HIIT

younge

Hi all,

I've decided to start HIIT training. I've always ran 3-5 times a week for about an hour outdoors at a good pace and also hit the weights when time allows. I'd consider myself fairly fit and wanted to change the training up a bit. Anyways I'm currently doing the following;

HIIT training twice a week:
100m sprint followed by 100 rest (10 times)

I do it on a 400m running track so I'd do 2 laps warm up with stretches followed by the HIIT routine. After this a few planks, sit-ups and push-ups and then 2 laps cool down, again with stretching.

Just wondering anyone with experience with HIIT is this a good routine or should I be doing something different?
I feel kind of guilty at times leaving the track after 30 - 40 mins feeling like theres more in the tank, not pushing myself hard enough maybe?
Have a slight lower back injury so physio has me doing core exercises - incorporating planks, side planks etc these at the end of the workout which I presume would be the best period?

Thanks!!

winning

Your defo not doing right if you feel theres more in the tank. You should be completely done and it should only take roughly 20 mins to be feeling like this.

Hanley

If you feel fine after doing it, you're not pushing hard enough.

dozer11

The key to HIIT is your rest to work ratio. If you're fairly fit you should be able to handle a 2:1 ratio of rest to work.
A 15 sec sprint at 90% which equates to between 80-100m with 30 sec rest in between. Do this 10 times and you should see some improvement is your fitness levels.

Mellor

What you are doing is fine, but you aren't doing enough.

10x 100m sprints/100m rest is a pretty short HIIT session. How long does it take you?
Very rough number might be 15sec sprint and 45-60sec easy (which is fine imo, 30 sec isn't enough rest for 100m sprints). Meaning your HIIT takes 10 to 12 minutes. The bulk of your session is warm-up, stretching, cool down, so its no surprise you have more in the tank.

You need to do more, it doesn't need to be HIIT, you could open with a 3-5k steady run, then finish off with the HIIT. Cut the planks/sit-ups if you need time, you are there to work on your fitness, how are they a relevant part of the track session.

dozer11

Just a session of High Intense Interval training is fine. Light warm up and stretching to begin. Doing a 3-5k run will take away from the intensity which is the basis of your session. It'll also induce earlier fatigue into your muscles which will decrease your ability to have an effective session. I have been doing hiit for over 2 years now so am fairly knowledgeable on the subject. 2-3 sessions a week where you put in the hard effort and you will see results. Remember the key word is intensity.

Hanley

dozer11 wrote: »

Just a session of High Intense Interval training is fine. Light warm up and stretching to begin. Doing a 3-5k run will take away from the intensity which is the basis of your session. It'll also induce earlier fatigue into your muscles which will decrease your ability to have an effective session. I have been doing hiit for over 2 years now so am fairly knowledgeable on the subject. 2-3 sessions a week where you put in the hard effort and you will see results. Remember the key word is intensity.

Intensity is relative to capability. If he's looking to lose fat, a moderate 3-5k (he did say he's fairly fit) won't tire him out too much or take much away from his interval session, and will provide an additional kcal demand.

If he's looking to increase speed/lactate threshold/'fitness', it's probably not the best idea.

It's all about context. There's no one right answer to the question.

dozer11

younge wrote: »

Hi all,

I've decided to start HIIT training. I've always ran 3-5 times a week for about an hour outdoors at a good pace and also hit the weights when time allows. I'd consider myself fairly fit and wanted to change the training up a bit. Anyways I'm currently doing the following;

HIIT training twice a week:
100m sprint followed by 100 rest (10 times)

I do it on a 400m running track so I'd do 2 laps warm up with stretches followed by the HIIT routine. After this a few planks, sit-ups and push-ups and then 2 laps cool down, again with stretching.

Just wondering anyone with experience with HIIT is this a good routine or should I be doing something different?
I feel kind of guilty at times leaving the track after 30 - 40 mins feeling like theres more in the tank, not pushing myself hard enough maybe?
Have a slight lower back injury so physio has me doing core exercises - incorporating planks, side planks etc these at the end of the workout which I presume would be the best period?

Thanks!!

Where do you see anything about fat loss there? Also the thread is entitled HIIT so a 3-5k run is not relative at all.

younge

Thanks for all the replies, opinions much appreciated!

