Today’s article looks at the effects of high intensity interval training in women
What’s the deal?
High intensity interval training (HIIT) is reported to be a massive fat burner, whilst also taking less time to complete. It’s a huge favourite with those trying to lose weight, but is reported to be less effective in women.
What did they do?
Fifteen women were recruited into a 6 week running program. Participants completed up to six rounds of 30 second “all-out” sprinting on a self-propelled treadmill, three times per week.
What happened?
Participants generally lost around 8% of their total body fat and lost 3cm from their waist. They also improved their aerobic capacity and maximum sprinting speed.
What can you tell me about the people?
Women were, on average, 23 years old, 164cm tall (5’4”), 61kg (134 lbs) and all regarded as “recreationally active”. These women are in the healthy/normal BMI range, where fat loss is generally more difficult.
What will I do differently?
Pick any summer evening and you’ll see women jogging in parks, aiming to get fitter and/or lose weight. A typical run might be up to an hour in duration, but might not actually yield many benefits. A high intensity workout is proven to reduce fat mass in as little as 6 weeks and only takes up to 30 minutes from start to finish. Sounds like a no-brainer to me!
Top tip!
HIIT works best if you keep your body guessing. Try to avoid following the same workout in a row. Mix up your HIIT with cycling, running, swimming, jumping, squatting and all that good stuff!
Acknowledgements
This research was published in August 2014 by TJ Hazell and colleagues from the University of Lethbridge, Canada. This article highlights our personal take on their research. Check it out here and see what you think!
Abstract Athlete 