Activity is the very law of life. In both the natural and spiritual realm, any power that is unused or underused will decay and wear out. Therefore, if you don’t do any physical activity in the long term, it will lead to detrimental effects. Stagnant bodies tend to breed diseases. In this article know all about the health benefits of interval training.
The Benefits of Interval Training – Short, Yet Effective Exercise
This type of exercise is brief, and so you can’t have a reason for not doing it. High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT, as the name implies consists of intervals of high and low intensity. Any type of exercise you do, you can incorporate interval training into it. From swimming, push-ups, rebounding, running, walking and cycling HIIT can be done in interesting ways.
The key is to maintain a steady interval of low intensity and then vary it with high intensity to get your heart rate up and breathing fast to maximize your lung capacity. For instance, start with a 60-second interval of low intensity – do a 30-second interval of high intensity and then end with a recovery interval of 60-second interval.
The small bout of high intensity might seem too short but it should be done in a way that it seems too long and makes you breathless for a while. The recovery period can be different for each individual – some like to rest for a few seconds before starting again, while for some it can even mean slowing down. It all depends on your level of fitness and body.
This should be done iteratively in cycles and can be repeated for at least 5 to 6 times or more. All it takes is 15 minutes every day and you can surely devote this small chunk of time to get active.
How Interval Training is Effective?
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Promotes Breakdown of Glucose into Energy
In order to understand how this small and significant amount of activity can yield powerful benefits, let’s go inside the Central Business District of the human body, the cells. Once the food is metabolized and broken down, glucose travels into the cells. The glucose then goes into a 20-step pathway of chemical reactions that get converted to 2 units of energy.
The end result of this process generates a chemical form of glucose called Pyruvate. Secondly, the Pyruvate is initiated into an 8-step pathway that finally generates 36 units of energy. This is an aerobic pathway that utilizes oxygen to yield a higher rate of energy.
The remaining glucose that is left over is stored by the liver as glycogen in the muscle tissues. This is where exercising in the morning is effective as you still have energy stored in the form of glycogen that can be metabolized.
As you do interval training, during the high-intensity session both the energy-generating pathways speed up to help you undertake that activity, helping you burn the glucose and also use the glycogen stores once you run out.
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Reduces the Effects of Lactic Acid Build-up
As the energy-generating pathways speed up during high intensity, pyruvate is produced at a faster rate and leads to a build-up of lactic acid in the body. However, during the recovery period, the accumulated pyruvate and lactic acid are mopped up and fed into the next pathway to generate more energy.
This is where a recovery period after high intensity helps to relax the body and undermine the harmful effects of lactic acid that tends to accumulate during a period of intense exercise. And, finally, as the body runs of fuel, it utilizes the glycogen stores to generate more energy.
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Stimulates the Release of Human Growth Hormone
When glycogen stores also get depleted, the body turns to fat stores for energy. The brain sends a signal to the pituitary gland to release the Human Growth Hormone, which then induces to burn fat for fuel and also increases the body’s ability to utilize the protein.
The stimulation of Human Growth Hormone in the system also increases the circulation of blood to the skin, thereby, slowing down aging. A 15-minute session of HIIT has the ability to stimulate the release of Human Growth Hormone and it remains active for 24 hours.
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Builds Endurance
With HIIT, the maximal capacity to exercise is increased for a brief time. If done regularly it will help to build great endurance levels that conventional cardio or aerobic workouts that cannot achieve this level of endurance. There’s no need for an hour in the weight room and another hour running; you’ll be lucky if you make it past 15 minutes of HIIT when you first start out.
Sample HIIT Routines:
You don’t need any fancy equipment or hit the gym for this routine. Just some motivation and a great warm-up. Here are some examples:
- 30-60 seconds of sprinting, and then walking at a brisk pace for two minutes until the routine is complete.
- Climbing up 100 stairs quickly, and then walking down at a normal pace until the routine is complete.
Precautions
- Don’t string together exercises that target the same muscle group. For instance, doing squats and lunges together as both target the lower body. A good method is to alternate with upper and lower body exercises
- Set a timer instead of counting or else you will be unable to track progress
- Don’t wear yourselves out, ensure to keep food form while doing high intensity. Listen to your body and do active rest to get back in form again
- If you have any medical complications, talk to your physician to know if HIIT is safe for you
Muscles Know No Age
No matter what age you are, you can try HIIT for its wondrous benefits. Exercise has the best effect on the brain as it improves oxygenation and leads to the release of more energy. Exercise will not deprive you of energy, but give you more energy to help you get through the day. So, just do it even if you have to push yourself – activity is the way of life!