At the moment the actual HIIT part of the workout is taking me 10 tens. Would I be right in saying I should be leaving the place in a jocker?

Distance wise would a 100 meters be a good standard? (flat surface)

For future efforts I'll continue with 100m sprint, 100 rest - I'll try slightly speed up my recovery period so I'm back sprinting that little bit quicker and at the end of the ten if I feel up to it, I'll continue until the body is fatigued - (of course being mindful of injury)

Maybe if the fitness does come on over the few weeks/months might lengthen the sprints or incorporate push ups, burpees, lying hand-claps etc at the end of each sprint.

Not trying to run before I walk as they say but really liking the HIIT training!!

King of Kings

i like 60 secs on and 60 secs off at 20kph (max the threadmill allows)
after 5/6 "on" mins I'm fairly bushed.

I would do a warm up and a 1 to 2 km run at about 10 - 12 kph before that. This may cause muscle fatigue (as mentioned above) but it is good to protect against a torn hamstring which sprinting can easily cause.

I find the threadmill isn't great at moving up or down in speed so instead of a slow min and a fast one - I just hop off for the off min.

dozer11

Don't do HIIT sprinting on a treadmill especially with injuries you're asking for trouble. Find a grassy area to do the running on and use a good pair of running shoes like asics etc.

Hanley

dozer11 wrote: »

Don't do HIIT sprinting on a treadmill especially with injuries you're asking for trouble. Find a grassy area to do the running on and use a good pair of running shoes like asics etc.

Why is it more dangerous on a treadmill?

dozer11

When I get home I can pm you an academic article on it if your that curious, have to access the ucd database though.

Hanley

dozer11 wrote: »

When I get home I can pm you an academic article on it if your that curious, have to access the ucd database though.

I'd appreciate that. I can get access to the UCD database.

dozer11

Some life for you! Did you do any Heath and performance science modules during your time in Ucd? Great course!

King of Kings

dozer11 wrote: »

Don't do HIIT sprinting on a treadmill especially with injuries you're asking for trouble. Find a grassy area to do the running on and use a good pair of running shoes like asics etc.

I disagree on the threadmill comment.

Hanley

King of Kings wrote: »

I disagree on the threadmill comment.

Let's see what this study says...

younge

Hanley and dozer stop comparing c**k lengths and agree to disagree, I appreciated your help, I really do, thanks!

Mellor

dozer11 wrote: »

Just a session of High Intense Interval training is fine. Light warm up and stretching to begin. Doing a 3-5k run will take away from the intensity which is the basis of your session. It'll also induce earlier fatigue into your muscles which will decrease your ability to have an effective session

You can't say that withouit knowing his goals.
If the goal is to burn as much energy as possibably, then imo steady state and cardio is better as HIIT alone leaves you worn out too fast. I do HIIT as part of my cardio, but I still need to do some steady state (working towards some road running in aug/sept). It's very much goal orientated

If he doesn't care about fat loss and wants to improve specific areas, then maybe HIIT alone is best. But we don't know that yet

dozer11 wrote: »

Where do you see anything about fat loss there? Also the thread is entitled HIIT so a 3-5k run is not relative at all.

Where do you see anything about any goal?
Also, press-ups, crunches, planks aren't HIIT either, yet the OP is doing them in the same session. A lot further away from HIIT a 3k run

younge wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, opinions much appreciated!

At the moment the actual HIIT part of the workout is taking me 10 tens. Would I be right in saying I should be leaving the place in a jocker?

Distance wise would a 100 meters be a good standard? (flat surface)

HIIT should be balls to the wall stuff. I normally work to 10-15mins a block. If you are lasting say 20-30mins then its just regualar intervals imo.

Are you going almost as hard as you can, do point doing a pace that is managable, it should be a push. Maybe up it to 12 or 15 and see if it takes it out of you.

oh, and record times too

El Guapo!

Can anybody reccommend a place to get a good interval timer?

cmyk

www.gymboss.com

TommyKnocker

+1 for the Gymboss.

Just be aware that with their newest model, the Gymboss Max, although the menus are easier to navigate, the alarm (beep) is not as loud as the earlier models, so might be hard to hear if you are in a busy gym.