HIIT is quick and anything but boring, as its exacting work-to-rest ratios make it arguably the most time-efficient way to exercise and burn calories.

You can use the HIIT protocol to build your entire workout, or apply it to just a few sets to create super-charged finishers. However you do it, what makes HIIT work is the intensity. Work-to-rest ratio is frequently brought in when discussing HIIT, and there are several accepted ratios you should consider.

The key to making HIIT work: The intensity. The protocol is designed to give you chances to go hard, so you need to take advantage of those chances.

Instead of 15 to second intervals executed at near percent intensity, intervals of one to three minutes at closer to 80 percent of maximum effort, followed by up to five minutes of lower intensity exercise, have also been shown effective for weight loss in sedentary populations. In group fitness settings and among far too many trainers HIIT and "interval training" are often used interchangeably.

Make no mistake: True HIIT requires you to be explosive and intense during your work period. Basic interval training, however, minus the high-intensity aspect, is what you see most on the group fitness scene.

Work periods here are typically larger than rest periods, without the consideration for the level of effort expended. The Primary Benefits of HIIT Workouts. One review looked at 13 different studies on overweight and obese adults.

It found that both HIIT and traditional moderate-intensity exercise can reduce weight and waist circumference. Some researchers have found that HIIT increases metabolism for hours after exercise even more than jogging and weight training.

This is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption EPOC , informally called afterburn , a measurably increased rate of oxygen intake following strenuous activity. HIIT is not just a tool to use to lean out.

It can improve your overall health, too. A summary of 50 different studies found that HIIT reduces blood sugar levels.

Further research shows it can reduce resting heart rate and blood pressure in overweight and obese individuals. This intense workout template is popular enough that it's become shorthand for just about any type of boutique fitness class that features multiple exercises, different stations, and plenty of sweat.

The term is bandied about so much that many people who have taken a HIIT class might not totally understand why they're pushing so hard through the stop and start nature of the protocol, either.

That doesn't stop HIIT from being a top choice for boutique gyms and fitness clubs—the workouts fit a ton of activity into a brief period, which is ideal for consumers looking for the most bang for their buck and trainers and gyms hoping to slot as many sessions into a schedule as possible.

That's fine for gyms with class slots to schedule, but if your whole fitness routine is only made up of HIIT workout sessions, you need to take a step back and reassess what you're doing. Aiming to add muscle? HIIT can be a great tool to diversify your training, but you won't be able to make the most gains that way.

And if you're taking on any more than two or three HIIT workouts a week, you're doing too much. You'll either push yourself into overtraining if you go as hard as you should be for every session, since you won't give yourself enough time to recover properly, or more likely you'll fail to reach the effort threshold the workouts are designed around.

Be smart about how and when you use HIIT. Some Ways to Do HIIT Workouts. Not necessarily. Here are some of the different types of equipment and training styles you can use as part of a HIIT protocol.

Now that you know everything to know about HIIT, here are some HIIT workouts that can keep you off the treadmill for the most part and on a far more fun path to major fat-burn. Luckily, Ben Feiden, CFSC of Performance HQ has just the thing for you.

All you need is you and a clock to get this full body burn in. Get ready to get your butt kicked by Jaimar Brown , C. Malik Fitness in this installment of our 5 Minutes of Hell series. Grab one set of medium and one set of light dumbbells and cycle through the following five exercises for 45 seconds of work, and 15 seconds of rest for a quick and dirty full body workout.

Ngo Okafor , the owner and founder of Iconoclast Fitness , and two-time Golden Gloves Championship winner goes through another installment of our 5 Minutes of Hell series designed to push you to your limits in a short amount of time.

Complete these eight exercises for 30 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for a heart-racing HIIT workout. Erik Bartell, C.

In only 5 short minutes, this workout will have you contemplating surrender. Work through these 5 exercises for 45 seconds of work, and 15 seconds of rest.

This dumbbell workout from All Out Studio 's High Power HIIT program by trainer Gerren Liles will help you to sculpt your chest, arms, and back while ramping up the pace.

N Engl J Med. National Library of Medicine. Can you boost your metabolism? Cava E, Yeat NC, Mittendorfer B. Preserving healthy muscle during weight loss. Adv Nutr.

Hong AR, Kim SW. Effects of resistance exercise on bone health. Endocrinol Metab Seoul. Hart PD, Buck DJ. The effect of resistance training on health-related quality of life in older adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Health Promot Perspect. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Target heart rate and estimated maximum heart rate. Donnelly JE, Honas JJ, Smith BK, et al. Aerobic exercise alone results in clinically significant weight loss for men and women: Midwest Exercise Trial 2.

Obesity Silver Spring. Yang YJ. An overview of current physical activity recommendations in primary care. Korean J Fam Med.

Chiu CH, Ko MC, Wu LS, et al. Benefits of different intensity of aerobic exercise in modulating body composition among obese young adults: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Health Qual Life Outcomes. Zhang H, Tong TK, Qiu W, et al. Comparable effects of high-intensity interval training and prolonged continuous exercise training on abdominal Vvisceral fat reduction in obese young women.

J Diabetes Res. Greer BK, O'Brien J, Hornbuckle LM, Panton LB. EPOC comparison between resistance training and high-intensity interval training in aerobically fit women. Int J Exerc Sci. How much physical activity do adults need?

Greenlee TA, Greene DR, Ward NJ, et al. Effectiveness of a week high-intensity cardioresistance training program in adults. J Strength Cond Res. Conceição M, Cadore EL, González-Izal M, et al. Strength training prior to endurance exercise: Impact on the neuromuscular system, endurance performance and cardiorespiratory responses.

J Hum Kinet. Astorino TA, Allen RP, Roberson DW, Jurancich M. Effect of high-intensity interval training on cardiovascular function, VO2max, and muscular force. By Paul Rogers Paul Rogers is a personal trainer with experience in a wide range of sports, including track, triathlon, marathon, hockey, tennis, and baseball.

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List of Partners vendors. By Paul Rogers Paul Rogers. Jump one set on a single leg, one set with both legs, and one set while running in place. Burpees combine squats, jumps, and pushups.

This cardio workout has increased in popularity due to its ability to maximize calorie burn and fat loss. It involves intense bursts of exercise to elevate your heart rate, followed by 15 seconds of rest. These training sessions can fire up your metabolism. This full-body, demanding workout will amp up your heart rate while increasing your arm and leg strength and helping you develop a strong core, explains Blozy.

Blozy recommends lifting faster to boost your heart rate even more and have a more cardio-intense workout. Pushups are an excellent exercise for stabilizing the core, building upper body strength, and increasing muscle mass in your arms. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between each set. Gradually increase your number of reps as your strength improves.

Blozy also recommends step-ups as another great exercise to strengthen the legs while stabilizing your core and lower back muscles. Want to make it challenging? Add weight by holding a dumbbell or kettlebell next to your chest or hold one in each hand, Blozy says.

Blozy also suggests deadlifts as an exercise to build muscles in both the lower and upper body, while reducing fat. Along with a regular exercise routine and a healthy diet, look for other ways to be active every day.

This can maximize your weight loss efforts and help you reach your goal sooner. Starting and sticking with an exercise routine is probably the hardest part. But a few tricks can make it easier to stay active. For example, eat a light snack before exercise to keep your energy up.

Nothing too heavy, though. Great pre-workout snacks include:. Also, get plenty of sleep the night before exercising. This is someone who motivates you to reach your fitness goals.

Lastly, choose workouts you find enjoyable. If you hate run-of-the-mill aerobic classes, take a dance class instead. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. High intensity interval training HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with recovery periods.