HIIT frequency question

[Caffeine]

I was going to start doing HIIT soon. I lift 3 times a week mon wed and fri. Is it not advised to do hiit more then 3 times a week or should I do it every day. I was also considering distance runnings on my lifting days and hiit on my off days. Im basically 6'3 210 and looking to lose my gut and get my body fat down. Weight loss isnt terribly important to me I just want to look good no matter what my weight is. What would be the best way for me to obtain this goal.

I was also going to go with the 5 min warmup then 10x sprints of 100yds with jogging back to the start. Is there another hiit program that someone likes better?

Thanks in advance.

[Craig]

Do not start an interval training program by running 10 sprints of 100 yards on your first day.

I like intervals programs that are conservative. The one you outline is not.



Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, M.Sc.
CB Athletic Consulting, Inc.
www.cbathletics.com
www.TurbulenceTraining.com

[Jimbo]

I just started doing HIIT little each morning. I do 8 minutes of steady running then do 2 minutes of really hard running. I only repeat this once more for a total of 20 minutes of running. But it kicks me in the pants. I do some isolation lifting alternating bicep/tricep and abs every other day. ( I do my real workout later in the day)

Anyway, if you do it with enough intensity, you'll find that this is enough getting started. OR at least it was for me. I'll increase later.

[Caffeine]

Any suggestions or references I can use to find one appropriate for starting out? Or should I just go with Jimbos to start? Also do you do this every day or just 3 times a week? I appreciate the information

[Kaiser]

For fat loss, here's one way: 20 to 30 seconds on (i.e. full out or close to it), 60 to 90 seconds off (either slower or walking or something that will allow your HR to go down). Do it hard enough that you do about 6 to 8 intervals. If you can do 10 intervals, go harder next time.

Other tips:
-Try to do it on a different day than lifting, but if you cannot, do it after lifting.
-Don't do it on a leg day.
-Make sure you are in pretty decent physical condition to be able to perform HIIT.
-After a while, consider adding the Tabata protocol into your interval mix (20 secs on, 10 secs rest; try to do 8 intervals without throwing up).

[diamondpete]

What is the Tabata protocol?

I am also starting HIIT (by coincidence tonight) and plan to do 30 sec sprint, 90 sec walk for 8 reps.

[Kaiser]

Tabata: read about it here in the second question answered by Mike Mahler: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler55.htm

[Caffeine]

Thanks Kaiser I will try that out for the beginning of my training

[eastcoastsurfer]

http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/...inginshape.htm

Here is an article about why HIIT works and a sample workout.

I've been doing HIIT for awhile now. I basically fit it in after my workouts.
M-Chest/Tri/HIIT
T-Legs/Shoulders
W-Back/Bi/HIIT
R-Basketball (Orgainized HIIT [img]smile.gif[/img] )
F-Total body workout

I agree with Kaiser about not doing it after leg workouts. If you can do HIIT on leg day, then you need to step up your leg workouts

[uhooved]

"The Tabata method calls for twenty seconds of all out effort, followed by ten seconds of moderate cardio. Go back and forth for four minutes. Work up to twenty minutes and you will be a ripped machine." I have been doing HIIT for years and use it to maintain 5-6% bf. However, 20 minutes of the above method would be completely insane and ridiculous. It would be like sprinting full blast for 20 minutes straight. LOL. I could probably only maintain this protocol for 5 minutes or so and I consider myself in excellent physical shape.

[GqArtguy]

Originally posted by uhooved:
"The Tabata method calls for twenty seconds of all out effort, followed by ten seconds of moderate cardio. Go back and forth for four minutes. Work up to twenty minutes and you will be a ripped machine."

quote:

---

I have been doing HIIT for years and use it to maintain 5-6% bf. However, 20 minutes of the above method would be completely insane and ridiculous. It would be like sprinting full blast for 20 minutes straight. LOL. I could probably only maintain this protocol for 5 minutes or so and I consider myself in excellent physical shape. [/quote]Thats why he said to WORK UP TO 20 min.

[uhooved]

I understand that he said "work up to 20 minutes." My point is that no one will be able to work up to 20 minutes of full blast sprints at the 20 second on 10 moderate jog pace that he sets in the article. That would be ridiculous. I imagine that many of the most fit professional athletes could not even come close.

[diamondpete]

Kaiser, thanks for the tabata link, sounds sick-

I tried the routine you suggested last night (it is daytime now in Japan) Decided to start "easy", beacuse I had to do it after weight trainning.

20 sec sprint, 90 walk

only made 4- almost died! Will tri again on Friday.


Cheers

Peter

[Jimbo]

I do HIIT 4 days a week. One day off in the middle of the week...usually following the day I do squats/deadlifts/lunges. Gotta rest them thare legs...I also run on saturday am...but no HIIT.

This works for me...

[Jimbo]

Oh...I do nothing on Sundays.