[Shytowngal]

Hi, I've read a lot of links on HIIT, but I'm still confused. I've been doing interval training on the treadmill. I do 2 minutes at 3.5 and then 2 minutes at 7.0 on and off for 30 minutes. Is this HIIT? Or do I need to up the levels?

Also, I realize I need a warm up and cool down, what speed would you recommend for that?

Thank you, I really appreciate any insight anyone may have.

[nelie]

That is intervals but are you nearly dying for the 2 minutes at 7? hah

The best example I've seen of HIIT is the Body for Life one:
http://bodyforlife.com/library/exercise/cardio

[Shytowngal]

Thanks for the link, I'm going to try this tonight! For some reason jogging at one constant speed doesn't bother me too much. It seems like increasing speed up and down for 17 straight minutes might kill me! But I'll give it a shot.

Can I add additional cardio to this? I read somewhere that you are ONLY supposed to do HIIT for 20 minutes, and that additional cardio should NOT be added. Is that true? I think I'm going to feel guilty for only exercising for 20 minutes.

[mkroyer]

theres no reason to do the HIIT intervals...your regular intervals are working just fine.... what most people claim/think is HIIT training is really just intervals anyway..........which are fine...they are still really great for you...but honestly, if it can be done on a treadmill, its NOT High intensity interval training..... If it doesnt make you puke, its NOT HIIT....
2 cents anyway.....

i know they are all in vogue right now, but most of us should NOT be training that way.... i personally cannot do the HIIT....my body is too sensitive, hormonally, from overtraiing...... doing things that stressful COMPLETELY shuts down fat loss for me...... and for alot of woman.....

[ennay]

Out of curiosity mk, why do you say HIIT can not be done on a TM? I'm not a big HIIT fan myself, but if I were to do it I would probably do it on a tread as it is the only exercise in which my limiting factor is my cardio and not my muscles. Any other machine I simply can not get my HR up that high.

The closest I have come to HIIT is my run at the zoo near here where there are progressively steeper hills. I've seen spots and had the world close in at the top of the last one.

[mkroyer]

Ennay-- what i really meant to get across, was that if it can be done on a piece of gym equipment.......the real point is that most people sprint for a minute on a tread and call it HIIT, when in reality it was just an interval....maybe a hard interval at that, but still........ You are a fit woman too!! Can you think of a treadmill workout that would truly, honestly leave you unable to take another step after 12 minutes? As you said, the closest you ever came was outdoors.........
im sure i will catch a lot of flak from everyone around here, but people throw the term around so loosely now....... Most people ARENT really doing them, which is good, because most people really SHOULDNT be doing them!

Once again, let me re-iterate that im sure it IS humanly possible to do a HIIT workout on a treadmill, but i was just saying that more to get a point across.

here is an exerpt from an article, and a link to the article too!
"When the first interval kicks in you need to go at an ALL OUT SPRINT for 10-20 secs. Unless you are a highly trained athlete you will not (if doing it correctly) be able to do more than this, period. This isn't running, this is sprinting or better put running for your life as hard as you possibly can. I have seen people fall flat on there face before. You are working at a 85 to 90% . You cannot physically move and go much higher than this. I see a lot of people trying to time themselves or their heart rate during these sprints, it isn't possible. You can't do anything else other than pray and run for that 10-20 secs."
http://www.squidoo.com/GuidetoHIIT

[ennay]

You are right in that the definition of HIIT in the article you list and the more common links to HIIT from body for life (which is what most people on 3FC reference as HIIT and the definition I assume they are talking about when it is brought up) are VASTLY different.

BFL progressions are actually much less intense than when I do a track workout I believe. I dont usually combine progressions and intervals like that, but if I am doing a track workout my recovery periods would be much shorter. 90% is usually close to 5K pace so I wouldnt do less than a 2 minute interval. If I did a pace which required a 1 minute interval I would do a 1 minute recovery. (since I am a distance gal, I acutally usually do 800's as intervals which is ~ 3:45 time and recovery) Which is probably good that BFL-HIIT is less intense as BFL recommends doing it multiple times a week which isnt smart if it is as intense as a speed session can be.

In order to do the definition of HIIT you linked to on a piece of equipment that was not self driven you would have to precisely know your limit. Which if you are improving would be tough. And most TM's ramp way too slowly. I do striders on the TM which are 15-20 seconds and at least 5 of those are in ramp up. And if you guess wrong hope no one is walking behind your TM if you go down.

It might be possible on a more self driven piece of equipment like a rowing machine or a cycle. But I'll never know. Personally I would be more concerned with shredding a quad. The closest I've come to that kick is running to 1st base. And the first game of every dang season I used to pull a quad.