For those of you that need to catch up, here is Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4
And now that you’re all caught up, on with Part 5.
HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training
So, what is the big deal about HIIT?
High Intensity Interval Training will:
- Increase your metabolism for up to 36 hours
- Burn maximum fat in minimum time
- Increase strength
- Increase muscular endurance
- Give you lean, firm muscles
- Improve your anaerobic endurance
- Shorten your workout times
- Increase your free time, and
- Guarantee world peace in our lifetime
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HIIT Theory
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If you are interested in the theory behind HIIT training, check out this earlier post.
For now, here are the basics.
- With HIIT, you try to perform as many reps as possible within a set time period
- Each HIIT super-set is made up of many HIIT mini-sets of a single exercise
- Within each HIIT mini-set, you try to perform as many reps as possible
- I usually start beginners with a 10 minute super-set. That super-set is made up of 10 second mini-sets and 60 second rest periods.
- This means that each mini-set and rest period = 70 seconds, and
- That during the 10 minute super-set, the trainee will perform 9 mini sets, and
- Will work for 90 seconds and rest for 510 seconds
.
For this article, I will outline a beginner workout. In my next post, I will outline HIIT workouts for intermediate and advanced trainees.
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Beginner Workout
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Choose this workout if you have never tried HIIT before. .This is a 6 week program, designed to prepare you for the intermediate workout.
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Schedule
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Week 1: (1) 20 minute HIIT workout – (consisting of 2 x 10 min. HIIT super-sets)
Week 2: (2) 20 minute HIIT workouts
Week 3: (3) 20 minute HIIT workouts
Week 4: (1) 30 minute HIIT workout and (2) 20 minute HIIT workouts
Week 5: (2) 30 minute HIIT workouts and (1) 20 minute HIIT workouts
Week 6: (3) 30 minute HIIT workouts
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The Exercises
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With any beginner HIIT program, I like to keep the exercises simple.
As such, you will be performing only (2) exercises per workout.
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Workout 1
Squat
Push-Up
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Workout 2
1 Leg Deadlift
Bodyweight Row – at home – substitute your kitchen table for the power rack
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Workout 3
Thruster
Chin-Up / Pulldown
Option 1: Home-Gym Pulldown with a Band
Option 2: Commercial Gym Pulldown
Option 3: Chin-Ups
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SAMPLE HIIT WORKOUT
|
WEEK – WORKOUT |
EXERCISE |
RESISTANCE |
SUPER-SET TIME |
MINI-SET TIME |
REST TIME |
TOTAL MINI-SETS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1-1 |
SQUAT |
BODY-WEIGHT |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
1-1 |
PUSH-UP |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
2-1 |
SQUAT |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
2-1 |
PUSH-UP |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
2-2 |
1 LEG DEADLIFT |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
2-2 |
ROW |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
3-1 |
SQUAT |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
3-1 |
PUSH-UP |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
3-2 |
1 LEG DEADLIFT |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
3-2 |
ROW |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
3-3 |
THRUSTERS |
B/W + 20 LBS |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
3-3 |
CHIN-UP |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
4-1 |
SQUAT |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
4-1 |
PUSH-UP |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
4-2 |
1 LEG DEADLIFT |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
4-2 |
ROW |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
4-3 |
THRUSTERS |
B/W + 20 LBS |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
4-3 |
CHIN-UP |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
5-1 |
SQUAT |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
5-1 |
PUSH-UP |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
5-2 |
1 LEG DEADLIFT |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
5-2 |
ROW |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
5-3 |
THRUSTERS |
B/W + 20 LBS |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
5-3 |
CHIN-UP |
B/W |
10 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
9 |
|
6-1 |
SQUAT |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
6-1 |
PUSH-UP |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
6-2 |
1 LEG DEADLIFT |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
6-2 |
ROW |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
6-3 |
THRUSTERS |
B/W + 20 LBS |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
|
6-3 |
CHIN-UP |
B/W |
15 MIN. |
10 SEC |
60 SEC |
13 |
.
Here is a pdf copy of the sample workout - sample-hiit-workout
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Good luck; and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to comment.
If you like what you see here, click here for updates or Share this Post with the rest of the world.
Thanks in Advance.
.
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So during the mini-set, you’re just supposed to do as many reps as you can? Okay.
