HIIT questions

[Gwynn]

Hi all,
I am new to the theory behind HIIT training. I have read a number of different ideas about how long your "cardio" session is, from a low of 4 minutes, with 30 second intervals, all the way to the 15 minutes with 1 min hard and 2 easy that is suggested in New Rules.
Way back in the early 90's (LOL) when I took Dance Kinesiology we were taught the 20 minutes minimum model, I think it was popularized in the book "Fit or Fat."
Can anyone give me insight as to whether it's better to increase the intensity and shorten your workout slightly or lower the intensity and lengthen it?
Or is the 15 minute 1 min high/2 min low the golden mean?
thanks!
Gwynn

[missjane]

If you do a search on HIIT, you will find a ton of threads.

Here's one: HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) for stage 2 vid

[josienj]

Hello Gwynn,

Take a look at the link that was posted by missjane. From my experience I find its best to go with what ever form of HITT works best for you. I have done various versions of interval training. The true HITT of alternating going so fast that I can only last for 15 seconds and going to collapse speed with a recovery of 2 minute method for 15 minutes, to the method outlined in the book with 15 minutes alternating low 2 min with high 1 min followed by 5 minute break and then 15 Steady state at medium, and most recently interval training of going at low for 5 minutes then high for 5 minutes for 40 minutes.

All the methods I find to be extremely challenging but I believe I am getting the most benefit with the last method. That method makes me so hungry, not sure if that's the best indicator that it is working the best! But when I have a time constraint I do perform the True HITT method.

Jo

[Gwynn]

Thanks for the links, I actually made my way towards some new information. Looks like I can actually up the intensity all I want, even if that means I can't go as long. Yay!

[photochick]

For me, how long I can go (how many intervals I can do) often varies from day to day. So I don't try to have any died in the wool, must-do time limits. I aim for a minimum of 5 intervals, and I thinkI've only ever once not been able to do 5. Usually I do 6 or 7, which is a little over 30 mins for me.

But again, it just depends. If I'm tired, or I didn't eat right the day before (or the day of), or if I've been travelling (I often travel east coast to west or vice versa, so I get jet lagged), or whatever, it affects my endurance.

.