Why High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Is So Powerful…

by Bob Choat

Back when I was in high school, part of my training involved sprinting the straightaways of the track and walking/jogging the curves.  I would go around the track for a total of four times which equaled 8 sprints and 8 walks.  I did not know this at the time, but it was a form of high intensity interval training (HIIT).  I can tell you that it was one of the best trainings I had and helped with the other areas of training I engaged in for the various sports I played.

Today, we have a large body of research that shows the power of HIIT.  Laursen and Jenkins (2002) discovered that “submaximal endurance training” (aerobic) in recreational athletes helped them, it didn’t do the same with those that are more elite.  It seems that the harder you train in long aerobic exercise, the less the return you get.  The study went further and stated that HIIT increased endurance performance in elite athletes.

Fat Burning in Women

Talanian, et. al (2006) showed that HIIT helped increase fat oxidation in women. In fit, recreational athletic women, their fat burning went into overdrive as did their aerobic capacity versus traditional aerobic training. And this was only after 7 sessions over 2 weeks. As with male athletes, women showed an increase in endurance as well.

While the study focused on fit women, even those that are not so fit will gain benefits.  I would suggest working your way up to HIIT in ensuring that you learn about proper form.  This is important with any exercise and especially true with HIIT.

Have you ever watched Olympic Sprinters?  Look at their bodies and compare them to marathon runners.  Sprinters are more muscular and fitter.  Marathon runners are thinner and suffer from metaflammation when they engage in numerous long distance runs.  Doing sprint interval training will help preserve muscles and even build them in the thighs/glutes versus long distance training.  Sprint intervals also helps with endurance as well.

Many people believe that one should go for the longer aerobic running versus high intensity if you start out sedentary.  A study by Cocks, et al. (2012) out of the Liverpool John Moores University in the UK took 16 young sedentary males and split them into two groups.  One group did standard endurance training over 6 weeks (5 times per week) via cycling.  The other group did sprint interval training (SIT) over the same period of time (3 times per week).  Both groups increased their endurance at nearly the same capacity with the SIT group doing slightly better.

Want it Fun?

Bartlett, et al. (2011) showed that those that engaged in HIIT were more likely to stick with it due to the “fun factor” in the short bursts. As someone that regularly does HIIT, I can attest that my mindset is more in the present with short, high intense workouts. Though, I do them in addition to doing more of the natural movement/Parkour stuff as well.

The Afterburn Effect or EPOC

Here’s where a lot of confusion lies in HIIT for the “Afterburn Effect” also known as “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption” (EPOC) in that the higher the intensity, the more calories burned afterwards. While this is true according to Vella and Kravitz (n.d.), it is not as high as was reported by Bill Philips in his book, “Body For Life.”  Here’s my take on exercise intensity, EPOC and everything else: The higher the intensity, the more calories you’re going to burn.  When you stand, you’ll burn more than sitting.  If you walk, you’ll burn more than standing.  And every increase of intensity simply take calorie-burning even higher.

HIIT is great for the mindset, fat burning, cardiovascular and muscular endurance training.  You’ll get a whole of host of health benefits as well.  When you go too long (over 45 minutes) of physical training, metaflammation comes into play and it hurts health.  By breaking up your day with HIIT and other types of exercise, you’ll do your body and brain good.  I would suggest working your way up to high intensity training.  And do it only about 3 days per week.  The other days, engage in other activities.  Again, I do muscle building exercises, natural movement and hiking/walking in addition to HIIT.  It all counts towards overall fitness.  Have fun  in all forms of exercise.

JUST DO IT REGULARLY!

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The Best Stomach Fat Burning Exercises You Can Do at Home!

by dualFIT

The million dollar question almost every single person has is: “How can I get rid of my stomach fat?”

Every man and woman of any age, shape, and size wants to know how to get rid of belly fat or keep the belly fat off. Having abdominal fat is not only unattractive but is also detrimental to your health. Keeping a low body fat percentage overall is great for keeping your figure looking good and your health in great shape.

So how can you get rid of abdominal fat? Well, it’s all about science. There are so many gimmicks out there with pills and machines that “target” belly fat but truthfully, there isn’t a quick fix. Abdominal fat needs proper diet and exercise to be diminished. You can’t take a pill that’s going to give you a six pack and expect it to really work. You must put in the time and effort to get rid of that fat and build the muscles.

HERE ARE A FEW WAYS YOU CAN LOWER YOUR OVERALL BODY FAT PERCENTAGE:

 

 

• Exercise. Performing vigorous exercise will definitely trim that fat. (Below are a few of the best stomach fat burning exercises you can do at home! Cardiovascular exercise is key when it comes stomach fat burning exercises. People do millions of sit ups a day and still wonder why they have that layer of fat. That’s because sit ups build muscle, they don’t burn fat as effectively as high intensity cardio does! Begin with 30 minutes of vigorous exercise, 4 times a week!

