For those of you that need to catch up on this “how-to” weight loss opus, here are the links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 , Part 4 , HIRT Exercise Videos and Part 5.
And now that you’re all caught up, on with Part 6.
HIIT – The “Aerobic” Version
So what is “Aerobic” HIIT training?
Well, to be honest, if you perform it correctly, there is very little aerobic about this type of training. Like Part 5, these HIIT workouts are anaerobic in nature. They will be as intense as the workouts in Part 5, but unlike Part 5, I will be using traditional aerobic exercises and pieces of traditional aerobic exercise equipment instead of the dumbbells and rubber bands.
And like Part 5, this HIIT workout will provide the same benefits:
- 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, and
- Increase your free time
HIIT Theory
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Like I said in Part 5, if you want a thorough explanation of the theory behind HIIT training, check out this earlier post.
Here are the basics of this HIIT – Aerobic Training Program
- With HIIT, you try to work as hard as possible for the assigned time period.
- Each HIIT- Aerobic workout is made up of an equal number of short duration sprints and longer duration recovery periods.
- During each sprint, you try to pedal / run / climb as fast as you can.
- I usually start beginners with a 10 minute workout. That 10 minute workout is usually made up of 10 – 10 second sprints and 10 – 50 second recovery periods.
- The program can be modified by:
- Lengthening or shortening the duration of the sprint portion.
- Lengthening or shortening the duration of the recovery period.
- Lengthening or shortening the duration of the entire HIIT workout.
- Increasing or decreasing the intensity of the exercise
- Increasing or decreasing the number of workouts per week
- Changing exercises
Here is a chart I designed to help my clients create their own HIIT – Aerobic workouts.
And here is a workout designed for a HIIT beginner.
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Schedule
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Week 1: (1) 10 minute HIIT workout
Week 2: (1) 12 minute HIIT workout
Week 3: (1) 14 minute HIIT workout
Week 4: (1) 16 minute HIIT workout
Week 5: (1) 18 minute HIIT workout
Week 6: (1) 20 minute HIIT workout
The Exercises
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Just about any “aerobic” exercise can be modified to perform a HIIT workout.
Due to safety concerns however, some exercises are a little less desirable than others. For example, HIIT training on a treadmill does have the potential for a very embarrassing and potentially painful accident.
For Example:
And now a proper HIIT treadmill workout:
HIIT on an Exercise Bike:
HIIT on an Elliptical Machine:
HIIT Hill Sprints – Sprint Up and Walk Down
or HIIT Hill Bounding for those with too much time and energy
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In addition to these exercises, you can also:
- Perform your sprints running or swimming in a swimming pool
- Sprint indoors or outdoors on a flat surface
- Sprint outdoors on a bike, or
- Sprint on a Versaclimber
You are limited only by your imagination.
The Beginner’s Workout
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SAMPLE HIIT – AEROBIC WORKOUT
|
WEEK – WORKOUT |
EXERCISE |
RESISTANCE |
RECOVERY TIME |
SPRINT TIME |
TOTAL TIME |
| 1-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
10 MIN |
| 2-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
12 MIN |
| 3-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
14 MIN |
| 4-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
16 MIN |
| 5-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
18 MIN |
| 6-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
20 MIN |
| 7-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
12 MIN |
| 7-2 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
12 MIN |
| 8-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
14 MIN |
| 8-2 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
14 MIN |
| 9-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
16 MIN |
| 9-2 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
16 MIN |
| 10-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
18 MIN |
| 10-2 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
18 MIN |
| 11-1 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
20 MIN |
| 11-2 |
ELLIPTICAL MACHINE |
INCLINE 8 REISTANCE 10 |
50 SEC. |
10 SEC. |
20 MIN |
Here is a pdf copy of the sample workout - hiit-workout-aerobic
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Good luck; and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to comment.
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Ha, hill bounding.
For the sample workout, what should the incline and resistance be set at during the recovery period?
If I’m going to ask all these questions about these workouts, it might be a good idea if I, you know, did them or something. Getting my ass into gear is not one of my strong suits, it seems.
What exercise were you planning on using? elliptical is the easiest for HIIT
I would set the incline as high as you can handle but leave the resistance very low
Start with 50 sec at this setting…5-10 seconds before you are going to sprint, start building up your speed.
1-2 seconds before the sprint is to start, quickly increase the resistance as high as you can handle.
The speed you have built at the low resistance will allow you to handle the higher resistance.
After 10 seconds of sprinting, reduce the intensity all the way back down. Recover your energy and do it again
Good training, but always warm up well first or you are very likely to pull/tear muscle.
Hi! Just stumbled across your blog this morning and have been looking for a quick but good workout to do on my eliptical in the mornings before work, so this is great! Just a quick question (or 2. or 3) – on the sample sheet, at week seven it progresses to 7-1 & 7-2, I am assuming this means 2 workouts per week, correct? And then this leads to the next question of after 11 weeks, would you increase the number of times you did it per week, the length of the sprints, or the length of the actual workouts? Or all three? I was looking at the volume and intensity progression tables and wasn’t sure which you should switch up first. Thanks! And I’ll definitely being checking your blog again in the future.
Correct – you move to 2 workouts per week at week #7.
After the 11 weeks, you can change any of those variables.
Changing the length of the sprint or the number of sprints per workout will both improve your anaerobic endurance.
Adding a third workout will force your nervous system to adapt quicker due to the reduced time between workouts.
For most people, the difference between these 3 variables is negligible. Do whatever feels ‘better’ to you and/or works better with your schedule.
You can also increase the resistance of the exercise – higher resistance on the cardio machine or steeper hill…
Hope this helps…thanks for visiting and commenting
I am in the midst of putting together an e-book on this training. I will format the pdf so that you could get it spiral bound and use it as a workout journal.
LOVE THE HIIT.
loathe the HIIT