Also, maybe I have my stupid hat on tonight, but–you said the rest periods are supposed to be 30 seconds long, but then in your table you say they are 60 seconds. Which is it? And no matter which rest period time you use, 8 mini-sets and 8 rest periods doesn’t add up to 10 minutes, does it? Or were you just giving an estimated time?
Where are my manners! Thank you for taking the time to do this for everyone.
A great post.
Brit:
I think he had said, in a previous post, about the 1:9 work-rest ratio. So this should be close to it, as you inch toward a 1:3 ratio, which should be enough to blow our asses off, I guess!
This, I can see being able to do as a beginner!
I have one question. Is there anything (free weights) that can be done to prepare someone for chin-ups?
I know at my fitness level the good news is that I don’t think my hands will slip off the bar by the force of my own body weight within the first few seconds anymore, however, I’m nowhere near being able to actually pull myself up using my arms.
Brit,
It definitely wasn’t you wearing the stupid hat yesterday.
I was pressed for time and I did NOT proof read the post before publishing.
Big mistake – Thanks for catching it – You weren’t the only one – lots of emails and messages on StumbleUpon.
The CORRECTIONS
Each mini-set is 70 seconds – 10 seconds work and 60 seconds rest
A 10 minute super-set has 9 mini-sets
90 seconds work and 510-540 seconds rest – there is a little spill-over, so a super-set actually works out to 630 seconds
RamboDoc – You are right about changing up the work:rest ratios. 1:3 is a lot of fun!
BeagleSmuggler – To prepare for chin-ups, I would recommend assisted chin-ups with a Jump-Stretch or similar quality band
Video –
This move is so much better than using a Gravitron or pulldowns.
In general, I can’t say enough about the jump stretch bands. Stronger and more durable – They won’t break!
Where can I get those bands? I’ve been trying like crazy to do pull ups and I’ve been using mostly the lat pull down and Gravitron (to a lesser extent). So far, I can hold myself up and lower myself down but I just can’t get back up!
Here is an article I did on using the bands to build your own home gym.
Here is the Jump Stretch website
Here is the Canadian distributor
Iron Woody is another manufacturer of quality bands – it appears that they and the Jump Stretch folks have a bit of a war going on. I have never used their product, but if they are constructed they way they claim they are, they should be as good as Jump Stretch
Good luck
I just wanted to send a word of thanks for all of these articles. I only just recently discovered your blog, but I’ve been following this series since you started it. So far it’s been a huge help in giving me direction and motivation towards getting a real workout regimen in place. Now I feel like I’m really starting on my way to getting into the shape I’ve wanted to be in for some time. This is an excellent blog, and thank you very much for putting in the work to write it.
You’re welcome Drew
I appreciate the compliment.
Let me know if you have any specific questions.
email me at: dr.healthhabits@gmail.com
Incidentally, I am now doing Tabata intervals with 20 secs work and 10 secs rest. Really great! Maybe this deserves a post on its own?!
Weight loss sounds complicated. No wonder I haven`;t lost anything!!
So, is the only way to lose weight to pay someone to teach you what to do? Sadly I am a negative Nadine about weight lost because I have no proof that it will work for me without shelling out thousands of dollars.
Hi Joan,
Yep, weight loss can be complicated. It can also be simple. We’re all different and some of us have it much harder when it comes to having stubborn body-fat.
And no, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to a trainer/diet guru/weight watchers/etc…
Everything that the gurus know they learned by studying research papers and their own trial and error with their clients/themselves. You can learn everything they learned if you want to take the time and put in the effort.
Or, you can pay them. That’s really what you are paying for. Your time and effort.
Or, you can check out my archives (or the archives of some other great weight loss bloggers) and get our experience for free…it’s not much of a business model, but it’s doing wonders for my karma.
Feel free to shoot me any specific questions you have…and Go Steelers!!!
Hello,
I started using this sample work out last week. I’ve figured out a modification for push ups (bench push ups or 45 degree push ups) that works for me since I can’t really do a push up yet (yeah, that out of shape)…
Do you have modifications that work for the body weight row?
Beaglesmuggler,
Your gym should have a Smith Machine.
I use this machine all the time to teach bodyweight rows & pushups.
With the bar set high, you can do a row from an almost upright standing position (very easy – this would be like doing a standing pushup off of a wall) As you lower the bar, you can change the angle of your body from vertical (easy) to horizontal (hard). When that gets too easy, we can discuss putting your feet up on a bench or only using 1 leg or 1 arm or other such nasty variations.
Have fun