so, the standard approach presented to interval training has one increasing & decreasing their speed.
 
if you're on a stationary bike or elliptical though, how about maintaining constant speed & increasing & decreasing resistance?  Does this accomplish the same thing?  seems to me like it would, but I inquire as to your thoughts.

Yes. But it won't be as effective as a few intervals of sprinting full blast for 20 seconds and jogging for 40.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

When I do HIIT on a bike or crosstrainer, I vary the resistance, not the cadence, although I do rev up the cadence on the "sprints."  If I'm sweatin' like a monsoon and huffin' like a steam locomotive, that's all that needs to happen, right?

I sweat in my shower water is too hot, but it's not cardio.

Sweating is just body's natural way of cooling itself down, it, like soreness, is no indicator of a good workout.

HIIT varies to keep your heart from adjusting (since your body adapts to cardio so easily). The key component is to maintain a constantly changing heart-rhythm.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

Well I'm pretty sure that's happening:  Doesn't elevated respiration correspond to elevated heart rate?  This is why I had a thread a while ago asking whether a Polar heart rate monitor was a wise investment.  I mean is this really rocket science?  How important is getting the intervals right, or is it more just pounding your body into submission for 15 min and you can't go all out for 15 min or you'd keel over dead so you do intervals instead?  There's a science to the HR roller coaster?  What's the best interval as far as high/low % of max HR, and time at high intensity/time at low intensity?

Getting the intervals right would be a matter of change each workout. Meaning if you did 8 intervals of 40/20, try either getting 9 intervals of 40/20 the next week and / or just do 35/25 for 8 intervals. The key is to "train" your heart so to speak.

I've done HIIT through running, burpees, push ups, lightweight exercises (tabata sort of), etc. there are many ways to do it but the key is to increase the cardiac output as much as possible. I don't imagine raising the incline would be as effective as a full boar sprint depended upon the intensity of the incline. Keep in mind walking on an incline is considered lower intensity cardio..so the intensity used is important too. You should rely on your anaerobic glycosis during the interval part of HIIT, which is 50-85% of your max intensity so that the anaerobic threshold occurs.

Here is some more information: http://www.hiitsource.com/

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

JMBS

What's the best interval as far as high/low % of max HR, and time at high intensity/time at low intensity?

I didn't answer this in the previous post due to rambling but a short and direct response is the anaerobic threshold occurs within 50-85% of max heart-rate.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP,
   Thanks!   That website is a disaster though!  All the forum posts were flushed down the toilet when the hosting company went belly up.  It tells me high intensity and active rest HRs but doesn't talk about how many seconds of each.  When you do HIIT, what is the timing of your intervals?

I do 43/22 at the moment, I started at 40/20 so I'm fairly catching up.

I sent you a PM with a link to an article I wrote on how cardio works and why it's necessary.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP


I do 43/22 at the moment, I started at 40/20 so I'm fairly catching up.

I sent you a PM with a link to an article I wrote on how cardio works and why it's necessary.

Got it. Read it.  Good stuff!  Thx!
Do you have a special watch to do the 43/22?

Haha, no I'm lame. I run with an mp3 player and when it hits a certain lyric I slow down, re-start the song and do it again and again.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP


Haha, no I'm lame. I run with an mp3 player and when it hits a certain lyric I slow down, re-start the song and do it again and again.

That's not lame, imo.  That's clever!  :)

I agree with what was said as well - I've worked with people who do HIIT a number of different ways - as long as the intensity level is really getting up there, you'll get results.

-Vince DelMonte    
www.MuscleAdvantagePlan.com

MVP


Haha, no I'm lame. I run with an mp3 player and when it hits a certain lyric I slow down, re-start the song and do it again and again.

Ha!  That'd probably make me sick of the song!


Jmbs, If you're looking for an interval timer, Gymboss makes a decent and cheap one.  It beeps, vibrates, it's small and simple.  Only does 2 interval times, but it works just fine for my HIIT.  I thought it might be a silly purchase, but I've got no regrets.  You can probably get it on Amazon or Gymboss' website if you're interested.

Snatchula,
   Thanks!  But how do you figure out what the interval times should be?

Are you asking what intervals I like to use?

Every now and then I read about guys doing like 45-60 sec work intervals.  Hey, it still burns calories, but if you're really going max effort, after 30 secs the intensity starts to dwindle fast.  And high intensity is the name of the game.  So personally I like 20/10 sprints.  20 secs is a good amount of time to push it hard as hell before losing too much steam.  If I'm out of shape (like now) and 10 secs isn't enough rest, I increase it to 12 or 13.

On the treadmill and crosstrainer I was doing 30 and 30.
In the pool I was doing 1/2 lap and 1/2 lap, so probably 20 and 30 maybe.
So there's no hard science behind which times work best?  Depends on individual and tolerance?

JMBS


On the treadmill and crosstrainer I was doing 30 and 30.
In the pool I was doing 1/2 lap and 1/2 lap, so probably 20 and 30 maybe.
So there's no hard science behind which times work best?  Depends on individual and tolerance?

Yes. Just change it up frequently, start out with 45/15. When you sprint, you should go full blast, as fast as you can, which will automatically cause a release of epinephrine.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

JMBS


On the treadmill and crosstrainer I was doing 30 and 30.
In the pool I was doing 1/2 lap and 1/2 lap, so probably 20 and 30 maybe.
So there's no hard science behind which times work best?  Depends on individual and tolerance?

IMO get off the treadmill.  Don't let a machine's limitations determine how quickly you can get to top speed.
Swimming is a whole different ballgame for me.  I tried swimming HIIT and it was a disaster, I really don't like it.

S,
  Yeah, no more treadmill HIIT for me.  Had to visit the doc after that!  :(
Like the swimming, but bigger time commitment w/getting ready, showering, etc.
Crosstrainer is my favorite so far.

JMBS:

Try HIIT with burpees. 30 seconds on / 10 seconds off. Do 8 cycles of that and see the feeling you get afterwords, IMO it's harder than the sprinting!

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP


JMBS:

Try HIIT with burpees. 30 seconds on / 10 seconds off. Do 8 cycles of that and see the feeling you get afterwords, IMO it's harder than the sprinting!

Okay, I didn't know what "burpees" were so I youtube'd.
 
Is this a good example?!  ;)
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYfNA_lmkHM

For some reason it won't let me watch the video?

Here is the perfect example though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX7pD-CeCvU

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

MVP


For some reason it won't let me watch the video?

Here is the perfect example though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX7pD-CeCvU

NO, NO!  Put this title in youtube:  (a much better example)  ;) 

Fitness - Boot Camp Workout 1: Burpee's Exercise

OH $#IT!!!

It's videos like these that make me appreciate single life.

Haha, thanks J.

Now I can watch a hot girl sweat with hardly any clothes on with heavy breathing and say I'm being educated on burpee forums of HIIT.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

i have watched way too many of her videos...

snatchula


i have watched way too many of her videos...

You mean there are more?!
 
SLDLs maybe?

hahaha she has a ton.

SLDL, i don't think so, but the exercise itself barely even matters.  try:
Fitness - Dive Bomber Push Ups Exercise

snatchula


hahaha she has a ton.

SLDL, i don't think so, but the exercise itself barely even matters.  try:
Fitness - Dive Bomber Push Ups Exercise

Nice!  Love the breathing afterward!
 
On a serious note:  That is the PERFECT female body, in my opinion.   Really like THAT!

Now, THAT was a threadjack.

(p.s.  I don't really care....)