 

• Diet. “Abs are made in the kitchen.” One of the most popular phrases in the fitness world! You can’t eat junk and expect to keep your stomach fat low. Aside from performing stomach fat burning exercises, you must pair those exercises with a diet. Cutting your caloric intake as well as eating the right kinds of foods will do wonders for your physique.

 

• Sleep. Skipping out on that extra hour of sleep can be very harmful for your health and the amount of body fat you have. When your biorhythms are off (the sleep pattern) you actually end up eating more. When you’re tired, your body produces more of ghrelin, a substance that triggers sugar cravings. If you’re not getting that recommended 7-9 hours of sleep, chances are your channeling that hour toward eating more. Get more shut eye to keep your belly fat at bay!

 

• Stress. Believe it or not, being stressed can be very harmful to your health. Of course everyone has a little bit of stress with school, work, families…we all experience it. But handling your stress is very important. Find ways that work for you to cope with stress levels. Take a walk, draw a bubble bath, have some tea, read a book…anything to keep your stress levels down.

 

STOMACH FAT BURNING EXERCISES YOU CAN DO AT HOME

Don’t belong to a gym? Not in the mood to drive to the gym? No problem! Check out some of these high intensity cardio exercises that you can do anywhere in your home! They do not require any equipment and they will really get your heart rate up and your body burning fat!

Burpees

• Begin in a low squat position with both of your hands on the floor in front of you.
• Kick your feet back so that you are in a push up position. Immediately return your feet back to the squat position, keeping your hands on the floor.
• Push your body up in an explosive manner and leap up off of the floor, reaching your hands to the ceiling. Go back down into the starting position and repeat.

 

Squat Jumps

• Stand up straight with your arms at your side and your feet hip width apart.
• Squat down as low as you can, making sure that your knees don’t go over your toes.
• Hold for a second and then explode off the floor, jumping up into the air.
• Land in the low squat position and repeat.

 

Mountain Climbers

• Assume push up position on the floor.
• Rest on the balls of your feet while you bring one leg forward to your chest.
• Contract your abdominal muscles as you bring the leg in. Bring it back out and switch legs.
• Continue this motion for the desired amount of time.
• The faster the pace, the better.

 

Plyometric Push Ups

• Get into push up position on the floor.
• Perform the beginning of a pushup by lowering your body down to the floor.
• As you come up, push off the floor with such force that your hands leave the floor and go into the air.
• Land softly on your wrists and repeat.

 

Tuck Jumps

• Stand up straight with your arms out in front of your chest, hands together in the praying position.
• Your feet should be shoulder width apart.
• Perform a baby squat, only going down a little bit, and then jump up bringing your knees to your chest.
• Land softly and repeat.

 

Froggers

• Assume push up position on the floor.
• Keep your weight over your shoulders during this move.
• Jump both of your legs up so that your feet are on the outsides of your hands.
• Kick your legs back out and repeat.

These are just a few of the greatest stomach fat burning exercises you can do at home or even at the gym! Things like jump roping, running, rowing, sprinting, and using the elliptical are also great cardiovascular exercises to do to get rid of belly fat!

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The 7 Best Fat Burning Exercises for Men

by dualFIT

Most people associate fat burning with females but males need to burn fat, too!

Scientifically, it’s much easier for a man to burn fat so they don’t get as much attention when it comes to ways to burn fat but believe it or not, there are certain things that men should be doing to keep their body fat percentage at a minimum. Some men have more fat than others but in general, the same fat burning exercises work for all men.

A lot of the best fat burning exercises for men are compound movements. Compound exercises are those that include more than one muscle group to perform the move. The opposite of compound exercises are isolation exercises which focus solely on one muscle. Compound exercises burn more calories and build more muscle mass. When it comes to burning fat, you want to incorporate more compound exercises into your routine. They will help you burn fat faster! Once you have burned enough fat, you can move onto isolation exercises to start cutting those muscles.

So what are some of the best fat burning exercises for men? Check out these 7 exercises to add to your next workout!

 

FAT BURNING EXERCISE #1: JUMP ROPE

Take your cardio routines back to first grade when jump roping was an actual fun activity rather than an exercise. Jumping rope is a great cardiovascular exercise. It also incorporates all major muscle groups in the body. It’s an awesome calorie burner, calf builder, and arm toner. It is also a ton of fun. Jumping rope can be done with an actual jump rope or you can just mimic the motion of the jump rope by jumping up and down, lifting your feet off the floor and swirling your wrists in the motion to work the arms. You can add jump ropes to your warm up, in between sets during a weight training workout, at the end of your workout, or strictly as your cardio circuit. Jump for as long as you want! Of course, the longer…the more calories burned…the more fat lost!

