Burst training or High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) can help you get into shape faster than regular workouts. If you’re looking for an aerobic exercise that builds strength, melts your belly fat, and makes you feel great, burst training could be for you. Here are ten reasons you should try burst training.
High-intensity interval training became popular several years ago, but a type of intense interval training was first introduced in the 1950s. Back then, this training method improved the performance of Olympic athletes. Today, many everyday people use burst training for their workouts. You only need to do four to six sets of thirty to sixty-second bursts of exercise at least thrice weekly. Don’t push yourself beyond this. Be sure you take some days to rest.
Ten Good Reasons to Try Burst Training, Including Burning of Belly Fat
Here are some convincing reasons why you should give this workout a try. As with any new fitness program, check with your family doctor before you start–especially if you have any known health concerns.
1. Burst training boosts your growth hormone levels
Burst training stimulates growth hormones in both men and women. Growth hormones regulate the body’s muscles, tissue, bone, and fat. It also affects your metabolism, such as your insulin action and blood sugar levels. As you age, growth hormones decrease.
2. Increase fat burning
Although cardio exercises are practical, they can’t burn fat as quickly or thoroughly as HIIT. On the other hand, burst training effectively burns fat because it depletes your stored glycogen(sugar) to use as immediate energy during the bursts. As a result, your body burns fat for as long as 24 to 48 hours to replace glycogens. A short 15-minute burst exercise gives you 48 hours of belly fat burn. What a great trade-off!
3. Burst training takes less time for better results
HIIT works in circuits or intervals. You do a series of bursts, including strength training and cardio for at least 10x each. There are five different exercises within each circuit. Each circuit should take you at least fifteen minutes. For instance, one beginning 15-minute circuit of burst training could be:
- Jumping with high knees
- Squats
- Push-ups
- Ab lowers
- Planks
- Depending on your fitness level, you can modify these exercises if needed. You can do burst training can be done three times a week. It’s essential to take rest days to allow your body to recover. Other types of burst exercises you could include in the circuit are:
- Biking
- Jumping rope
- Jumping jacks
- High jumps
- Running in place
- Burpees
4. Burst training is easy
Burst training is efficient and easy to do. Everyone has fifteen minutes in their busy day to do HIIT. Do you want to lose weight and get into shape without joining a gym or buying costly exercise equipment? Burst training might be a good option for you.
Of course, your diet is also essential for losing belly fat. Some doctors suggest that 80% of your weight loss is through diet. So, eat low sugar, lots of fruits and veggies, and whole-grain carbohydrates.
5. Revs up your metabolism
One of the most significant advantages of HIIT is that it helps you continue to burn calories after you finish exercising. It increases your metabolism, so you burn belly fat for anywhere from 24 to 48 hours after exercise. Other practical exercises don’t rev up your metabolism as burst training does. This is because it causes your body to use up stored fat as energy. That’s why some people have lost weight and seen muscle mass growth after only two weeks of HIIT.
Learn how HIIT workouts can help blast away fat.
6. Helps you lose belly fat
Most people would love to trim down a bit of belly fat. Wanting to lose the fat around your belly is a good goal because it’s dangerous. Belly fat surrounds your internal organs. This puts you at risk for several health problems, including diabetes, liver problems, and heart disease. It’s hard to lose belly fat because it’s these fat cells don’t respond readily to the fat-burning process called lipolysis. This fat just won’t let go. But burst training can help you get this fat moving. Exercising at a maximum effort burns your body’s stored sugar. It causes your body to burn for the next day or two, including your stubborn belly fat. Of course, you must eat right. If you overeat, you won’t see the results.
7. You gain muscle with burst training
Besides losing belly fat, HIIT increases your muscle strength. Depending on what exercises you do in your circuits, this is where you’ll gain the most muscles. That’s why doing various cardio and strength training exercises for overall muscle mass is good. Most people notice they gain muscle in their legs and trunk. You’ll see a significant muscle change when you start burst training if you’re not that active.
- Exercises for arm muscles: Planks, push-ups, burpees
- Moves to build your leg muscles: Jumping jacks, marching in place, jumping rope.
- Exercises to build core or trunk muscles: Sit-ups, plants, shoulder taps, butterfly sit-ups
8. Boosts your oxygen
Aerobic exercises boost your oxygen input and output. It’s a great workout to get your blood moving. Your blood delivers oxygen to your body’s cells. When you breathe fresh oxygen into your lungs, your red blood cells bind with the oxygen and take it into your bloodstream. Oxygen helps
- Replace old cells that wear out
- Supplies energy for your body
- Supports your immune system
- Increases your ability to focus
- Improves your sleep
- Helps your mood
You need fifteen minutes of burst training three times a week to see improved oxygen consumption. Some say it can increase by almost 10% with HIIT.
9. Lowers your heart rate
Burst training melts belly fat and improves your oxygen levels. It also helps lower your heart rate. Why is a low heart rate a good thing? A lower heart rate usually means you have a higher level of physical fitness. In addition, a low heart rate reduces your chances of a heart attack. Of course, when you’re doing HIIT, the goal is to elevate your heart rate for the best benefits. Most high-intensity exercises have a rest time. This could be approximately thirty to sixty seconds of work, then thirty to sixty seconds of rest or low-impact level exercises per circuit. This allows time for you to recuperate. Exercising like this will improve your heart rate and strengthen your heart. Other heart-related benefits of burst training include these:
- Lower blood pressure
- Lose weight
- Lower resting heart rate
- More endurance
- Lower BMI in people with normal blood pressure
10. It helps reduce your blood sugar
Burst training for only twelve weeks can lower your blood sugar. In addition, it improves your insulin resistance more than regular aerobic exercises. If you think you’re at risk for type 2 diabetes, trying HIIT may be worthwhile to see if it helps you manage your blood sugar levels.
Are There Any Negatives to Burst Training?
Too much burst training could backfire on your health goals. HIIT does improve your endurance and helps you lose belly fat, but it can also stress your body. It’s best to do moderate amounts of HIIT workouts. Avoid burst training daily because it can stagnate your fitness and damage your health. Some of the negatives of HIIT include:
- It may not be for everyone: It can stress your heart and immune system. Burst training can cause your body to release too much cortisol, a stress hormone. This can lead to autoimmune problems.
- Can make you dizzy: The alternating exercises can make you dizzy and feel nauseous. Your blood pressure is dropping too quickly, making you feel dizzy. Take longer breaks in between workouts. Shift to lower-intensity exercises.
- Sore muscles: This is common in all exercises, but high-intensity training can overexert your muscles to risk causing damage.
- Risk of injury: HIIT is a fast-paced exercise. If you do it the wrong way, you risk injuring yourself. Always stretch before and after you do a workout. Listen to your body. If you feel pain, stop the exercise.
So, if you want to continue doing HIIT, limit it to no more than ninety minutes a week. Keep your circuits to fifteen to thirty minutes over a week. Rest in the alternate days. Never do HIIT two days in a row. It’s better to miss a day of exercise than push your body too hard. If you want, you can do strength training in moderation on rest days.
Final Thoughts on Giving Burst Training (HIIT) A Try
Many people like burst training because of the fantastic benefits gained in a short amount of time. You can burn your belly, strengthen your muscles, and build your muscle mass quickly. Intensity training is a variety of aerobic workouts along with strength training bursts. Overdoing HIIT could be detrimental, so be sure to use moderation using it.
If you want to lose weight plus improve your fitness, burst training could be for you. Then, you’re guaranteed to get into shape quickly.
