There’s a lot of people who love a good workout. 10% of Americans attend a weekly high intensity interval training class. According to The New York Times, high-intensity interval training is popular among people who want to challenge their cardiovascular system. Intervals of strenuous physical exercises that include running, hopping, jumping, and other short bursts of activity last up to several minutes, with pauses for rest in between.
There are studies that show the drawbacks of HIIT. It’s a way to get in maximized fitness for the day quickly since you work harder for a shorter period of time. If you have a health condition, it’s best to talk to your doctor about modifying your workout. For people with serious underlying health issues, it could be a good idea to avoid high-intensity interval training.
How do you know if a high intensity interval training is right for you?
Cardiovascular exercise is good for your heart because it improves your heart muscle’s ability to take in oxygen from your blood. Lower blood pressure and cholesterol can be achieved with it.
Aerobic exercise can put more stress on the heart, which is not ideal for some people. According to a study published in Current Treatment Options in Cardiac Medicine, high-intensity exercise could increase the risk for people who already have cardiac issues.
It doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t engage in cardiovascular exercises if you don’t want to work out with high intensity interval training. Even if you are dealing with heart disease, exercise is still important, even if you don’t know how to do it. They say to start slowly with activities such as swimming, walking, or biking. Allow yourself to take rests in between, especially when you feel tired, and make sure to stretch prior to cooling down.
If you’re just starting to exercise, Mitchell Robinson warns that high intensity interval training isn’t the best fit for you. If you do the wrong exercises, you can hurt yourself. Robinson says to try less intense forms of physical activity first and work your way up to high intensity interval training.
Chris Ryan, C.S.C.S, a certified personal trainer, gave Shape with a plan to give beginners a taste of high intensity interval training. Newcomers should pick two exercises per circuit. Start with an interval between 45 and 75 seconds for each exercise, rest, and then repeat the same circuit twice more. Follow the same protocol if you decide on two more circuits. Ryan said that you need to do the exercise for a long time to get the movement down. If you start to feel bored, he suggested adjusting the interval time. Ryan emphasized the importance of giving your body time to recover. He said to mix up your workouts with other types of exercise to make sure you don’t get injured.
If you’re hurt, you shouldn’t engage in a high intensity interval training workout. The impact and speed of the exercises will put more stress on your joints and muscles. According to Livestrong, the associate professor of exercise science at Kennesaw State University said that if you have an injury, you don’t necessarily need to avoid starting an exercise routine. If your doctor approves, you may want to try a modified HIIT workout or other types of exercises that don’t put stress on the area.
Even if you are recovering from an injury, the experts at Amory Urgent Care can give you some exercises to consider. If you are dealing with an injury, swimming in the pool can be a low impact way to get in a full workout. Resistance bands can be used to work around injuries and keep your blood flowing. Basic stretch poses can be used for an injury related to muscle tightness.
It isn’t intended to be done every day. It’s an intense workout and so you need to give your body time to recover. Allowing your body time to recover is an important aspect of any weekly exercise regimen and a key aspect of your fitness progress. Many people neglect to give their body the rest it needs despite the fact that it is important to give your muscles and tissue a chance to recover. SELF said to only do HITT once or twice a week. It is important to take a day off or engage in a lower-impact exercise the next day to allow your body time to rebuild after a full-body workout. According to Jen Jewell, a certified personal trainer, it’s best to give muscle groups for 24 to 48 hours of rest.
The experts at Medical News Today recommend that you rest at least one day a week. If you experience pain, soreness, or sluggishness after your workout, you should be allowed to take more rest. Your body is telling you that it’s time to rest.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. It’s okay for you to work out enough so that you can break a sweat.
It is important to remain physically active during pregnancy, but high intensity interval training may not be a good choice for those who are new to it. Reducing achiness and fatigue, among others, could be benefits to you and your baby if you keep doing high intensity interval training while you’re pregnant. It is advised that you get your healthcare provider’s approval before you start. This will make you feel confident that your plan is healthy. Make sure that your instructor is aware that you are pregnant and that they can provide modified movements, especially ones that avoid jumping and sudden changes in direction, to keep you and your unborn child safe. It is advisable to have a wall nearby if you find that you have balance issues during your pregnancies. Dehydration is important, so take whatever breaks you need beyond what the instructor gives to get in those extra sips of water.