…I think you all know my pick!??
I’ve been a huge fan of HIIT training but it’s become even more of a love since having Ella. Any moms out there know that the first 5 months post-partum are the hardest. I mean, I haven’t experienced the teen years yet so I could have no idea what I’m in for, especially if Ella was anything like me (<—scary thought!)
When you are breastfeeding especially there is such a small window of time to do things for yourself {I’m not complaining though!}. I felt like a slave to my precious baby girl and the dreaded breast-pump up until recently—and as far as my workouts went HIIT was a lifesaver!
What is HIIT?
High Intensity Interval Training, a burst and recover aerobic workout that is a (IMO better) alternative to continuous aerobic exercise.
I won’t bore you with all the stuff about stroke volume, heart contractibility, and blood flow to your muscles, but I will tell you that there are great benefits to cardiovascular exercise in strengthening your heart in both methods of training.
However, recent studies have shown that HIIT training has a superior benefit in matters of the heart. According to a study cited in my IDEA Fitness journal this month, 4 repetitions of 4 minute runs at 90-95% of heart rate max followed by 3 minutes of active recovery at 70% maxHR performed 3 days a week for 8 weeks showed 10% improved in blood flow to the heart muscle than did slow, long endurance runs (20 minutes or more at a steady pace).
As far as metabolic adaptions HIIT takes the lead as well. After a HIIT session your caloric expenditure remains elevated as your muscles work to restore metabolic factors to pre-exercise levels. Meaning you will be burning more calories, longer after a HIIT training session than you would during a longer endurance training session!
According to my journal, HIIT came out the winner in the battle of the aerobic titans! It’s a matter of how you incorporate it into your routine. I am a huge fan of tabata style training, but play around with intervals many of different ways.
Today’s workout, for example, I started with a tabata-style warm-up like I usually do. I love switching up between jump rope, high knees, burpees, side shuffle. I enjoy it so much and it really gets my heart pumping. I find myself jamming to music between sets and I am in my own world having a great time.
{tip: find music between 165-180bpm for your workouts ! It is an amazing motivator!<—do you have any sites you like?}
My Workout:
Warm-Up:
Tabata Training (8 rounds of 20 second intervals with 10 seconds rest)
1. Jump Rope 2. High Knees 3. Scissor Jumps 4. Burpees
5. Jump Rope 6. Wide High Knees 7. Burpees 8. Jumping Jacks
I did a few inchworms and lunges too to get more dynamic warm-ups
Workout:
15 rounds of 50 second intervals with 10 second rest:
1. Deep Sumo Squat w/ medicine ball bounce and toss
[basically a sumo squat, bounce the ball at the bottom, toss it in the air using my shoulders and triceps, catch, repeat]
2. Plank Row [I used 12.5 pound dumbbells]
3. Decline Bench Russian Twist with medicine ball [I bounce it on the ground]
4. Modified Reptile Push-ups [I did them on my knees so I could get deeper and perfect my form]
5. Balance Ball Roll-Out
My abs were still kind of sore from Monday’s power yoga class. She killed our legs and abs. This one teacher loves abs and I love her. My butt cheek was actually twitching uncontrollably in class. I am already feeling the remnants of today’s workout too!
So, speaking of endurance training….guess what!? I signed up for my very first race!
I am not a runner– my sister in law asked me to join her and my other sister in law in April and I am actually really excited about it. I want to support her, and want to challenge myself with something new!
Ever since having the baby I feel my body is capable of anything. I know it’s not a marathon or anything, but it is a big deal for someone who hates to run–and barely can get through a mile straight without getting bored or dying.
I’ve figured out my issue with running …
Like anything else in fitness, I get overly ambitious. Instead of taking the advice I would give to a client– start slow, ease into it, I jump in full force because I feel I am in shape and workout hard. It’s not the way to do it with running. At least for me. Usually on dreadmill I will go at it hard with sprints. Like 6.5 or even up to 7.0 for someone who doesn’t run—no wonder I could barely do a mile.
The cardio deck has been foreign to me lately, as I enjoy doing all my stuff in the form of HIIT with my own body; but about once a week I’ve been doing a few sprints here and there to switch things up. This week I tried the first couch to 5k workout and thought it was super easy. I took it so slow and what a difference! Speed will come later! Taking this pressure off myself has made running a little more enjoyable. I still prefer my short workouts, but have always wanted to run a long distance. Even if it’s only a few miles straight. Who knows….maybe someday I will do a marathon. Ha! Not very likely, but I ‘d like to think if my body can go through the second most painful thing in the world , that is could do anything!!
I’m off to bed! Have a great night!
Do you have any 5K tips for me and my sissies??
Do you find yourself doing more HIIT cardio workouts or long endurance cardio sessions?
Philly friends…have you done this Earth Day 5k or do you plan to?
