When high-intensity interval training is done along with some extra food intake, it can help in adding pure muscle mass into the body without adding many fats. In this way, you can build a lot of muscle without spending hours and hours doing exercise. In the above-mentioned scenario, high-intensity interval training becomes anabolic.
Now, when you are convinced with the fact that this is a better way to build muscles, the following information will guide you on how to do it.
HIIT Basics There are a number of ways to do high-intensity interval training. You have the option to do full energy sprints, during which you shall go above your max oxygen volume consumption for a short period, along recovery periods as required, or you may do sprints within your normal capacity i.e. not going above VO2 max, along normal recovery periods.
The first choice mentioned above pushes the body and causes improvement in EPOC and oxygen volume consumption.
The 2nd choice allows you to train your body to work at the highest intensity for more time while using less time for recovery.
If you go for the 1stoption, do a nice warm-up for around five minutes.
After that, put all your energy into the workout for fifteen to thirty seconds, depending upon your stamina, and then allow your body to recover for two minutes. You may either walk during the recovery period or just jog at a slow pace, as per your stamina.
There are more chances that you will have to walk during the recovery period, as the sprint takes out all energy. Repeat the exercise six to ten times, and then finish with a cool down. In case you go for the 2nd option, start in a similar fashion with a warm-up, and then sprint by putting in 80% of your full potential for around 45 seconds to 90 seconds.
After the sprint, allow your body to recover for 1 to 2 minutes. The recovery periods are shorter, as you are not running at full potential. Repeat these cycles around five to eight times, and end the program in a similar fashion to the first one, i.e. with a cool down.
Adding High-Intensity Interval Training into Your Exercise Routine
Such workouts are really intense and should not be done more than thrice a week. It is a wise idea to do such workouts on the days when you are not doing weightlifting exercises, and in case you do them on the same day, it is advised to perform them at a sufficient interval from the weightlifting session, so you may put in your full energy.
As far as weight training is concerned, always take a drink or a quickly absorbing meal before a workout in order to regain the lost glycogen and for repairing muscles. High-intensity interval training is not meant for everyone.
As this training is really high in intensity, most people feel that they are not able to work out at such an extreme level, and they find shortcuts, which result in no progress.
If you are facing similar circumstances, it is better for you to perform a less intensive endurance sort of cardio exercise. But you should surely try to work out really hard for a few minutes, as it shall help you in increasing your body metabolism, and overall fitness, and it may also help to include high-intensity interval training into your work regime.
Maximizing Workouts
Whether you just added some new muscles into your body, or are trying to gain lean muscle mass with almost no fat, high-intensity interval training will turn out to be the best option in both cases.
You shall be spending less time on cardio machines, and also not pose the danger of losing muscle tissues. High-intensity interval training has also been helpful in the release of anabolic hormones that are helpful in building muscle mass.
How Fitness Theories Evolved
Each new day, new info related to improvements in pace, strength, agility, and body constituents is found. New training theories come to improve the above-mentioned aspects, and some of them are effective while others are not.
In most cases, the whole procedure of exercise is not changed; rather basic theories and assumptions behind the methods are changed. Below are some theories that went under changes during the past couple of years.
Duration of Cardio Exercises
Old: You have to do around twenty minutes of cardio exercises to reach the fat-burning zone.
New: HIIT sessions usually take less than twenty minutes to increase your metabolism rates more than any other kind of cardio exercise.
The basic reason behind such changes is that the more damage you do to your tissues, the more energy you would need to get them back into normal condition. You will need a smaller recovery period if you worked out at normal speed.
This indicates that with high-intensity interval training, you can have a massive improvement in your metabolism even for hours after the workout.
Weight & Reps
Old: Doing lots of reps with minimal weights is the most effective way of toning your body.
New: You will be able to enjoy the best results by doing less repetition with heavy weights. By picking heavy weights, you will be able to keep your body metabolism at a higher level, as massive weights cause the release of a higher level of testosterone and keep the muscle stimulus high.
By picking the heaviest weights, you shall also be able to reduce the chances of losing muscle mass, which is pretty common in people that are taking a hypocaloric diet. Food Old: The best way to add muscle is to eat a lot, especially nonfattening, high-protein foods. New: It is advised to eat a bit more than the amount that you need to maintain a balanced weight. The old practice helps in adding lean muscle mass, but it also introduces some fat content. Fat burning is one of the most difficult tasks, so it is advised to maintain a balanced weight from the beginning. Remember, that you will not be able to gain muscle mass as fast as a massive diet, but the mass you add would be lean muscle mass. It is highly advised to eat a little more than you actually need to maintain a balanced weight.
Fitness, health, blogging and Psychology are my main interests. I’ve worked in many roles from product designer to engineer working with many products from fitness equipment and spa products to this role as a hands-on webmaster. Avid gym-go’er and captain of the good ship Fitness Authority
