Why Train Using the HIIT Approach?

By: Dave Schmitz PT, LAT, CSCS, PES

For the past couple of years High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has become a catch phrase. It is this principle that I base all the FIT Band Boot Camp workouts around.

HIIT is training approached characterized by the following:

1. Using only Functional - Multi-joint, Multi- muscle movements
2. Workouts that are all interval based vs. single sets
3. Workouts use circuit based (multi-exercise) training vs. single exercises
4. HIIT is short duration workouts of 20-40 minute
5. HIIT Focuses on Work load vs. Resistance
6. HIIT at times uses speed vs. heavy loads all the time
7. HIIT makes your body constantly adapt to new stresses
8. HIIT wants to get your heart strong not just your body

The question is 'Why HIIT vs. Traditional low intensity training?

Reason # 1. Research has compared hour-long, cardio workouts to HIIT workouts and they found improvements in VO2 Max by about 14% and Improvements in your anaerobic capacity increased by a remarkable 28%!

Reason #2. HIIT does not chew up your muscle mass like excessive endurance exercise does. Long slow cardio forces your body to get rid of metabolically 'calorie burning' muscle mass. That's a real problem if you want to stay lean, strong and looking good.

Reason #3. You can lose more subcutaneous fat with HIIT than with the standard long slow cardio exercise. Some research shows that HIIT helps you burn fat more effectively in certain areas, like the tough abdominal region.

Reason #4. Lose NINE TIMES MORE FAT for every calorie burned during exercise!

Reason #5. HIIT causes your body to burn more calories and fat AFTER the workout is completed. This means that after you finish your workout, hit the showers, and on your way back to your home your body is burning fat stores right off of your body!

Reason # 6. Fast running intervals can be more beneficial than traditional slow cardio especially for middle-age and older adults. Due to the tremendous increases in growth hormone production which is suspected to be a strong factor in fat loss.

Reason #7. Save you time! A complete high intensity interval training workout session can be completed in only 20-30 minutes! Compare that to doing an hour of cardio. I don't know about you, but I don't have the time to fit in a thorough warm-up, weight training workout, an hour of cardio, a cool down and stretching.

Bands allow you to easily create circuit that not only train HITT but allow you to train your total body simultaneously in minutes not seconds.

Dave Schmitz is an Orthopedic Physical Therapist, CSCS, LAT and a Performance Enhancement Specialist with an emphasis on movement training and retraining. Dave recently created the only website exclusively devoted to functional resistance band training at www.functionaltrainingwithresistancebands.com.

He has written several articles, created 2 E-books and several DVDs on how to implement a Functionally Integrated Training (FIT) approach using resistance band.

Want to learn more about Resistance Band Training? Take a peek at Dave's video



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