It’s a common problem. You want to up your fitness game, but the prospect is daunting. Where should you start? Can you do it yourself? Will you have to spend a fortune on personal training? Maybe you’ve heard a lot of noise on social media telling you that HIIT is the answer, but WTH even is that?
Don’t worry! At Body Machine Fitness, we got you. Our group HIIT workouts are the perfect setting for beginners. Read on to learn more about what you are getting into.
What is HIIT?
HIIT workouts combine fast, powerful bursts of exercise—executed to the best of your ability— with short periods of recovery time between each cycle. The exercises tend to hit multiple muscle groups at once while raising your heart rate to maximize the cardiovascular impact of the routine. The result is more fat burned in less time, improved cardio, and stronger muscles.
A typical HIIT workout might include a few rounds of exercises such as jumping jacks, curls, mountain climbers, push-ups or burpees, and squats.
Get Ready to Become A HIIT Workout Machine
Match Your Fitness Level
If you’re looking for a new exercise plan or think HIIT might suit you, don’t be intimidated by the “high intensity” in the name.
When you start training at Body Machine Fitness, you can talk to one of our expert instructors about how to get started with HIIT at your current fitness level. They’ll give you the run down on our HIIT classes and show you how to modify exercises to better serve you where you’re at.
HIIT is challenging and fun! It’s normal for our gym members to get addicted to our classes, which means that in no time you’ll start seeing improvements in your strength and endurance— you’ll be crushing the exercises in no time.
A Full Body Workout
As you’re lacing your sneakers before your first workout, you might wonder what kind of movements you can expect to be doing. In a Body Machine Fitness class, we HIIT all the major muscle groups over the course of the week.
If you hopped into our Monday class, for instance, you could expect to primarily work your arms while secondarily hitting other major muscle groups. While on Wednesday, we may primarily work the legs, etc. This approach ensures you’re working your entire body throughout the week without exhausting the whole thing in a single day.
Determine What Style of HIIT is Best for You
Depending on your fitness level and goals, there are a few different types of HIIT workouts that you can try. Consulting with a Body Machine Fitness trainer will allow you to create the best HIIT plan for your needs, but here are a few different styles you might consider.
- Tabata —20 seconds of intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest.
- 30/30 —30 seconds of intense exercise followed by 30 seconds of rest or low intensity exercise.
- 45/15 — 45 seconds of high-intensity exercise followed by 15 seconds of rest or active recovery.
So, to make it clearer how this would look, if you are doing the 45/15, you might do one circuit of 5 different exercises for 3-5 rounds total. When you finish a circuit, you typically take a longer rest period of about 1-2 minutes before diving back into another circuit.
Assess Your Schedule
It’s typically a good idea to ease into the HIIT lifestyle. Experts recommend starting with just one HIIT workout weekly for the first few weeks. You can get started this week with a .
As you start feeling more comfortable with the tempo and movements, you can add a second day a week into your schedule. Once the movements become second nature, you’re ready to start incorporating HIIT workouts three or more times per week, or however many times your regimen requires you to meet your goals
Expect to Be Sore
Speaking of exhaustion, HIIT workouts should lead to a healthy amount of soreness but shouldn’t completely wipe you out. If you feel any sudden pain or soreness beyond your muscles, that might be a sign of overtraining.
That’s why you want to get into HIIT with some professional supervision. Working with our trainers is the best way to ensure you don’t miss out on HIIT’s health benefits because of an injury or fatigue.
Your Diet is Key to Effective Workouts
We all know that what we eat directly impacts our energy levels, and HIIT requires a good deal of energy. If you’re an early riser who might not eat breakfast before a workout, ensuring your dinner consists of a balanced meal will put enough in the tank to crush your morning BMF sesh.
If you’re looking to decompress after the workday, ensuring your lunch has a good deal of green is a great way to guarantee you’ll have enough energy for your class.
HIIT leads to Increased Brain Health
HIIT workouts are gaining recognition for their positive impact on the brain, and Body Machine Fitness Classes are no exception. A single HIIT class floods the brain with dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins, leaving you with a sense of peace, joy, and clarity of mind.
HIIT The Ground Running— Start Today
When you sign up for one of our free nightclub fitness classes, you’ll experience a workout unlike any other. You can expect a fun light show with energizing music to get you feeling motivated and working hard. Our trainers are in on the action, too, helping to keep you motivated and engaged.