…I think you all know my pick!??
I’ve been a huge fan of HIIT training but it’s become even more of a love since having Ella. Any moms out there know that the first 5 months post-partum are the hardest. I mean, I haven’t experienced the teen years yet so I could have no idea what I’m in for, especially if Ella was anything like me (<—scary thought!)
When you are breastfeeding especially there is such a small window of time to do things for yourself {I’m not complaining though!}. I felt like a slave to my precious baby girl and the dreaded breast-pump up until recently—and as far as my workouts went HIIT was a lifesaver!
What is HIIT?
High Intensity Interval Training, a burst and recover aerobic workout that is a (IMO better) alternative to continuous aerobic exercise.
I won’t bore you with all the stuff about stroke volume, heart contractibility, and blood flow to your muscles, but I will tell you that there are great benefits to cardiovascular exercise in strengthening your heart in both methods of training.
However, recent studies have shown that HIIT training has a superior benefit in matters of the heart. According to a study cited in my IDEA Fitness journal this month, 4 repetitions of 4 minute runs at 90-95% of heart rate max followed by 3 minutes of active recovery at 70% maxHR performed 3 days a week for 8 weeks showed 10% improved in blood flow to the heart muscle than did slow, long endurance runs (20 minutes or more at a steady pace).
As far as metabolic adaptions HIIT takes the lead as well. After a HIIT session your caloric expenditure remains elevated as your muscles work to restore metabolic factors to pre-exercise levels. Meaning you will be burning more calories, longer after a HIIT training session than you would during a longer endurance training session!
According to my journal, HIIT came out the winner in the battle of the aerobic titans! It’s a matter of how you incorporate it into your routine. I am a huge fan of tabata style training, but play around with intervals many of different ways.
Today’s workout, for example, I started with a tabata-style warm-up like I usually do. I love switching up between jump rope, high knees, burpees, side shuffle. I enjoy it so much and it really gets my heart pumping. I find myself jamming to music between sets and I am in my own world having a great time.
{tip: find music between 165-180bpm for your workouts ! It is an amazing motivator!<—do you have any sites you like?}
My Workout:
Warm-Up:
Tabata Training (8 rounds of 20 second intervals with 10 seconds rest)
1. Jump Rope 2. High Knees 3. Scissor Jumps 4. Burpees
5. Jump Rope 6. Wide High Knees 7. Burpees 8. Jumping Jacks
I did a few inchworms and lunges too to get more dynamic warm-ups
Workout:
15 rounds of 50 second intervals with 10 second rest:
1. Deep Sumo Squat w/ medicine ball bounce and toss
[basically a sumo squat, bounce the ball at the bottom, toss it in the air using my shoulders and triceps, catch, repeat]
2. Plank Row [I used 12.5 pound dumbbells]
3. Decline Bench Russian Twist with medicine ball [I bounce it on the ground]
4. Modified Reptile Push-ups [I did them on my knees so I could get deeper and perfect my form]
5. Balance Ball Roll-Out
My abs were still kind of sore from Monday’s power yoga class. She killed our legs and abs. This one teacher loves abs and I love her. My butt cheek was actually twitching uncontrollably in class. I am already feeling the remnants of today’s workout too!
So, speaking of endurance training….guess what!? I signed up for my very first race!
I am not a runner– my sister in law asked me to join her and my other sister in law in April and I am actually really excited about it. I want to support her, and want to challenge myself with something new!
Ever since having the baby I feel my body is capable of anything. I know it’s not a marathon or anything, but it is a big deal for someone who hates to run–and barely can get through a mile straight without getting bored or dying.
I’ve figured out my issue with running …
Like anything else in fitness, I get overly ambitious. Instead of taking the advice I would give to a client– start slow, ease into it, I jump in full force because I feel I am in shape and workout hard. It’s not the way to do it with running. At least for me. Usually on dreadmill I will go at it hard with sprints. Like 6.5 or even up to 7.0 for someone who doesn’t run—no wonder I could barely do a mile.
The cardio deck has been foreign to me lately, as I enjoy doing all my stuff in the form of HIIT with my own body; but about once a week I’ve been doing a few sprints here and there to switch things up. This week I tried the first couch to 5k workout and thought it was super easy. I took it so slow and what a difference! Speed will come later! Taking this pressure off myself has made running a little more enjoyable. I still prefer my short workouts, but have always wanted to run a long distance. Even if it’s only a few miles straight. Who knows….maybe someday I will do a marathon. Ha! Not very likely, but I ‘d like to think if my body can go through the second most painful thing in the world , that is could do anything!!
I’m off to bed! Have a great night!
Do you have any 5K tips for me and my sissies??
Do you find yourself doing more HIIT cardio workouts or long endurance cardio sessions?
Philly friends…have you done this Earth Day 5k or do you plan to?