- by Master Admin
I’ve mentioned numerous times the benefits of the interval style training we do and hope you gain further insight through this published study.
In the classic children’s story The Tortoise and the Hare, the moral of the story is slow and steady wins the race. While the bunny approach isn’t all that bad, when it comes to fat loss, that isn’t necessarily true. Physical activity guidelines advise a minimum of 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise for general health, and more is needed if weight loss or improved fitness levels is the goal. The trouble is, this steady-state exercise as it’s called doesn’t get the best results when it comes to fat loss. Researchers have found that short bouts of High Intensity Intermittent Exercise (HIIE) may do better at cutting belly fat and improving fitness levels than the slow-and-steady strategy.
What is High Intensity Intermittent Exercise?
HIIE protocols vary greatly, but typically involve repeated brief all-out intensity immediately followed by low intensity exercise or rest. Intervals can last anywhere from as little as 10 seconds and recovery/rest periods up to 4 minutes.
The Belly Fat Blaster
According to a recent review on studies involving HIIE, when compared to regular aerobic exercise, subjects showed more fat loss in both abdominal fat and subcutaneous fat
Increased Insulin Sensitivity
You may know that insulin resistance is bad news and can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. Therefore lowering insulin resistance, also referred to as an increase in insulin sensitivity, is good for you. According to the study, HIIE increased insulin sensitivity by over 30% and in some studies almost 50% over short and long-term study periods.
Time Efficiency
As has been mentioned, HIIE involves shorter, more intense exercise. This affords for much shorter workouts in terms of time and frequency. Whereas aerobic exercise may burn more calories, HIIE allows for as little as 75 minutes a week of exercise. That’s equivalent to just 15 minutes a day.
Improved Fitness
By pushing yourself to the limit during short bouts of activity, HIIE does a better job at improving your fitness levels than working out at a moderate pace. By incorporating some HIIE workouts with longer aerobic exercises, you may also notice improvements in endurance and less feelings of fatigue.