Want to burn more fat? Replace up to 3 of your continuous cardiovascular training sessions per week with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Following a bout of exercise, we experience excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC happens because our body requires extra oxygen for such activities as the metabolizing of lactate and the replenishing of creatine phosphate and hormone stores to pre-exercise levels. The oxygen used during EPOC largely comes from the oxidation of fat in our cells’ mitochondria, or to put it simply, from the burning of our body fat. This is important because research has shown that the greater the intensity of a workout, the greater the EPOC, and resultantly, the greater the amount of fat burned post-exercise. Moreover, the more often our mitochondria become activated by intense exercise, the larger and more abundant they become, meaning that our body develops an increased fat-burning potential. In contrast to continuous cardiovascular training – where a person exercises at a constant, moderate intensity for the entire duration of their workout – HIIT involves alternating high-intensity work intervals (an intensity of 8-9 on a scale of 10) with lower-intensity rest intervals (an intensity of 5 on the same scale). The greater intensity that occurs during HIIT results in greater EPOC compared to continuous cardio, which is why HIIT is superior when it comes to maximizing fat loss. None of this is to say that HIIT should replace all of your continuous cardiovascular workouts, as continuous cardio does have its own unique benefits. However, if fat loss is a goal of yours, definitely do give HIIT a try. Let me know if you’d like any help getting started with HIIT!
Posted on: Mon, 21 Oct 2013 03:33:27 +0000
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