HIIT in a gym?

[Bobby Digital]

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?

[shemp]

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.

[Wynton]

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.

[kevin017]

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

[J.R.]

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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.


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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.

[Wynton]

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.

[J.R.]

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.

[theblackkeys]

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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.

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why's that?

[shemp]

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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.

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why's that?

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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.

[theblackkeys]

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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.

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why's that?

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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.

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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.