or much time, just some motivation and about 20 minutes. Be it in your car on your way to another meeting, during your child’s nap time, or even before the sun rises, HIIT will always allow you to maximize the time you have available for exercise.
Last But Very Good Funny Quote: “One last line and think what I say, to which your muscles are like your boss, and they will not grow unless they are forced to.”
