Science > Diet and Health

Benefits of High Intensity Interval Exercise

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deleven:
I would like to start a tread on the benefits of high intensity interval type exercise. It has been my experience that this is a great way to maximize time spent exercising with the purported benefit of raising HGH (human growth hormone) levels especially beneficial to those of us over 30.

I was initially led to this method through interest in strength training to facilitate my fitness as a tennis player years ago and have come across many sports and fitness experts who have now recommended this style of rigorous exertion followed by ample recovery time in repeated intervals as being a far more beneficial method of cardiovascular exercise than the standardized and routinely accepted methods of long term aerobic activity.

Chief among the advocates is Joseph Mercola, MD who after years of advocacy and practice as a long distance runner has changed his primary exercise platform into that of his “Peak 8” program. This basically recommends a sprint type activity for 30 seconds followed by a 90 second recovery, the interval of which is then repeated for a maximum of 8 times (Good luck in doing this for even 3 intervals when you first start). This session is then to be repeated no more than 3 times per week as recovery is essential.

The following article references Al Sears, MD whom Psyche previously referred us to on important aspects of high fat/ low carb diet.

_http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/04/15/new-study-shows-how-you-can-exercise-less-and-get-more-benefits.aspx

I especially enjoyed the following videos as it shows Dr. Mercola practicing what he preaches.

_http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/11/13/phil-campbell-on-peak-8-exercises.aspx

My own personal advocacy stems from feelings of increased daily energy and improved overall strength with such little time spent actually doing the exercise. I sleep much better at night as well. The down side is that the intensity level must be quite high to achieve maximum results and the pain can be relatively severe during the last few seconds of that 30 second sprint. The nice thing is that the form of high intensity can be varied throughout the week. One session could be stationary cycling and the next could be high intensity weight training. This keeps the boredom factor at a minimum.

Doug McGuff, MD makes a compelling case for slow high intensity exercise in the following interview.

_http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/01/06/dr-doug-mcguff-on-exercise.aspx

Best of all is that your body will tell you when you’ve pushed hard enough as your fitness level will dictate your exhaustion point. If you have not been on some sort of exercise regimen it is advised that you don’t push too much too soon. You may marvel at how fast your fitness and overall health, with proper diet, soon takes a delightful turn for the better.

I would really appreciate hearing from others on this subject.  :D

Carlise:
I always do HIIT  when I do cardio training, it is an excellent way to increase fitness levels + strength and takes only 20 minutes for a full session. Combined with the diet advocated on this forum it is a potent form of exercise and I would recommend it to anyone with a good basic fitness level. It is important not to overdo it though and to start slowly, as I have made myself sick a few times doing this.

It also seems to fit with the paleo idea very well, as back in the hunter-gatherer days life would consist of periods of rest alternating with periods of intense exercise when chasing animals (or running away from them!).

deleven:
Yes, fight or flight are what are bodies seem to respond best to. That's a good warning to start off slowly. In fact too much exertion at first can indeed turn you off to the whole program as getting quesy is a common early reaction. However if one can make it through the first couple of sessions I've found that the quesiness subsides rather quickly and the time savings is wonderful. Most important to allow ample recovery between sessions as well for the body needs this. And as I mentioned, good luck in even getting through 3 intervals when you are new to this. The greatest feeling is how my overall energy level and wellness benefit in the off time.

Carlise:
I stumbled across this interesting lecture by Doug McGuff, about combining paleo diet with high intensity training.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PdJFbjWHEU&list=PLEC5FCD564DC62846&feature=plcp

This particular method of weight training is new to me (just one set per exercise, once a week) and I am going to try it out for a few weeks. I'd recommend watching this, and would like to hear any possible criticism from people more knowledgeable on the subject than I currently am

deleven:
Yes, this how I do my strength training. It's very intense, but overall less time is spent in the gym. I find once per week can be adequate though sometimes I go twice per.

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