Health Clubs everywhere are never without them and they seem to be one of the most popular pieces of at home cardiovascular fitness equipment to purchase.  But just how effective are your workouts when walking and/or running on the treadmill? HIIT saves time and can be highly effective in as short as 15-20 minute sessions when done properly.  Are you working at a steady state on a level surface? If you have answered yes to this question it is time to educate yourself on just how effective you are when spending countless hours per week on your piece of equipment that can quite frankly be BORING you and not producing the results you are working so hard towards.

Steady State Exercise

Let’s first discuss working at a steady state.  Steady state exercise does have its benefits, it is great for beginners or those with specific health concerns and has proven to burn more calories per hour than working at different levels, but that is about as far as it goes.  Steady state exercising can be extremely boring, especially when walking on a treadmill. You have nothing to focus on and if you think that reading a magazine or watching tv is helping you out, think again.  These are only distractions that are most likely slowing you down.  Working out takes concentration at all levels and if your workouts take little to no concentration at all it is time to increase your level of exertion.

Interval Training

What if there was a way that you could workout for a shorter period of time and still achieve your fitness goals, or perhaps achieve your goals at a faster rate? THERE IS, it is called Interval Training.  Interval training is a type of training that involves bursts of higher-intensity work alternated with lower-intensity work.Interval training is a type of training that involves bursts of higher-intensity work alternated with lower-intensity work.  The good news is, the higher-intensity work lasts only between 30 and 60 seconds, however you must push your body to its limits.  During this short time frame you should be producing a near maximum heart –rate, this is generally between 80- 85% of your maximum heart rate( see Heart Rate tab for more details), followed by 60 -90 seconds of lower-intensity training of approximately 60-65% of your maximum heart rate during your recovery period.  This type of training is defined as High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT.

High Intensity Interval Training

HITT is very effective despite the fact that you do not have as great of a calorie deficit during your actual workout, but your metabolism is working at a faster rate for a longer period of time post workout session leading to greater fat loss.  HIIT saves time and can be highly effective in as short as 15-20 minute sessions when done properly. High Intensity Interval Training is not designed to be completed on a daily basis due to its high impact that may cause stress on such joints as knees, ankles, and hips.

High Intensity Interval Training Treadmill Workout

Perform the following routine 2 – 3 times a week on non-consecutive days.