High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a revolutionary training technique that has been all the hype for the last few years. Let’s take a look at how you can capitalize on this exciting training method to get the best out of your full-body workout.
What Is HIIT?
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is an exercise technique that involves quick bursts of intense cardio exercise alternated with short recovery periods. The short bursts of explosive exercise helps recruit the anaerobic respiratory system.
This turns an ordinary cardio session (aerobic exercise) into a mixture of both aerobic and anaerobic exercise, stimulating greater weight loss and promoting lean muscle growth.
A HIIT session may last anywhere between 10 to 30 minutes. The short periods of high-intensity activity usually last between 20-40 seconds, followed by a brief recovery period which may involve walking, stretching, or jogging lightly.
There are several medical benefits associated with adding HIIT to your workout. They include:
- It helps you lose weight in less time. A 20-minute HIIT session can help you burn as many calories as a 45-minute cardio or strength training session.
- HIIT also helps you lose weight more efficiently. This is because the training technique puts your body in what is called a state of Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).
This term simply means that for a short period (usually about 12 to 48 hours) your body consumes a higher amount of calories than normal, helping you lose weight even when you’re not exercising.
- HIIT is also great for building your stamina by increasing your lung capacity and blood flow throughout your body, as well as improving cardiovascular health.
- Some studies have shown that HIIT improves bone health too.
- It’s great for relieving stress too.
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Why Full Body Exercises are the Best for General Fitness
A full-body workout is an exercise routine that targets your six main muscle groups (arms, legs, core, chest, shoulders, and back) in a single session. Isolation exercises (also called a split routine) on the other hand only focus on one (or sometimes two) of these major muscle groups in a single session.
There is a decades-old battle between the supporters of both forms of exercise, with each side providing reasonable points. However, at the core of the issue is the fact that full-body workouts have several key benefits such as being better for weight loss and relatively safer because you are exercising your entire body.
They are also more convenient for people who have limited workout time, allowing for greater flexibility, and are more efficient because they mimic real-life functional motions.
Always make sure to wear workout outfit, grab a towel for wiping away sweat, and strap on my fitness tracker to monitor my progress and stay motivated throughout the session.
9 Full-Body Exercises To Elevate Your Workout Routine
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1. Tricep Push-Up – 1 Set, 40 Seconds
This is great for your triceps and core.
- Start in a low plank with your core engaged and your forearms and palms flat against the floor while pointing forward.
- Using only your arms, lift yourself into a push-up position.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat for 40 seconds.
2. Russian Twist – 1 Set, 40 Seconds
The exercise takes some skill but is super effective. Holding the medicine ball adds resistance, increasing the challenge and engagement of your core muscles as you twist from side to side, resulting in a more effective abdominal workout.
- Lay on the floor, flex your hips so your knees are pointing straight up, and flex your knees.
- Lift your head, tuck in your chin slightly, and engage your core.
- Alternate between rotating your upper body to the right and left of your legs while keeping your lower body stable.
- Repeat for 40 seconds.
3. Plank Tap – 1 Set, 40 Seconds
Plank taps are a great way to tone your upper body.
- Start in a high plank position with your back straight, palms pointing forward, and your core engaged.
- While holding this position, tap your right shoulder with your left hand.
- Perform the same motion but this time tap your left shoulder with your right hand.
- Repeat this exercise for 40 seconds.
4. Pop Squat – 1 Set, 40 Seconds
Pop squats add explosive motions to your workout and kick your body into anaerobic respiration.
- Start in a standing position with your feet close together.
- Lower yourself into a squat position with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart.
- Quickly return to the standing position and add an explosive jump as you bring your feet together.
- Repeat this exercise for 40 seconds.
Adding a plyometric box allows you to deepen the squat and explode upwards with more power, increasing the intensity of the exercise and enhancing lower body strength and explosiveness.
5. Curtsey and Squat – 1 Set, 40 Seconds
Pay attention to your form even as you try to create rapid, explosive motions. If this too easy for you, place the resistance bands around your thighs add challenge.
- Start in a standing position with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Perform a curtsy lunge by crossing your right foot behind your left foot and entering a lunge position with your left thigh parallel to the ground.
- Return to the starting position and then lower yourself into a squat.
- Perform this same motion with the opposite leg.
- Repeat this exercise for 40 seconds.
6. Sumo Pulses – 1 Set, 40 Seconds
These are short, explosive squats that are great for your lower body. Adding weights enhance both the resistance and effectiveness of the exercise.
- Start in a standing position.
- Lower yourself into a squat with your legs slightly more than shoulder-width apart and your knees pointing outwards.
