HIIT
HIIT — high-intensity interval training — alternates short bursts of very hard work with short rests or easy movement. The work intervals usually last from 20 seconds to a minute, so a session is short but demanding. In a studio it is a group class led by a trainer with a timer, mostly with bodyweight exercises and simple equipment.
What it is for
Section titled “What it is for”- Cardio and endurance: your heart rate rises in each work interval and falls in each rest.
- Strength and power in the legs, trunk and arms, from jumps, squats, lunges and push-ups.
- A hard workout in a short time — many HIIT classes last 30–45 minutes.
- Coordination, and the ability to keep going and keep good form when you are tired.
Equipment
Section titled “Equipment”- Sports clothes and training shoes with good cushioning and grip — there is a lot of jumping and quick changes of direction.
- A towel and a bottle of water.
- The studio provides mats and the equipment the class uses: dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, skipping ropes, sometimes exercise bikes or rowing machines.
- Some people wear a heart-rate monitor, but you do not need one.
How a class goes
Section titled “How a class goes”- Usually 30–45 minutes, sometimes up to an hour.
- A warm-up of 5–10 minutes: mobility and easy cardio to raise the pulse.
- The main part: rounds of exercises on a timer, for example 40 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest. Formats vary — Tabata, a set at the start of every minute, or stations as in circuit training.
- The trainer shows each exercise first and offers an easier version, such as stepping instead of jumping.
- A cool-down and stretching at the end.
- In your first class, learn the movements and work at a pace you can hold; you can push harder next time.
Who it suits best
Section titled “Who it suits best”- People with little time who want an intense workout.
- Anybody who already exercises and wants more endurance and power.
- People who get bored with steady cardio: the exercise changes every minute or so.
- Beginners, if the trainer offers low-impact versions and you choose your own pace.
- It suits less anybody with heart problems, high blood pressure or joint injuries, or in pregnancy — ask your doctor first and tell the trainer before the class. A calmer class such as Pilates may be a better start.