HIIT workouts

HIIT Workouts

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts have become incredibly popular in recent years. These workouts have shown that they can be incredibly effective for weight loss and increasing muscle mass. More importantly, they take a lot less time than traditional workouts. HIIT workouts frequently only last between 10 and 30 minutes. When they are combined with Whole Body Electro Muscle Stimulation (EMS), users can experience even greater results with the same short time commitment. Most people can attend a HIIT/EMS workout from the comfort of their own home. Further, mobile EMS workouts make the process very easy.

HIIT Workouts Explained

HIIT workouts became very popular in the early 2000s. At that time, HIIT workouts were mainly associated with cycling or running. These workouts involve alternating periods of both high and low-intensity exercise. It includes working extremely hard for very short periods. And despite the brief time commitment required with HIIT workouts, those who train like this can often gain remarkably similar benefits as typical endurance training.

The high-intensity portions of a HIIT workout aim to get one’s heart rate to at least 80% of the maximum heart rate. Common exercises used during high-intensity portions of HIIT workouts include medicine balls, mountain climbers, jumping rope, or utilizing bodyweight circuits. Lactic acid is produced during the high-intensity part due to all muscles’ work.

This rest period prepares the individual’s muscles for another round of high-intensity exercises. Between the high-intensity parts of the workout, the activities are altered to include ones that occur at a slower pace or are less demanding. These lower-intensity activities allow buffering and clearing of lactic acid from the blood.

HIIT workouts on their own are an incredibly effective way to improve fitness and health, lose weight, and build muscle mass. However, when HIIT is combined with EMS, up to 90% of the body’s muscles can be activated simultaneously. This results in approximately 20% more effective training than HIIT training alone. And mobile WB EMS workouts make it easier than ever to incorporate EMS into a HIIT training program from the comfort of your home.

The Benefits of HIIT Workouts

HIIT workouts are not easy, even though they are much shorter than traditional workouts. And for busy individuals committed to fitness, they are an ideal option because you can achieve major results with less time required. The additional benefits of HIIT workouts include:

  • Burning more calories. HIIT workouts burn 25%-30% more calories than other forms of exercise.
  • Your metabolism increases for hours after a HIIT workout. You can burn more calories with HIIT workouts because your metabolism increases for hours after you have finished a HIIT workout. Additionally, HIIT workouts may shift the body’s metabolism toward using fat for energy rather than carbs.
  • HIIT workouts burn fat. Many studies demonstrate that HIIT workouts reduce body fat and waist circumference.
  • You gain more muscle. HIIT can help increase muscle mass in some individuals. This generally occurs in the muscles used most during the HIIT workouts, such as legs and core muscles.
  • The body’s use of oxygen can improve. The body commonly gets many of the same benefits from HIIT workouts as endurance training. One of these benefits is an improvement in the body’s oxygen consumption. For example, those who engage in 20-minutes HIIT workouts four days a week for five weeks showed an improvement in oxygen consumption by 9%. Longer HIIT workouts can improve oxygen consumption by up to 25%.
  • HIIT workouts can reduce heart rate and blood pressure. HIIT workouts can improve the performance of your entire cardiovascular system. Among the benefits commonly experienced are a reduced heart rate and lower blood pressure. 
  • HIIT workouts can reduce blood sugar. HIIT workout programs can result in a reduction of blood sugar and improvement of insulin resistance. This effect is more significant with HIIT workouts than it is with traditional workouts.

Many top athletes, including Olympians, have used HIIT workouts to help them reach peak performance for their bodies. These workouts demonstrate maximum effectiveness with less time required. Another reason HIIT workouts are popular is because they can be done from anywhere, including one’s home.

Individuals who are currently using HIIT to achieve results or those considering it as an option may also want to consider incorporating mobile WB EMS workouts into their HIIT workouts. These two workouts can activate nearly all muscles in the body to ensure you achieve even greater results without changing the amount of time required to complete the workout. Contact WB20 today to learn more about adding mobile EMS workouts to your HIIT regimen.