Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/63916
Getting Fit By Roy Coleman Jr., WAC Personal Trainer Keep your body guessing I Roy Coleman Jr. f you think cardio machines tell you the exact amount of calories you burn in an hour, then it's time to change your thinking. In fact, machines turn out to be rather inaccurate when it comes to estimating calories burned. I know what some of you are thinking: If machines aren't counting very well, how can I do a better job? It's a good question, but I'm not going to answer it. Instead, I'd like to talk about how you can burn more calories, period. After all, isn't that really the point? If you answered yes to that last question, then now short, high-intensity intervals, followed by longer, low- intensity intervals. Unlike traditional cardio, HIIT keeps your body guessing, thus avoiding the plateaus that occur when your body gets used to the same exercise and routine. These intense workouts increase oxygen capacity and is a great time to try high-intensity interval training, commonly called HIIT. It's a method of exercising known for the dramatic effects it can have on the body. HIIT maximizes your workout time by using improve glucose metabolism. They also increase levels of naturally occurring human growth hormone, which burns fat and preserves muscle. But the biggest advantage of this form of cardio is that you'll continue to burn calories more effectively after your workout, too. Burn more calories and avoid plateaus with interval training recovery, the more glycogen depletion you'll experience and, hence, the more calories you'll burn after the workout. HIIT can be strenuous for beginners, so make sure to go at your own pace and stay hydrated. As you start to appreciate the rewards from this approach to cardio, you'll realize that a machine-generated number just doesn't mean what it used to. 30 Second Split - Beginners 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 30 second intervals TIME 30 Second Split - Intermediate One of the cool things about HIIT is that it can be applied to almost any form of cardio. Ideally, you'll want to choose an exercise that increases your heart rate quickly. Because HIIT can be tailored for any fitness level, everyone can benefit. CREATING A CUSTOM PROGRAM There are a few ways to create a HIIT program. (See charts at right as just one example.) Typically, the high-intensity interval should be set at a pace where your heart rate holds at 80 percent to 90 percent of your maximum. During the low- intensity intervals, you should set your pace so your heart rate holds at 40 percent to 50 percent of its maximum. There are a few ways HIIT can be varied. One way is by changing the length of the sprint intervals. Shorter intervals of 15 to 30 seconds will allow you to exert more effort during the sprints. Longer intervals of 30 seconds or more will require more perceived effort, which will result in more calories burned. The recovery length is also another important piece. The longer the recovery period, the harder you can go on your next sprint interval. The shorter the 26 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | MAY / JUNE 2012 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 30 second intervals TIME 30 Second Split - Advanced 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 30 second intervals TIME INTENSITY INTENSITY INTENSITY