FAT BURNING EXERCISE #2: MEDICINE BALL SIT UP

Take your basic abdominal sit up exercise to the next level by adding some resistance. Medicine balls make a great training tool to add to your workouts. Medicine balls come in a ton of different weights so make sure you use one that is right for you.

To do a medicine ball sit up:

• lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat.
• Grab the medicine ball and hold it to your chest with both of your hands.
• Extend your arms straight over your head, holding the ball.
• Perform a sit up.
• Squeeze your abs when you get to the top then lower your body back down in a slow and controlled motion.
• Perform the desired number of repetitions!

 

FAT BURNING EXERCISE #2: CLEAN AND PRESS

This exercise focuses on both your strength and your speed, both of which are required to skyrocket your fat burning potential. It works a ton of different muscles at once making for a great calorie burner and muscle shaper.

To perform a clean press:

• Place a barbell on the floor, loaded with the appropriate amount of weight.
• Don’t go too heavy, don’t go too light.
• Stand so the bar is in front of you with your feet shoulder width apart.
• Bend down and grab the bar with an overhand grip.
• Keep your chest and head up, thighs parallel to the floor.
• Contract your shoulder blades, look straight ahead, and in an explosive manner lift the bar off the floor to chest level.
• *This is the clean part!* Now press the weight over your head making sure you do not arch your back. You want the barbell to be inline with your ears.
• *This is the press part!* In a controlled motion, slowly lower the weight back down to the starting position and repeat.

 

FAT BURNING EXERCISE #4: MEDICINE BALL MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

Another great move that utilizes the medicine ball. Mountain climbers are a full body exercise that act as cardio and also a great abdominal workout.

To do this move:

• Place a medicine ball on the floor.
• The weight of the ball doesn’t matter…you won’t be lifting it.
• Get into push up position resting both of your hands on the ball.
• Tuck one knee into your bed toward your chest.
• In an explosive manner, bring that leg back to the starting position and jump the other leg in toward your chest.
• Switch back and forth as fast as you can keeping your chest and back up.

 

FAT BURNING EXERCISE #5: PRISONER SQUAT

One of the most overlooked, best fat burning exercises for men is the squat. You don’t need to add a ton of weight or get on a smith machine to make the most of the squat. All you need is your own body weight. The prisoner squat is a great move and should be done in all fat burning workouts!

To do a prisoner squat:

• Stand tall with your feet hip width apart and your hands behind your head.
• Keeping your back straight and chest up, squat down until your butt is only a few inches off the floor.
• A regular body weight squat doesn’t require you to go that lower but the prisoner squat does.
• Get as low as you possible can.
• Rise back up and repeat.

 

FAT BURNING EXERCISE #6: HANGING LEG RAISE

A really great move to target all of your abdominal muscles. This move also improves your back strength and your grip strength.

To perform the hanging leg raise:

• Hang from a pull up with a neutral grip.
• Contract your abs and raise your knees up until they touch your chest.
• Do not allow your body to swing.
• Reverse the motion by bringing your legs back down to the starting position.
• Repeat!

 

FAT BURNING EXERCISE #7: SPRINT

Another very overlooked move. Simple yet extremely effective! Sprint on the treadmill, at the track, on your street, or down a hall way…Anywhere you are, start sprinting!

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5 Cardio Workouts for Fat Loss

by Jane Johnsen

Just like peanut butter is better with jelly, your weight loss program isn’t truly complete until you pair regular exercise with a low-calorie diet. Yet for many people, using cardio workouts to burn fat is uncharted territory.

If you find yourself at a loss when constructing your personal weight loss program, here’s the low-down.

The best cardio workouts for fat loss bring your heart rate up through 30 minutes of moderate- to high-intensity exercise. Because nutritionists recommend working out 5 days a week, you’ll want cardio workouts that are simple, fun, and great for fat loss.

The following five suggestions fit that bill for most people looking to burn fat.

 

1. Walk off the Weight

Sometimes the best way is the most straightforward. If you’re just beginning an exercise program, or if you don’t really enjoy working out, walking is a great option.

Not only is walking simple, it doesn’t require expensive equipment. All you need is a good pair of shoes. Joining a walking group is also a good way to get to know people and pass the time.

In terms of caloric expenditure, you can burn nearly 300 calories by walking at a moderately brisk pace for one hour. Power walking, or adding hills to your route, increases your calorie burn.

How to Do It: If you’ve just started walking for fitness, take it easy and begin with easy 5 to 10 minute walks. You can add minutes to each walk over time until you get to at least 30 minutes per walk. Walk on your lunch break or take a trip to the mall and walk everywhere.

