

Which, consequently increases the risk of musculoskeletal strain and injury. For example, repetitive, timed, maximal or near-maximal efforts incorporating short or insufficient recoveries, a characteristic of many popular HIIT programs, may predispose individuals to overreaching or overtraining that can elevate oxidative stress and cellular damage beyond autophagy to suppress immune responses, and impair exercise technique. As professionals, it is imperative to understand that extreme conditioning programs (i.e., training hard rather than smart) are more often than not, an unwise approach to programming for most individuals.īergeron and colleagues (8) state that many characteristics of these conditioning workouts disregard current standards for developing muscular fitness which is concerning. What many describe as HIIT is more likely high-volume interval training (HVIT) or, in a best-case scenario, variable-intensity interval training (VIIT).Įach can be effective as long as the practitioner understands their unique purpose and programs accordingly. There is also a general lack of understanding within the fitness industry of what truly constitutes HIIT training and what it is intended to accomplish. Considering the latter point, it should be concerning that chronic or overuse-type exercise-related injuries in recreational and sports facilities have increased by an average of 4% over the past 10 years (7). Nonetheless, individuals continue to flock in droves to HIIT workouts and programs that they (a) don’t thoroughly enjoy, but perhaps tolerate in the hopes of achieving some desired transformation, or (b) shouldn’t undertake given their lack of adequate preparation (levels of stability and mobility) or conditioning levels. Unfortunately, perception and reality are not always the same, and as fitness professionals, we hold the responsibility of educating clients and club members to the truth.
#High intensity training driver
Regardless of this research, perhaps the most influential driver of this trend still lies with the perception that HIIT training increases overall caloric burn between the combined effects of the session and the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC or afterburn). Studies also demonstrate how this training modality is not solely limited to improving fitness markers (e.g., aerobic and anaerobic performance), but delivers positive health improvements like blood pressure and glucose sensitivity (6). Research demonstrates similar results with up to 90% less training volume and up to 67% less time commitment (5), and in an era where time has become such a precious and valued commodity, the popularity of HIIT comes as no surprise. Look just about anywhere in fitness these days and you’d be hard-pressed to miss some program, product or menu advertising high-intensity interval training (HIIT). So why are these programs trending and so popular? One undeniable fact is the time-efficiency in which an individual can achieve comparable results to those attained through higher-volume, lower-intensity workouts (4).

It doesn't matter if you are a strength and conditioning coach or a personal trainer, all can benefit from knowing the difference between HIIT, HVIT, VIIT ( and even SIT).
#High intensity training how to
No doubt you’ve seen various benefits touted just about everywhere, but what is the actual science behind this training design? Would a high-volume interval training (HVIT) approach better meet training goals, or perhaps a combination approach of variable-intensity interval training (VIIT)?ĭiscover the differences and how to apply the variables of quality and quantity of movement for better results.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is all the rage in the fitness world.
