The workout that melts the fastest fat is also one of the fastest; it usually takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish. This is known as high-intensity interval exercise or HIIT, and requires you to move fast, very fast for a very short time. One researcher goes so far as to call it the ‘one-minute workout’, because one version of this workout method only takes 60 seconds of intense effort, 20 seconds broken up by rest periods, a series that is repeated repeatedly. .
You probably recognize this exercise technique as it has been written about many times here and elsewhere. But have you tried it yet? And, if so, did you do it right and endure this rigorous exercise style long enough to notice results?
HIIT works. A number of studies have shown that short, vigorous workouts improve the markers of good health, such as aerobic fitness, lower blood pressure, and more stable blood sugar. Exercises like HIIT can also burn more calories and reduce more visceral fat than typical endurance like walking, running and cycling at a moderate pace if done for an hour or longer.
how so? The science is complicated; strenuous exercise causes certain changes at the molecular level that lead to an excess of oxygen consumption after exercise or EPOC. In other words, after exercise you get a metabolic post-burn for about 24 hours where you burn more calories than normal.
More important than weight loss are the aerobic fitness benefits of fast-paced workouts, researchers say. In a groundbreaking study by McMaster University in Canada published in PLOS Een, researchers have shown that just one minute of intense effort in a ten-minute workout was enough to reap the rewards. In the study, 14 overweight men and women were asked to do a 10-minute workout on stationary bikes, as hard and fast as they could pedal, at 20-second intervals, with 2-minute rest periods. With a warm-up and cool down, the entire workout took just 10 minutes, of which 60 seconds was an intense effort. After six weeks of these ten-minute workouts done three times a week, the cyclists significantly improved their aerobic capacity by 12%, lowering blood pressure numbers and improving other markers of aerobic and muscle fitness. (Related: Simple Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy.)
This is good news for people who exercise because they say they do not have time to fit it into their busy days. This study proves that it only takes one minute of hard work in ten minutes of your precious exercise time.
And it does not have to be run on a stationary bike. Martin Gibala, PhD, professor of kinesiology at McMaster, and one of the study’s lead researchers, says almost any type of exercise can be performed as a sprint-style interval. He wrote a book The one-minute workout: science shows a way to get fit that is smarter, faster, shorter diverse ways in which HIIT training can be incorporated into your busy life.
One caveat: sprint intervals are super, very difficult. People who mostly do not achieve results do not push themselves hard enough, coaches say. It is physically and psychologically challenging. You need to feel OK with discomfort.
“I tell people to imagine that a bloodthirsty Rottweiler is chasing them and trying to take a bite out of their thigh muscle – running like your life depends on it,” says the Denver personal trainer and fitness writer. Eric C. Stevens. He makes another critical point: “To stay motivated at that level of effort, choose an exercise you would like to do. For me, it’s boxing and martial arts because of the skill requirement and the sense of community.” (Related: 10 Easy Ways to Burn Fat in 30 Minutes)
But it can be any activity – rowing classes, cycling, brisk walking, even resistance training – any activity where you can push yourself to short exhaustion.
Stevens suggests two basic types of sprint intervals to try if you want to try this super fast way to get fit. But first a critical step to avoid injuries: Start each HIIT workout with a dynamic warm-up of the entire body for three to five minutes, he says. Do arm circles as you march in place, jumpers, jump rope, thumbworms, anything that involves all your limbs and raises your heart rate.
Use a stopwatch or a second-hand watch to keep time. Start running, jogging, cycling or rowing for 30 seconds at a light intensity. Then do 20 seconds at high intensity where you find it difficult to speak in full sentences. Without resting, go straight into a ten-second segment of a maximum effort of ‘rottweiler-in-pursuit’. You will know that you are pushing hard enough if you are too wavy to speak. Repeat the series 30-20-10 four more times, followed by a cooling of three minutes of walking and stretching.
Always start with a dynamic warm-up for three to five minutes. Tabata training follows a series of 20-10. You start with 20 seconds of intensity, extract, followed by 10 seconds of rest (very slow pedaling or walking). Repeat the pattern seven more times for a total of four minutes. Finish with a cooling.
“You can play with the interval times as long as you get the intensity,” Stevens says. “Anerobic exercise requires a monstrous effort. It sometimes feels awful too. But if you want the body of a dancer, a gymnast or sprinter, you have to exercise like one.”
Because HIIT is so physically stressful, you need to make sure you are healthy enough before attempting this exercise strategy. See your doctor for a complete physical examination.
Also note that coaches like Stevens and researchers like Gibala emphasize that the most effective and efficient way to lose weight and maintain weight loss is not through exercise, but by reducing calories through a healthy diet. If sucking wind is not something for you, you may be interested in lazy ways to lose weight all year long.
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