If you use a treadmill, keep your head relatively level and work up from a 2 percent incline to a 10 percent incline. Remember to keep your stride smooth and steady.

 

2. Cycling for Endurance

One reason many people say they have a hard time losing fat through exercise is a lack of energy and endurance. Cycling is a great way to both increase endurance and burn fat along the way.

Cycling is all about the power in your legs. By increasing resistance, you strengthen your muscles and burn calories. In fact, just 30 minutes of cycling burns between 250 and 500 calories, depending on your resistance level.

This low impact-exercise is great for people concerned about their joints or wary of more high-impact activities like running or aerobics.

The best part? You can cycle anywhere without taking too much time from your daily schedule. Use your bike to ride to and from work, or to run errands around town. Or, if you have a stationary bike, ride it indoors while watching television.

How to Do It: Adjust your seat level to the point where your knee is as straight as possible with the pedal at its lowest point. Then, vary the intensity of your exercise. Try 2 to 3 minutes of fast pedaling with a 3-minute recovery. Repeat this for 15 minutes.

You can also stand occasionally to build more muscle and balance.

3. Dive into Aqua Aerobics

Make a splash with your workout by exercising in the water. Whether you choose swimming or water aerobics, you’re getting a great full-body exercise with low impact to joints and other areas of the body.

Swimming also racks in an impressive calorie count. With just 30 minutes of the breaststroke, you burn nearly 400 calories.

Water aerobics are another good option. If you’re new to swimming or unable to swim the length of the pool, water aerobics get you into shape and help you burn calories easily. You can even start by doing some pool walking or water jogging. The resistance will improve your strength as well as help you burn fat.

You’ll need to invest in a swimsuit, goggles, and a swim cap if you plan to lose weight by swimming laps. Access to a pool will probably require a gym membership. This may make it a somewhat more expensive choice than running or bicycling.

How to Do It: If you can’t swim the length of the pool, start by tackling the width. You can move up from there.

Vary your strokes if you’re swimming laps. Though swimming is a full-body exercise, each stroke exercises different muscle groups.

4. Pull on the Skis

One unique way to get fit is by cross-country skiing. This is a fun workout with a high casualty for calories. A 145-pound person burns about 330 calories during 30 minutes of skiing.

Cross-country skiing is both an upper-body exercise, which means it’s pretty easy to get your heart-rate up. And it’s a great way to enjoy the outdoors while getting in your workout.

Of course, cross-country skiing is limited to winter conditions. The right gear can also be expensive to acquire.

You can, however, mimic cross-country skiing at the gym by using a cross-trainer. An elliptical or an Arc Trainer are both great choices. Working out at the gym won’t give you quite the same bang for your buck as actual cross-country skiing will, but it’s still a good option, provided you do it correctly.

How to Do It: Too many people sabotage their workout on an elliptical or similar cross-trainer by allowing momentum to do most of the work. Instead, set the resistance on the machine correctly. You should be able to feel yourself pushing the ramp down when you make a revolution.

To avoid boredom on an elliptical, try 90-second blasts of higher intensity every few minutes. Recoveries should be twice as long. As your fitness level improves, you can reduce your recovery time.

5. Set Out on a Weekend Workout Adventure

One way to keep things fresh is to plan fun ways to work out on the weekends. You can incorporate the whole family to make it a social event and to escape the monotony of life indoors.

Choose an outdoor adventure that you can reasonably sustain for an hour or more. Go for a long bike ride, a hike in the mountains, or a kayaking trip.

You can also consider learning a new skill. Take karate lessons or learn to rollerblade. Not only will these activities burn fat, they’ll increase your confidence and lower your stress levels.

How to Do It: For the best results, plan according to season. If it’s winter, consider snowshoeing or taking a weekend trip to the slopes. In the summer, learn to surf. Spring and fall are great times to go hiking and appreciate the beauty of nature.

Improving Your Cardio Workouts

According to Timothy Church, a professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, “The best exercise to lose weight is the exercise you’ll do.”

What does that mean? Primarily, that which workout you choose matters less than choosing to work out at all. While you’re exercising, however, there are some general rules that help you get the most out of your workout.

First, don’t go it alone. Find a gym buddy who’s about at your level or even a little more advanced. You can help keep each other motivated and honest. After all, it’s easier to say “no” to yourself than to a friend.

Second, schedule your workouts. Buy an inexpensive calendar and write down what you plant to do and when you plan to do it. That way, you can’t keep the “I ran out of time” excuse in your back pocket.

Lastly, weigh yourself daily. This might not be a number you’d like to look at every day, but it will keep you honest. It’s also the best way to track your progress.

Above all, choose workouts you enjoy doing. Losing weight is difficult enough; don’t make it that much harder by choosing exercises you dread.

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