HIIT Training (high intensity interval training)
What is HIIT training?
HIIT training is a training method that consists of high-intensity intervals combined with slow, low-intensity phases. This interplay provides an effective training stimulus. For a long time, cardiovascular training in the fitness sector was carried out almost exclusively as a uniform, low-intensity and volume-oriented form of training. Such classic cardiovascular training still holds an important place in training planning today. However, new scientific findings show that a maximum and rapid improvement in cardiovascular performance can also be achieved most efficiently in untrained people through variation of training intensity (HIIT training). HIIT has far-reaching and additional positive effects on the body. From a physiological point of view, supplementing conventional training forms with interval training at very high intensities (HIIT training) is therefore necessary.
What adaptations can mainly be expected from HIIT training?
HIIT training increases stroke volume. This means that the heart can pump more blood per beat into the circulation. Because stroke volume increases with specific training, while cardiac output stays roughly the same at submaximal performance, we measure a lower heart rate at the same performance after a training phase. So it is stroke volume that increases through HIIT. It results from improved functionality of the heart's contraction and a larger heart muscle. With maximum heart rate unchanged, the maximum blood-pumping capacity of the heart (maximum cardiac output) rises. At the same time, resting heart rate drops, because the heart has to beat less often to transport the same amount of blood thanks to the larger stroke volume.
How does HIIT training work?
Choose a warm-up load level (X) so that your personal exertion is in the range of 2-4 on the Borg scale ("moderate" exertion). The movement frequency should be about 60 revolutions per minute on the bike and about 50 revolutions per minute on the cross trainer.
After the warm-up, the load level for the first interval is doubled (2·X). The movement frequency is increased to at least 80 revolutions per minute. Try to maintain a movement frequency of at least 80 revolutions. You should be at 8-9 on the Borg scale ("extreme" exertion). If you are unable to keep the movement frequency above 80 revolutions, the load level is reduced by 1 level at the next interval until the movement frequency can be maintained. The recovery phase is again performed at load level (X) with a reduced movement frequency. On the bike this is 60 revolutions per minute and on the cross trainer 50 revolutions per minute.
The load level found this way (2·X) is kept in the following training sessions. Likewise, the warm-up is carried out with the newly determined load level (2·X/2).
Every load phase is followed by a recovery phase. This is also performed after the last load phase. Therefore, a cool-down is no longer necessary.
By increasing your pedalling cadence, intensity rises automatically without the load level having to be adjusted.
update has developed P.I.I.T., a varied, intense group format.