HIGH-INTENSITY CARDIO BLAST - BURN 1000 CALORIES

High-intensity interval training was listed as the top fitness trend for 2014 in the November/December 2013 edition of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal. It  was the eighth consecutive year of the annual survey of health fitness professionals, and the survey helps the fitness industry make important decisions based on growth and development the following year.

Since high-intensity interval training is expected to be a top trend of 2014, let’s take a look at the science behind the workout and how to incorporate it into your own fitness routine.

A MORE EFFECTIVE WORKOUT

High-intensity interval training is a method of exercising that constantly challenges your body, which is what makes it so effective. In addition, research has shown that HIIT  limits muscle loss that can occur with traditional steady-state cardio workouts. So if you’re looking to preserve that  lean muscle mass, HIIT is definitely the way to go. It’s also been reported that the most effective cardio workouts combine high and low intensities— which is exactly what HIIT training consists of. As a result, HIIT tends to burn more calories because of the intense bursts.

What’s also interesting about HIIT training is that even though it is shorter in duration, it induces muscle metabolic and performance adaptations that are actually similar to longer duration, low-intensity exercise, but in less time, according to research. There’s also the “post-exercise” benefit of HIIT. For more than 24 hours after a HIIT workout, the body’s metabolism is increased, which means that even when you are done with your high-intensity workout, you continue to burn calories at a higher rate. In fact, a study by Canadian researchers found that, indeed, excess post-exercise oxygen consumption— which is a measure of additional calories burned— was higher following HIIT compared to endurance training.

An aerobics workout like jogging or cycling continuously for 20 minutes will burn about 150 calories at 70 percent of maximum effort. So what about interval training? According to a University of Buffalo study led by Luc Gosselin, 10 minutes of interval training at 90 percent effort burned 195 calories. For this study, the interval training included exercise-rest durations that varied between 30 and 90 seconds of exercise, and 30 and 60 seconds of rest at maximum effort.

HIIT FOR HEALTH

Another study conducted by Perry and colleagues examined the skeletal muscle and whole-body metabolic  adaptations that occurred following six weeks of HIIT. The researchers found that the HIIT training resulted in an increase in citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase, which means an increase in fat oxidation. The study also found an increase in the total GLUT 4 receptors, which are located on the muscle membrane and act as the doorways that allow insulin to transport glucose into the muscle. With the increase it total GLUT 4 receptors, benefits may include improved insulin sensitivity and decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity and coronary artery disease.

THE 1000-CALORIE CARDIO BLAST

Leading Australian fitness trainer and well-being expert Mark Moon is a firm believer in high-intensity interval training. Creator of the Get Fit Fast program, which includes workouts that combine strength and cardio for every fitness level, Mark  has over 15 years of experience as a master group fitness instructor.

To help us put the benefits of HIIT into practice, Mark shared a high-intensity interval training program that can burn 1,000 calories. All exercises are to be performed for as many reps as you can complete (with perfect technique and control) in 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds before moving to the next exercise.

Depending on your fitness level, rest one to two minutes between each section, or just enough time to grab a quick drink and get ready for the next portion of your workout.

EXERCISES:

SHOULDER PRESS: Hold dumbbells at shoulder height with elbows out to the sides and palms  facing forward. Lift the dumbbells straight up until they almost touch and your arms are just short of  straight. Lower dumbbells and repeat.

SQUAT JUMPS: Start with legs together. Jump out to a wide low squat. Jump back to the starting position.

JUMP LUNGES: Begin in a lunge position with one foot forward. Jump in the air and land in a lunge with the other foot forward. Continue alternating.

CABLE LAT PULLDOWN: Either standing or seated, grab two cables attached to the high pulleys. Your arms should be crisscrossed, so you are grabbing the cable on the oppo-site side. Palms facing forward, pull the handles down and rotate your hands so that they are facing each other at the bottom. Return to starting position.

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS: Get in the plank position. Bring one leg forward under your chest while the other leg is extended, and then switch. Continue alternating your legs to your chest. Go as fast as you can while keeping your body and abs tight.

HAMSTRING CURLS: Depending on the machine, position yourself either standing or kneeling. Once in position, place the heel of the working leg under the pad. Keeping the abs tight, slowly contract hamstrings until your heel touches your glutes. Change legs and repeat with no rest in between (most women should begin with 10 to 20 pounds).