Women's Fitness Guide

Welcome to the second instalment of our high intensity interval training - HIIT for short - guide. You're about to embark on a fitness journey like no other! If you’ve read HIIT A Starter’s Guide, you’ll already have some knowledge of the high intensity interval training method. If you haven’t, here’s a quick overview: HIIT training involves alternating between periods of maximum effort and short recovery, and it’s hard! Of course, interval training has long been popular so what’s the difference between a circuit and a HIIT circuit? Typical interval training involves exercise efforts done at various intensities, but not necessarily high intensities. A HIIT workout involves intervals done at an eye-wateringly all-out pace. It’s great for improving endurance, increasing calorie burn, building muscle and even giving you a mental boost,…

GETTING STARTED 1 GET TO GRIPS WITH HIIT HIIT An Improver Guide is based around a very popular form of cardiovascular exercise -high intensity interval training (HIIT). There’s no doubt that this workout method is extremely effective, but it’s also a little (okay, very) hard. The first part of the book reveals everything you need to know about interval training – how to do it, why you should do it and how fit you need to be to give it a go. Use this information wisely to decide whether high intensity exercise is the right workout for you. 2 FOLLOW THE PLAN This book includes a 6-week workout plan on page 16 that’s been designed to take your HIIT training to the next level. The next stage from HIIT A…

High intensity interval training is consistently popular – and for good reason. It burns oodles of calories in minutes and can even increase endurance fitness. But could you HIIT it too hard? Actually, yes. While there are hordes of benefits to be had from high-intensity training, the downside is that it can increase the risk of injury. This form of training is hard – it floods your body with lactic acid, uses up fuel stores and puts a lot of stress on muscle and connective tissues. High impact HIIT (think intense intervals of squat jumps, sprinting or burpees) also puts a lot of strain on your joints, and daily sessions will make you far more prone to joint or muscle injury. But don’t let this put you off! HIIT isn’t…

1 WARM UP Don’t go into a workout cold. Perform a thorough warm-up, such as the one in this book. Alternatively, do gentle versions of the exercises in your chosen workout to warm your body and activate your correct muscles. 2 LEARN Learn how to do the exercises properly. Make sure you can perform each one properly before increasing the intensity by adding weight or speed. If you’re not sure how to do the move, consult an expert. 3 MONITOR Pay attention to your form throughout the workouts. As soon as your technique starts to get sloppy, finish the set. Rushing through an exercise or pushing on regardless of poor form is how many injuries occur. 4 KEEP A DIARY Create a workout diary. Write down how you feel after each workout – whether…

SCIENCE BEHIND HIIT What if we said you could squeeze all of your exercise into a few minutes and reap the same rewards? It’s true – the latest science confirms this. Apparently, gone are the days of hour-long slogs on the treadmill or three lots of 30-minute rides each week. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is about to rock your workout world with its time-efficient and fat-busting protocol. HIIT is based around short, sharp intervals performed at maximum effort, and it works because it overloads your body with an increase in exercise intensity. This kind of interval training forms the foundation of many athletes’and seasoned competitors’ training plans but a bank of science shows it benefits anyone wishing to boost their endurance fitness or drop a few pounds. The original…

RESISTANCE BANDS These stretchy bands are great space savers and very portable. Look out for the array of sizes, widths and resistance levels. Use the longer bands for squats and overhead moves and the shorter bands for glute work. Invest in a few different bands. DUMBBELLS Once you’ve perfected the basic moves, dumbbells are staple kit that will up the intensity. Invest in different resistances to accommodate a variety of moves. Use light-to-moderate weights for shoulder and arm work; heavier weights for lower body moves. SKIPPING ROPE One of the most portable bits of cardio kit you’ll come across, the skipping rope can crank up your heart rate in a flash. Pack it in your work bag for lunchtime workouts, take it on holiday -you can even carry it to…