HIIT: How to increase your training effect

Burn a lot of calories in the shortest possible time and really burn off energy - a crisp, intensive workout is just the thing. The solution: HIIT. But what is behind this form of training, which sports are best suited and what benefits does HIIT offer? Here you can find out everything you need to know before you start training.

The abbreviation HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. As the name suggests, the focus of the workout is on short intervals in which you carry out your training. Basically, you perform intervals that alternate in intensity. For example, you do a sprint followed by an interval in which you run. A high-intensity interval is followed by a moderate interval or even a short break. During the intensive phases, your heart rate should be between 80 and 90 % of your maximum heart rate. In the calmer phases, on the other hand, it should be around 50 %. You can find out how to calculate your maximum heart rate and what influence your heart rate has on your training in our blog post on heart rate during exercise.

HIIT, especially the different intensity phases and the alternating movements, really boosts your fat metabolism, making this workout primarily suitable for burning fat. It also promotes your muscle building if you incorporate strength-building exercises - such as bodyweight training or training with different weights. The fast, intensive movements also increase calorie consumption enormously during HIIT.

You also benefit from other positive effects for your body during high-intensity interval training. For example, your cardiovascular system is strengthened, your endurance is generally increased and your oxygen uptake is improved. HIIT can also lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

High-intensity interval training is possible with many types of sport. For example, you can do the HIIT workout at home. Fitness equipment such as treadmills, rowing machines, ergometers or cross trainers are particularly practical for HIIT. You can also find a HIIT training plan for the cross-trainer workout here. The same applies to outdoor training: running or cycling can also be done as HIIT.

HIIT exercises in bodyweight training are fast and intense at the same time. Squats, jumping jacks, crunches and lunges are particularly popular. Each exercise is followed by a short break. Use fitness bands to further intensify the workout. You can find an article on fitness bands and suitable exercises in our blog.

You can adjust the length of your high-intensity interval training according to your fitness level. It is best to start with shorter intervals** and do not too long a workout overall. Make sure that intense phases are followed by a calmer phase so that your body can briefly recover from the exertion. However, the breaks or calmer intervals should not last too long. Start the more intensive interval when you feel fitter again and think that your body can perform another intensive phase. HIIT can therefore vary between 10 and 40 minutes**. It depends on the type of sport and your own fitness level. An intensive interval should last between 30 seconds and a maximum of 5 minutes.

Compared to moderate training, HIIT requires a longer recovery time. Your body is exposed to a higher load and therefore needs more recovery. A good guideline is two training sessions per week lasting around 20 minutes. The consequences of overtraining would otherwise be prolonged exhaustion, which would also affect your ability to concentrate. Therefore, take at least a break of 48 hours between your high-intensity interval training sessions.

With HIIT, you should start with a lower intensity, especially at the beginning. It is important that you perform a warm-up before the high-intensity interval training so that your muscles are warmed up and your body is not overstrained at the start. This also reduces the risk of injury during HIIT.

Pay particular attention to the correct execution: When changing intervals quickly and at a high intensity, the correct exercise is often disregarded. However, this can dampen your training success. Always stay focussed and perform the exercises correctly. Try out different exercises in advance so that you can perform them routinely during HIIT.

HIIT can be transferred to different sports so that you can integrate it into your weekly training plan. Pay attention to recovery phases and the correct execution of your exercises so that you can maximise your training effect. You will not only benefit from increased fat burning, but also from a stronger cardiovascular system and greater endurance.