What is high intensity interval training?

They call it HIIT – high intensity interval training. Here is why this is the best exercise to get and stay in shape.

We all know we should exercise, but what amount and what type of exercise maximizes your return best? That is the question.

A new study published in the journal Cell Metabolism and other research studies have been saying that it’s the high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the best way to go in and has the best result in reversing the effects of aging.

HIIT, as it is commonly known, requires short bursts of intense aerobic activity, intermixed with longer stretches of moderate exercise. Participating in this kind of training encourages cells to make more proteins to fuel the energy producing cellular mechanism, which means you don’t get  hungrier and end of up eating more and it continues to burn fat even after you exercise..

The study found that younger people participating in HIIT showed a 49-per-cent increase in mitochondrial capacity and the older group saw 69-per-cent. (Mitochondria are the cells’ powerhouses, responsible for producing the molecule that transports chemical energy within cells.)

So how should you plan for your exercise week? The recommended amount of exercise is 225 minutes a week. If you could break it down daily it would be about 30 minutes a day. I would do 20 minutes at a moderate pace and 10 minutes of intense exercise. I would also do strength training at least two days a week. To find out what is moderate or intense, check out this post.