Targeted Nutrition Technologies in Auburn, WA, provide both personalized nutritional and exercise programs. We have both nutrition and exercise programs for weight loss. Clients have often asked whether HITT or strength training is best for that. It’s like comparing apples to oranges. Strength training is one of the many types of fitness you need. The others are endurance, flexibility and balance. HIIT involves modifying the intensity of a workout, any type of workout, including strength training.
Strength-building workouts burn tons of calories.
You’ll burn calories while you build muscle tissue when you do strength training. Building muscle tissue is important, since muscle requires more energy to maintain than fat does, so it burns more calories 24/7. Strength training also causes afterburn. Afterburn is the extra calories you burn after a hard workout to help get your body back to normal. It burns about 10 calories more per hour for several days. It’s a lot more than the afterburn from cardio workouts. Strength training also continues afterburn longer than cardio.
HIIT workouts can include any type of workout, including strength training.
HIIT is just the framework that is short periods of intense training followed by a short recovery period or even rest. You can change a simple walk in the park to a HIIT workout by modifying the intensity. The ratio of rest to intense exercise is often based on the type of workout. For cardio, it’s a one-to-one or one-to-two (workout for one minute, rest or do recover intensity for a minute or two.) For anaerobic exercises like strength training, jumping rope, and biking, it’s a five-to-one ratio where you work at high intensity for 10 seconds, then rest or do a recovery pace for 60 seconds.
Use bodyweight strength-building exercises in a HIIT format.
You can torch calories when you combine HIIT and strength training, but don’t do it every day. It’s hard on your body and your body requires time to heal and build muscle tissue. The maximum number of times to do a HIIT workout is three times a week. Do exercises like squat jumps, burpees, lunges, mountain climbers and planks to hip dips in a pattern of going hard for 20 seconds, then resting for ten seconds. Use one of the bodyweight exercises and do a maximum of 8 sets. Just four minutes of workouts will wipe you out.
- If you’re focusing on HIIT workouts, make sure you mastered the exercise’s form before you start. Using the correct form is the most important part. Improper form diminishes results and can lead to injuries.
- Some people measure their HIIT workout by their heart rate and use a heart monitor to measure their intensity. HIIT intensity level is often targeted at 85% maximum.
- The fitter you become, the shorter your rest period can be. You set the rest period, but don’t make it excessively long. You can start by making the intensity session steady, slowly reducing the resting time, opting for more sets, or increasing the time for the intensity portion.
- For weight loss, it takes more than exercise. Diet is the key. Before you begin any diet or exercise program, always check with your healthcare professional first.
For more information, contact us today at Targeted Nutrition Technologies
