HIIT in a gym?
 

Joined a gym because it's getting too cold to workout in my garage. I've been doing the starting strength program and HIIT sprints, 30 seconds each on 30 seconds off. I usually do this in a field or parking lot but with winter coming this is getting tougher.

I'm trying to replace this with some form of cardio in the gym but everything I've tried sucks. I did 15 "sprints" on an exercise bike, elliptical, and rowing machine, and was barely out of breath after each. My legs were burning and like jello after these but I didn't feel much of a workout. Usually after the sprints I'm drooling, gasping for air, and can't even drive home until I sit down for about 5-10 minutes. The only thing that came close was running on the treadmill but I can't really sprint quickly on a treadmill. Any suggestions? what do people do that visit the gym regularly?

Thinking about switching to steady running for 30-40 minutes, maybe 2 min. sprints on the treadmill? What would be best for burning fat?

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

I don't know what the "literature" answer is, and am not going to search-- but this is what I've come to understand: HIIT doesn't mean sprints. It's INTERVALS of ANYTHING at an effort level that can't be sustained for more than say, a minute. The work-to-rest ratio you should typically aim for is 1:1 or 1:2-- although, "Tabata Intervals", which are apparently magic, have a ratio at 2:1.

edit: And another thing I want to add. I don't know about sprinting more than once a week-- even if that is the only HIIT you do.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

I've been told here that my routine on an elliptical is not HIIT, but it's pretty good anyway. I basically use one of the pre-set interval programs, which alternate 2 minutes going hard with 2 minutes at an easy pace. Although I push myself as hard as I can for the 2 minute fast portions, I understand this is not HIIT because true sprinting could not be kept up so long.

Still, I find it difficult to do for 20-30 minutes, which is what I aim for (sandwiched around 15 minutes of steady pace). I am basically out of breath each time the fast portion ends and the heart rate is quite high.

I would switch to shorter interval periods, to imitate HIIT better, but I don't know how to customize the machines in that manner.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

try a rowing machine? know nothing about hiit, but i used to row and it gets you tired fast

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

[ QUOTE ]

edit: And another thing I want to add. I don't know about sprinting more than once a week-- even if that is the only HIIT you do.

[/ QUOTE ]
why's that?

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

edit: And another thing I want to add. I don't know about sprinting more than once a week-- even if that is the only HIIT you do.

[/ QUOTE ]
why's that?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't have a good reason other than I've been told that over the years-- that sprints should be held to a small part of overall running training. I think part of it is risk of injury, and the other part (wildly speculating) could be akin to why plyos should be incorporated so judiciously-- you can't train explosiveness when fatigue is present, and such training is much harder on the system than one may feel. But then again. I might just be repeating the equivalent of a wive's tale.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

edit: And another thing I want to add. I don't know about sprinting more than once a week-- even if that is the only HIIT you do.

[/ QUOTE ]
why's that?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't have a good reason other than I've been told that over the years-- that sprints should be held to a small part of overall running training. I think part of it is risk of injury, and the other part (wildly speculating) could be akin to why plyos should be incorporated so judiciously-- you can't train explosiveness when fatigue is present, and such training is much harder on the system than one may feel. But then again. I might just be repeating the equivalent of a wive's tale.

[/ QUOTE ]
Perhaps I'm not clear what you mean by "sprints". Soccer players sprint many many times in practice/games, and usually train pretty often. Pretty sure you're aware of that so I'm sure you're not talking about something like that.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

I use a rowing machine for sprints/interval training.

1 minute full out, 1 minute break. 2 set of 5.

If this isn't making you gasp for breath, then youa ren't doing it right.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

Jammy,

I was considering using a rowing machine sometimes, just as a chance of pace from the elliptical. But I've never used one before and am curious about the impact.

Specifically, is a rowing machine hard on the back or knees? Or is it perhaps easier on the body than elliptical or running?

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

I've never had any problems with back or knees from a rowing machine, but I think its important to get the motion right.

Its kind of hard to explain without pictures, but the main thing is to use the legs first, then the back a bit, and then the arms, most of your power should come from your legs, with your arms and back just transferring the power.

Its quite hard work for your shoulders and upper back, but in a good way.

I'd google it and see if you can find some articles on technique, then try a few sessions where you work on form before trying out sprints or intervals.

The other thing, is its very easy to start doing bad technique when you start getting tired.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Although I push myself as hard as I can for the 2 minute fast portions, I understand this is not HIIT because true sprinting could not be kept up so long.


[/ QUOTE ]

HIIT = high intensity interval training.

You are doing intervals, so the issue is are they high intensity? The odds are short that whomever led you to this understanding is mistaken.

