HIIT - A Brief Introduction

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has become very popular of late, but it is based on interval training which is decades old.

The last post discussed our Beep-HiiT workouts, so now is a good time to briefly outline what HIIT is.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a training strategy that alternates short periods of intense exercise (with participants performing near or at their maximum), with less intense recovery periods. It is a concept applied and adapted to numerous types of exercise, not just running, and it has gained widespread popularity during the last decade or so.

"High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a training strategy that alternates short periods of intense exercise (with participants performing near or at their maximum), with less intense recovery periods. It is a concept applied and adapted to numerous types of exercise, not just running"

If you are interested, here are two great introductory articles about HIIT, including some benefits such as improved metabolism and anaerobic capacity. The first is from self.com, a wellness site, and the second is from vox.com, a general news site.

Although HIIT is a somewhat recent phenomenon, it is worth highlighting that interval training has been used by professional and amateur runners (of all distances) for decades and its benefits (including improved speed and endurance) have been continually proven.

There is a lot of debate amongst enthusiasts about what is 'true' HIIT and what is not HIIT; for instance arguments about how long HIIT workouts should be. Personally, we think it is difficult (and unnecessary) to strictly define HIIT when the concept is applied to so many different types of exercise, so we are not fussed with this type of debate.

We didn’t create Beep Training to be HIIT, because HIIT is popular and we want to be popular too!? We created Beep Training to improve our running.

We have named some of our workouts Beep-HiiT (these include periods of fast-paced running interspersed with slower-paced periods of recovery). We could have used a different name, but actually, we think HiiT is apt.

But also consider this example Beep-Standard session; with a shuttle length appropriate to your fitness level, complete a Standard workout beginning at level 12 and ending with level 20. That is roughly 9 minutes of intense exercise (very intense at the end!). Now complete a five minute walk for recovery, and then complete the same Standard workout again. In total, 18 minutes of intense exercise and 5 minutes of recovery. We think this is a HIIT workout, but for us, the label is unimportant; it is a great workout.

In creating Beep Training, we were inspired by HIIT. But having said that, it is not necessary to get caught up in the theory of HIIT. It is definitely interesting, but we are more interested in running than reading!