What is high intensity training (HIIT)?
HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training, has become a primary training protocol in sports without equipment.
A phenomenon that grows every year and seduces more and more athletes with its many benefits.
Discover HIIT and its many benefits with your FizzUp trainer or start the Tabata program now!
What is HIIT?
In 1996, thanks to a study by Professor Izumi Tabata, HIIT began to pay attention to the eyes of athletes, authorities and personalities in the world of sports.
In his study on “The Effects of Moderate Intensity Endurance and HIIT on Anaerobic Capacity and VO²max,” he demonstrated that high intensity training is more effective than moderate exercise in developing cardiovascular capacity and burning fat.
Since then, HIIT has been rejected under many protocols, but there are no exact formulas or standard training. Here are the two most popular protocols:
Tabata Protocol: Based on 4 minute workouts, this is a very intense version of interval training. The concept is a series of 8 cycles, 20 seconds of effort at maximum intensity and 10 seconds of rest. For maximum efficiency, Professor Tabata also points out that “if you feel good right after a session, it means you didn’t do it well.”
Micro-protocol: This is a technique that focuses on longer workouts lasting between 18 and 27 minutes. It aims to provide the athlete's body in the least possible time. You should perform 3 exercises per week. Each session consists of 8 to 12 cycles, divided into 60 seconds of high intensity and 75 seconds of low intensity.
So in HIIT, you're doing a short, HIIT workout. It is organized into cycles divided between recovery time and effort time.
No matter how long your HIIT session is, it is essential to warm up well before and recover calmly after, for an optimal return to calmness to your body.
Scientifically Proven Effects
Several studies have been conducted to compare high-intensity training with medium-intensity training, on their efficacy and health benefits. Among these, many have shown that HIIT can have many positive effects on your body.
In 1994, Dr. Tremblay's study highlighted the positive effect of HIIT on weight loss in athletes. According to this study, a 15-week high-intensity interval training program results in nine times greater fat loss than a typical 20-week endurance exercise program.
In 2012, a study by Australian researchers on "The Effects of HIIT on Body Composition in Overweight Young People" confirmed the positive effect on respiratory endurance abilities previously shown by the Tabata study, but also demonstrated that HIIT sessions can increase your body's physique. Basic metabolism. This is after several hours of exercise.
This high metabolic demand involves a high energy consumption and thus allows you to burn more calories. This reaction is also called EPOC or excess oxygen consumption after exercise. The exertion is so intense that your body needs time to return to its normal state, which results in additional energy consumption. Therefore, HIIT is an ideal training format to get rid of excess fat.
Want to get into it? Sports Training FizzUp includes various effective HIIT protocols in your training program, which are developed according to your goal and current physical condition. Download the FizzUp app and go to Tabata to test the strength of HIIT on your fitness.