- Rise back up only halfway and then return to the full squat again.
- Repeat this exercise for 40 seconds.
7. Mountain Climber – 1 Set, 40 Seconds
Remember to keep your core engaged throughout this exercise.
- Start with a high plank position with your back straight and core engaged.
- Bring your right knee forward underneath you as close to your right arm as possible.
- Return to the starting position and repeat the process with your left knee and left arm.
- Repeat this exercise for 40 seconds.
8. Super V Squeeze – 1 Set, 40 Seconds
Get ready to exercise your core, back, legs, and arms with this exercise.
- Start by laying facedown on the mat with your arms and legs outstretched.
- Lift your arms, legs, head, and upper torso off the mat and hold this position for several seconds.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat this exercise for 40 seconds.
9. Bicycle Crunch – 1 Set, 40 Seconds
Bicycle crunches combine several functional movements, making them great for a full-body workout. Adding ankle weights can increase the resistance on your legs during bicycle crunches
- Lie down with your back flat against the ground, your arms behind your head, and your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your core and lift both legs off the floor while extending your hips and flexing your knees slightly.
- Bring your right knee to your chest by flexing your right hip and knee while at the same time lifting your left shoulder blade off the floor until your elbow and knee almost meet.
- Alternate this step by using your left leg and right arm.
- Repeat this exercise for 40 seconds.
3 Tips on How To Get the Best Out of Your Full-Body HIIT Workout
a. Pay Attention to Your Nutrition Before and After a Workout
This involves maintaining more than just a healthy diet. To get the best out of each session it’s a good idea to take a lot of carbs before the workout (known as carb-loading). Research has shown that this gives your muscles the extra boost they need to make it through the workout. This could include nuts and raisins, oatmeal, Greek yogurt, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, brown rice, granola bars, and bananas.
Also, taking protein after a workout is good for promoting muscle growth and speeding up the healing process. Protein shakes, eggs, chicken, salmon, cottage cheese, tuna, and even a protein bar are all great sources of protein for your workout.
b. Increase the Intensity of Your Workout Gradually
While full-body HIIT workouts are great for building muscle, losing weight, and improving your overall health, they are more intense than most people are used to. Therefore scaling up the intensity of the workout gradually is the best way to get the best out of each session and prevent injury.
You can do this by adding a bit of extra challenge to your workout every week or two. This could involve gradually shortening your rest periods, performing more reps, increasing the speed of each rep, and adding some extra resistance with free weights, resistance bands, foam rollers, or a medicine ball.
c. Finish Your Workout With a Bit of Cardio
An extra bit of cardio after your workout goes a long way. This is because recent studies have shown that performing cardio after aerobic exercise is more effective for weight loss than performing cardio first. Also, performing cardio first tires out your muscles before your full-body workout, leading to less-than-optimal results.
FAQs
- How many times a week should you do HIIT?
Ideally, you should not perform more than 2-3 HIIT sessions a week. This gives your muscles time to recover and allows you to perform optimally at the next workout session.
Monitoring your heart rate with fitness tracker during HIIT workouts can help you gauge intensity levels and track your progress over time, ensuring you’re pushing yourself effectively.
- Is HIIT good for building muscle or losing weight?
HIIT is not the best technique for building lean muscle. This is because the short rest periods never truly let your muscles recover. Also, it focuses on full-body workouts while isolation exercises may be more effective for pure muscle growth.
Using resistance bands, jump rope, kettlebells, and a plyometric box in your workouts provides a versatile and effective approach to building muscle and losing weight.
However, it is great for weight loss because it increases your basal metabolic rate for several days after the workout. This means that your body burns more calories than normal, even when not actively exercising.
- Can I start with HIIT if I´m overweight or just getting started with exercising?
HIIT workouts require a lot of jumping which rapidly increases your heart rate within a short period of time. This can cause a lot of stress for your body, especially if not done well. Resulting in exhaustion or fatigue, which can make you give up on your fitness journey. So to avoid this from happening, it’s best to start with low-intensity workouts for a few months before gradually working your way to a high-intensity workout.
- Does building lean muscle help you lose weight?
Building lean muscle is a great way to lose weight. This is because muscles are highly active tissues that require a large amount of calories to sustain, while at the same time the process of building these muscles also requires a significant amount of energy.
However, weight loss involves much more than just building muscle. Paying attention to your diet, sleeping habits, and cardiovascular health through activities such as walking, jogging, and running is very important.
Conclusion
HIIT full-body exercises are a great way to take your workouts to the next level. However, don’t forget to start small and gradually increase the intensity as you progress, pay attention to your workout nutrition, and have fun.