High-Intensity Interval Training: Maximum Benefit Minimum Time
HIIT alternates short bursts of maximum-effort exercise with brief recovery periods. A typical session lasts 15 to 20 minutes and can produce cardiovascular and metabolic benefits comparable to much longer moderate-intensity workouts. The mechanism involves excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, the elevation in metabolic rate that persists for hours after intense exercise. HIIT improves insulin sensitivity, increases aerobic capacity, and reduces blood pressure. It appears particularly effective for reducing visceral fat, the deep abdominal fat associated with metabolic disease. The intensity required is genuinely challenging. During work intervals you should be working at 80 to 95 percent of your maximum heart rate, where talking is impossible. Because of this intensity, injury risk is higher than with moderate exercise. Two to three HIIT sessions per week, with at least one recovery day between sessions, is appropriate for most people. HIIT should complement, not replace, lower-intensity activity like walking that can be done daily.
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