Interval training or also known as high ninterval training (HIIT) has become a popular method of exercise and training nowadays. It usually called as HIIT workouts. This type of training include some repeated bouts of high intensity report followed by recovery times which varies according to the kind of exercise and the person who is under training.
Interval training can be a combination of moderate aerobic sport moderate and vigorous intensity training activities that performed to fulfill the recommendation of exercises which should be taken by adults. To keep healthy body we need at least 30 minutes of moderate training in five days a week or 20 minutes of vigorous activity for three days in a week.
Interval training is popular nowadays because it is a type of training which can be applied and easily modified for almost all people with different fitness level including obese and diabetes patient. It also can be performed in most type of sport such as
Why choose interval training?
Many people choose interval training because some reasons. Efficiency maybe one of the reason why people taking interval training. Person who exercise interval training doesn’t need to waste more time in training. For information, short period of interval training has same benefits as regular or continues physical exercise which take longer period. Interval training can be easily modified to almost all people. It also burn more fat, calories and losing weight without losing muscle mass.
What are benefits of interval training?
There are a lots of benefits which offered by interval training. Below are some great benefits that you can get by practicing interval training :
1. Improve body fitness
Health Benefits of Interval Training is very proven for improve body fitness. The word fitness is related to health condition of an individual. Interval training is great method to increase body fitness in shorter period. It can make your muscle well trained and you will feel fit whole body and while you do your activity.
2. Increase endurance
Almost all sport offer great result especially in body endurance. Having good endurance will be required especially for those who have heavy activities during work or hard worker. People who practicing interval training are reported having better endurance rather than those who don’t usually take regular exercise.
3. Prevent heart disease
Interval training is not an exercise that let you do chatting with your friends or reading magazine. It is short training that including cardio exercise. During interval training you may feel hard to breath and your heart feel wanna jump outside your chest. According to a study that conducted in 2008, it is reported that people who trained interval training for 8 weeks could cycle twice longer than before within same heart pace.
4. Maintain healthy blood fat profile
Blood fat profile including cholesterol level in blood. Cholesterol is one of culprit that causing arteries wall thickening. The thickening of arteries wall can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Having interval training can make your blood cholesterol down into normal level and keep it steady.
5. Help to lose weight
Losing weight is maybe one of most desirable benefits of any training method. Compared to other type or training method, interval training is one of the most effective exercise to lost weight in shorter period. You just need to spend 30 minutes daily to take interval training and of course it won’t do without healthy diet. So, if you want to lose weight, you can try this method of exercise. You also need to know that the calories doesn’t only burned during exercise but also after you finish exercise.
6. Burn abdominal fat
Abdominal fat or visceral fat is type of fat which attach in the body’s organ and it is one cause of many degenerative disease. Having abdominal fat can increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease and even cancer. It is also belong to body fat that hardly to removed. Most people are failed to get rid of this fat by doing mild and moderate training. By doing interval training, you are not only burn fat under skin but also the abdominal fat. Isn’t it a great news?
7. Maintain muscle mass
Interval training is best way to lost weight without losing muscle mass. It also can improve the muscle strength and make you easier to perform some task. By taking interval training you can slowly improve the interval and the challenge of exercise which give more benefits to your muscle.
8. Strengthen immune system
Interval training just like other method of exercise can improve body system health including your immune system. This exercise will make you feel healthier because its not only improve your muscle strength but also your body ability to fight disease. During exercise body will release certain substance including hormones and enzyme that can help the immune system function.
9. Increase Insulin Sensitivity
According to study, interval trainers having higher insulin sensitivity compared to those who doesn’t experience regular exercise. It is a good news for people who suffer from diabetes type 2 ( those who have insulin resistance). This may happen since interval training always need higher energy and the insulin within the body detect the sugar in blood and promote the body to break down the sugar into energy.
10. Promotes longevity
Interval Training Health Benefits also be the best choices to promotes longevity. According to a Research shows that interval training such as 30 minutes of vigorous brisk walking moderate physical can significantly increase longevity including people who suffer certain disease or heart problem like high blood pressure, diabetes or those who are daily smokers
11. Delay aging process
Interval training not only increase the fat and calories burning process but also promotes the production and releasing of HGH or Human growth hormone by up to 450% during 24 hours after the interval training finished. Human growth hormones is well known in slower the aging effect to the body.
12. Increase metabolism
According to a study, interval training can increase the number of mitocondria within the cells. Mitocondria is cell organelle which play important in producing energy through metabolism process. The higher number of mitochodria, the faster metabolism rate and greater energy production.
Health Risk of Interval Training
Interval training is a heavy exercise and need better body condition. It is also have higher risk of injury especially musculoskletal injury and even cardiac problem but it doesn’t mean that people with heart problem can not take this type of exercise. According to a study, interval training can be done by heart disease and heart failure patients without negative effect. They also experience better improvement in the cardiovascular system.to avoid the risk of interval training, it is better to consult doctor and exercise under physician trainers.
How Many Times interval training that should be taken?
Interval training will be more exhaustive then other type of steady state exercise or physical activity. If you are beginner, try to do one interval training workout per day in week. After you getting used the interval training effect you can increase the challenge by doing second interval training workout in week.
How to Start Interval Training
Before you start an an exercise program, you should meet the requirement that mentioned below and these conditions will determine your readiness and safety to begin the exercise ( based on American College of Sport Medicine)
If you have fulfill all the requirement above, it means you are ready to start the interval training. As starter, try to do it step by step and choose the type of sport that you wanna do. Below is the table that can be example on how interval training is undergo. Speed means the time you having vigorous exercise and recovery times means you need to take rest for a while then continue the speed again. Do it for some session then cool down
| Time | Interval | Intensity Level |
| 5 min | Warm Up | 3-4 |
| 1 min | Speed | 7-9 |
| 2 min | Recovery | 5-6 |
| 1 min | Speed | 7-9 |
| 2 min | Recovery | 5-6 |
| 1 min | Speed | 7-9 |
| 2 min | Recovery | 5-6 |
| 1 min | Speed | 7-9 |
| 2 min | Recovery | 5-6 |
| 5 min | Cool Down | 3-4 |
| 22 min Total Time | ||
| 4 Min Total Speed | ||
You should know what you want to gain and make sure you have set the goal before start the training. It can boost you confidence level once you reach your goals. Some people who experience interval training get their goals and keep doing interval training to keep their healthy body and fitness.