High interval training has received more attention recently. It is so popular because it is said to be very efficient, requires little time, and many workouts can be done at home or outdoors without equipment. The fat loss effect is also said to be optimal with high-intensity interval training. But does the HIIT workout training method live up to all these promises? What needs to be considered and is HIIT training suitable for everyone?
What are HIIT workouts? What are the biochemical processes behind it?
The abbreviation H.I.I.T. means "high intensity interval training". In German, however, the abbreviation works just as well with the translation because high-intensity interval training is very close to the English explanation. With this high intensity, training is partly done at a maximum heart rate - at least for short periods of time.
So, the HIIT training method is about getting maximum intensity out of each exercise. The focus is not so much on the number of repetitions, but on the time the exercise is performed per set. This time is relatively short and is always followed by a break, which is also very short. In classic HIIT training, the load time is usually 30 seconds, but the load time could go from ten to a maximum of 60 seconds.
The pause time also goes from only 10 to 60 seconds, which ensures the maximum fatloss effect. This is explained physiologically at the cellular level in the next section. At this point, however, it should be mentioned that it plays a central role that such a good effect is created by the high total volume (the total time the muscle is under tension), which is kept at a very intense level (high-intensity interval training).
HIIT training explained physiologically
At the cellular level, the aim is to remain in the anaerobic range of energy production during the exercise period. This means that direct ATP, then creatine and then glucose (sugar) from the stores is used as the energy source. These processes "burn" much more energy (calories) per second than when the cell is in aerobic energy production.
This is because it takes place with the addition of oxygen and is much more "energy efficient". The body needs it during longer periods of exertion; it is mainly important during endurance training. There is no maximum intensity, because you would not be able to maintain it for such a long time.
So it is a clever mechanism of the body. You can think of it like a car that uses a lot of fuel per second when you kick-start it quickly, but uses less fuel per second when you drive a long distance at medium speed.
So to reduce body fat and burn numerous calories, the intense kick-start makes sense. The so-called after-burn effect is also very high with HIIT training and is almost more relevant than what is burned during the workout. By the way, it is physiologically correctly called EPOC, which means "excess post-exercise oxygen consumption".
Hwo to perform HIIT exercises correctly
For HIIT exercises at home and outdoors, so-called bodyweight exercises are wonderfully suitable - i.e. exercises for which no equipment such as weights, bands or other devices are needed. The exercises in the HIIT workout are performed as quickly as possible and with a lot of strength (so-called explosiveness).
Typical HIIT exercises without equipment include push-ups, squats, wall sits, burpees, superman, sprint drills, rope skipping, lunges, jumping jacks, various jumps, plank variations, hip hikes, sit up/crunch variations, leg raises and many other abdominal exercises!
However, a HIIT workout can also be completed in other ways, using equipment and weights. Especially in Crossfit, but also in Modiefied Strongman Training and in athlete sports, other variations are performed. There, exercises on equipment such as airbike, ski jerk, rowing machine, skillmill, sled sprints on the artificial turf, goblet squats, lunges with weight waistcoat, battle rope, slam ball, Olympic weightlifting and much more can be used. These provide an even higher intensity, which is created by the high mechanical tension generated with weights.
Your HIIT training plan - This is what an effective HIIT workout can look like.
As already mentioned, there are numerous variations and forms of HIIT workouts. Supz Nutrition presents here a very classic High Intensity Interval Training that does not require any additional equipment (except for a training mat if necessary) and does not contain any exercises that are too advanced.
This HIIT workout is performed as follows:
1. Warm-up
Warming up is very, essential in HIIT workouts because with the high intensity with which the exercises are performed, you can otherwise injure yourself quickly.
The Supz Mobility Routine is ideal as a warm-up:
2. The HIIT-Workout
The exercises are always performed for 30 seconds per set as quickly as possible, explosively but nevertheless cleanly under conscious body tension. After each 30-second workout, there is a 30-second break. From A1-A8, 2-5 rounds are performed. It is important that the HIIT exercises can all be performed at high intensity and quality, as soon as this can no longer be guaranteed, one should stop, as the desired effect will then no longer be achieved.
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A1) Push-ups (if necessary on the knees or with raised hands as an easier variation)
30s rest time -
A2) Jump Squats (or normal bodyweight squats as an easier variation)
30s rest time -
A3) Folding knife (if necessary with bent knees as a lighter version)
30s rest time -
A4) Dips with a chair or on your bed
30s rest time -
A5) Lunges, forward
30s rest time -
A6) Sit-Ups with the arms stretched upwards
30s rest time -
A7 Jumping Jacks
30s rest time -
A8 Holding plank position
30s rest time, then start with A1 again
The problem with HIIT workouts
The problem with HIIT workouts is that a large proportion of the people for whom such workouts are advertised on social media platforms do not yet have the physiological basics. To be able to put a really high intensity into an exercise, it requires a base of basic strength, power and fitness. Beginners should first build this up over a longer period of time through targeted strength training. Even with people who are already relatively fit, it is questionable whether they have enough condition and power to perform such workouts. However, instead of HIIT workouts, it is recommended to first use so-called SIT units as a kind of warm-up extension in strength training. SIT stands for Sprint Interval Training. For example, 3 sets of fast sprint drills with breaks in between, sprints on the treadmill, pushing a sled or airbike are performed from 10 to 60 load times. Possible start workouts for strength building can be found here:
And here is the basic theory about home workouts and body fat reduction.
However, if you want to approach the HIIT workout slowly, you can start with only four exercises instead of eight and then increase. It is important that the exercise is really performed with maximum power and high quality. For this, it may also be necessary to start with simpler exercise variations (e.g., instead of a regular push-up one with raised hands). The number of rounds should also be adjusted. And if you fancy a cool outdoor workout with a fat burn effect, click here!
HIIT-Tabata
Tabata workouts are a variation of HIIT training. They are much more advanced because they usually involve a load time of 20 seconds and a rest time of only ten seconds. More about Tabata Workouts will follow in the next Supz article...