What they probably meant was if you are doing HIIT primarily for fat burning rfeasons, your intervals are too long, becuase they much more get into aerobic capacity at 2 minutes hard, 2 minutes easy. HIIT for fat burning is more ideally features shorter, more anaerobic intervals.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

JR,

It was in this thread that I was told that a 2 minute interval would not be HIIT, because even if I'm working hard (and getting an effective workout), it could not be real sprinting, since that would entail something that could not be sustained after 30 seconds.

I suppose the semantics don't really matter, except that those other posts left me wondering whether I should look for something other than the elliptical machine. These machines are fine for leaving me gasping after 60-90 seconds, but it is hard to hard to mimic a sprint that would leave me in that condition after just 30 seconds.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Any suggestions?

[/ QUOTE ]
I saw a routine where jumping jacks, burpees, and mountain climbers were 3 of the exercises. Not sure if there were other exercises or what the routine was, but I thought I would get very tired doing it as did other folks watching.

You don't even need a gym for this. Maybe the routine was 40 seconds of those 3 exercises. It took less than ten total minutes.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

Didn't read thread carefully, so sorry if this has been mentioned:

You can absolutely do HIIT on ellipticals. Because I have injury prone knees, I don't like to do HIIT by sprinting outside or on treadmills, so I use ellipticals and it kicks my ass. I crank the resistance really high for 30 seconds and go balls to the wall, then make the resistance to the near lowest setting, and take it easy for 30 seconds. If this doesn't make you out of breath and/or near puking, then you probably aren't doing it right.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

That thread is making the same distinction I am. Its semantics, but HIIT has taken on a more specific connotation with the prevalence of Tabata and other's research.

For maximal fat loss, you want to be doing short, anaerobic intervals.

That said, I am troubled by the implication that running 800 meters intervals would not be HIIT. Its is, if you are running intensely.

For reference, here is a good article on Effects of High-Intensity Intermittent Training on Endurance Performance, discussing who longer intervals (2-5 minutes) are used to improve competetive performance in medium distance endurance athletes.

You can do all kinds of stuff for HIIT. Use a bike, an armed elliptical, or full body exercises like burpees or thrusters or front squats.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

[ QUOTE ]

That said, I am troubled by the implication that running 800 meters intervals would not be HIIT. Its is, if you are running intensely.


[/ QUOTE ]

I've never seen an attempt at a rigorous definition as far as the total length of the intervals or the work/rest ratio. There's reliance on "short" and "max effort" or "high intensity." I can't say that 30 min of fifteen 2 min elliptical sprints fits a rigorous definition or not, either. I agree about the 800s even though 800 is too long to be a true sprint "max effort."

I would say that if the workout is taking 30 minutes, then try to crank up the intensity to accomplish the same work in ~20, or consider reducing the workload to what takes ~20 minutes and building from there. And a problem I have with the elliptical, or at least how it is used, is folks don't make adequate use of self-measurement-- OP doesn't appear to be placing greater and greater demands on his body or have any ability to do so.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

What shemp said pretty much, except I like the elliptical for HIIT. Like the rowing machine, it can get the whole body involved, and I found that pushing with the arms forced my legs to rotate faster than they would otherwise.

Whatever method you use though (eliptical, rowing machine, squats, sprints, whole body masturbation, whatever) and whatever work intervals you choose (20s on 10 off, 30 /30, even up to 2 mins / 1 mins) the key to High Intensity Interval Training is to make the work intervals MAX effort. Get that right and the rest is mere details.

Thing is, the body hates max efforts because it means we're using up precious survival resources. It would rather make you think you're doing max effort by sending tired signals. Your job is to ignore these and force a real effort.

Anyone who's been in a tight sporting contest knows what I mean, when you're just dead on your feet but then suddenly find a bunch more energy because you need it. That's what you're looking for with HIIT (it's also one of the reasons I mostly do fast paced sports instead of classic intervals, because I find it easier to find that extra gear when there's winning and losing involved).

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

[ QUOTE ]
OP doesn't appear to be placing greater and greater demands on his body or have any ability to do so.

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img] I'm sure I could increase intensity but do I really want to be doing more than 15 sprints per session? I thought the idea was to keep the sessions under 30 minutes. Especially if I'm squatting 3 x per week.

Anyway thanks for the suggestions, gonna probably try the rowing machine again as that seemed to be the best option. Maybe some kind of rope jumping/calisthenics combination.

Didn't mean for this to turn into a "that is or is not really HIIT argument." Concern was mainly that I'm going at it on those machines hard and I'm not getting the oxygen deficiency I guess you could say, that I get from sprinting.

Re: HIIT in a gym?
 

I'm sorry. I think I overshot in that sentence.

I see a lot of folks just get on "cardio machines" and go through a familiar routine-- that while demanding, doesn't vary as stimulus.

And by increasing intensity I didn't mean add more intervals, but rather try to cover more ground in the existing intervals, or shortening rest, or, or....