Group: General Fitness & Exercise

Created: 2011/12/31, Members: 382, Messages: 54581

Various general exercise related discussions. Find out what it takes to reach your fitness goals through daily effective exercise. With so many options we try to find out what works best.

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First time with HIIT!

Lindsay22
Lindsay22
Posts: 129
Joined: 2004/12/09
United States
2007/01/19, 07:34 AM
After reading all the posts on HIIT, I decided to give it a try yesterday. It was a good day to do it since I was tight on work out time. I did it on the treadmill, and this is what I did:

Good pace walk to warm up for 5 minutes
Sprint at 8.0 for 1 minute
Walk at 4.3 for 2 minutes
Repeat 7 times
It took me 24 minutes to complete

Did I do it the right way? If not, what should I be doing? Seeing that it was my first time doing it, and I am not a fast runner to begin with, 8.0 is very fast for me, I think if I went any higher, I would fly off the treadmill. I never sweat so much and felt so physically exhausted after a 24 minute workout, though I did feel great once I collected myself.
I'd appreciate anyone writing back and letting me know what I could do differently. Thanks!
asimmer
asimmer
Posts: 8,201
Joined: 2003/01/07
United States
2007/01/19, 08:11 AM
That is a fine session of HIIT - you could even shorten it a little with just one minute of the lower intensity, if you wanted to.

Isn't amazing how quickly the time goes by on the low intervals, but how long a minute can feel on the high intervals? And then all of a sudden the session is done! I love HIIT!

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Until you value yourself you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.
M. Scott Peck
Lindsay22
Lindsay22
Posts: 129
Joined: 2004/12/09
United States
2007/01/19, 08:19 AM
Yes! The time flew by! I think I'm really going to like it! I work out about 5-6 days a week, doing straight cardio for 45 minutes on 4-5 of those days. Where should I put HIIT in? Should I replace my normal cardio with HIIT? I just dont want to overdo it.
asimmer
asimmer
Posts: 8,201
Joined: 2003/01/07
United States
2007/01/19, 08:22 AM
I like to use HIIT once or twice a week,longer steady state once or twice a week and do a video or class once a week to keep my body guessing (and to keep me from getting bored).

Some programs have you doing the HIIT for every cardio session. I think that is fine if you are only doing cardio on alternate days, with intense weightlifting on the days in-between. But I wouldn't do HIIT everyday.



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Until you value yourself you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.
M. Scott Peck
Lindsay22
Lindsay22
Posts: 129
Joined: 2004/12/09
United States
2007/01/19, 09:09 AM
Thats answers my question! Thanks!
slvrstr526
slvrstr526
Posts: 6
Joined: 2008/01/16
United States
2008/01/31, 08:53 PM
I just tried HIIT for the first time too! Can you evaluate my routine? I am a 25 year old female weighing 137lbs 5'1.

2 min warm up at 3.5
1 min at 4.5
1 min at 5.5
1 min at 6.5
1 min at 7.5

1 min at 3.5
1 min at 4.5
so on, for 3 intervals - about 20 minutes.

Thanks!
SFGiantsMVP
SFGiantsMVP
Posts: 1,533
Joined: 2005/12/04
United States
2008/01/31, 10:09 PM
lindsay22 awesome for a 1st timer and as Amy said once you need to progress don't fret on higher speed but lower the rest time.

This is mine on a Tredmill 3 minute warm up on 3.5

Sprint 8 for 1 minute
Walk fast 1 minute 3.5 to 3.8
Sprint 8 for 1 minute
Walk fast 1 minute 3.5 to 3.8
Sprint 9 for 1 minute
Walk fast 1 minute 3.5 to 3.8
Sprint 10 for 1 minute
Walk fast 1 minute 3.5 to 3.8
Sprint 11 for 1 minute
Walk fast 1 minute 3.5 to 3.8
Sprint 11 for 1 minute
Walk fast 1 minute 3.5 to 3.8
Sprint 8 to 11 for 1 minute
Walk fast 1 minute 3.5 to 3.8

Cool down at 3.5 for a minute and after a minute I slowly lower it until about 2.5 which is normal walking.

Then off to the Stair Climbers LOL.

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Knock-Um Down & Keep-Um Down!
SFGiantsMVP
SFGiantsMVP
Posts: 1,533
Joined: 2005/12/04
United States
2008/01/31, 10:18 PM


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Quoting from slvrstr526:

I just tried HIIT for the first time too! Can you evaluate my routine? I am a 25 year old female weighing 137lbs 5'1.

2 min warm up at 3.5
1 min at 4.5
1 min at 5.5
1 min at 6.5
1 min at 7.5

1 min at 3.5
1 min at 4.5
so on, for 3 intervals - about 20 minutes.

Thanks!
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Sorry but that's not HIIT!

I sugest you start with only 5 intervals in which you may not even reach but is ok thats the starting goal and then progress up to 6 then 7 and and if you feel the need go 8 but no need to do more then 8.

I know they say doing HIIT is supposed to be a all out 100% rest then repeat but going 100% is flat out hard on a treadmill and what I aim for is running fast enough to when it's rest time I need that time to get some breath back but that 1 minute is just barley and at time not enough time.

When you 1st start don't try to do it like the pro's do as I did set a goal of 5 and until you reach that go 6 then 7 and if needed 8 but 7 is just fine for me as just because I have just finished HIIT on treadmill doesn't mean my cardio session is over!

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Knock-Um Down & Keep-Um Down!