Editor’s note: Consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program. Stop immediately if you experience pain.
CNN
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High-intensity interval training has ranked in the top 10 fitness trends every year for the past decade. American College of Sports Medicine.
During the period HIIT training, It combines short bursts of intense exercise, typically lasting from 15 seconds to 4 minutes, with short recovery periods. These cycles are repeated over a period of time.
HIIT training is popular because it’s highly effective: it burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time, making it ideal for people who are pressed for time, it builds muscle mass and improves sports performance better than sustained moderate-intensity exercise, and it’s more fun than other exercise programs. Research suggests.
A review of 24 studies published in July 2021 found that HIIT training also has a positive effect on executive function, or cognitive function. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public HealthHIIT training also improves cognitive function in young adults. February 2020 Survey The researchers said the results suggest that HIIT training may be an efficient and effective way to combat age-related cognitive decline.
Despite its benefits and popularity, some people are hesitant to try HIIT because it often involves a variety of jumping movements. Popular HIIT moves include jumping jacks, box jumps, burpees, and tucks. Climbers.
If you have bad knees, poor balance, or are recovering from an injury, it’s best to avoid jumping, but there’s good news: you can still get your heart rate up with a variety of HIIT workouts that don’t involve jumping at all.
“High-impact exercises, such as jumping, are often confused with high-intensity exercise,” says Jonathan Tylicki, a certified personal trainer in Irvine, Calif. “But you can do low-impact exercises at high intensity and get the same benefits as high-impact, high-intensity exercise without jumping.”
High intensity training engages multiple muscle groups at the same time and raises your heart rate to 70% or above your maximum heart rate. Calculate your maximum heart rate Subtract your age from 220 and then take 70% of that number to find out how fast your heart should be beating.
For example, a 45-year-old’s maximum heart rate is 220 minus 45, which equals 175 beats per minute. 70% of 175 is 122.5, so during the high-intensity portion of a HIIT workout, your heart rate should rise to above 122.5 beats per minute. To put it more simply, during a high-intensity exercise cycle: A few words at a time Because I’m so out of breath.
So how do you get your heart pumping without jumping around? One way is to increase your speed.
“When you’re squatting, go as fast as you can,” says Pete McCall, a certified personal trainer based in Encinitas, California, and host of the All About Fitness podcast. “You don’t need to jump at the end.” Proper form is key, of course.
“You want to see rapid lengthening and shortening of muscle tissue, which is one of the benefits of jumping,” McCall says, “but you can get roughly the same benefits by standing in place and doing as many squats as you can in 20 seconds.”
Another way to increase the intensity of your workout is to use resistance bands or weights. Tylicki says you can throw a medicine ball or use a resistance band to create more tension in your muscle tissue. For example, tie the band to the doorknob of a closed door and pull or row as fast as you can.
ozgurcankaya/iStockphoto/Getty Images
Using resistance bands is one way to increase the intensity of your workout.
The traditional shoulder press is Tylicki’s favorite move to increase the intensity of a workout, and he encourages his clients to either use a heavier weight than they normally would or go faster with a lighter weight.
“I love showing my clients how doing the shoulder press can get their heart rate up,” Tylicki says. “They’re always amazed.”
McCall said rowing machines are also great for a high-intensity, low-impact workout. “You’re working more parts of your body at once, so you’re using more muscles,” he said, “but you’re not getting the impact from the ground. I have bad arthritis in my right knee, and the rowing machine is my go-to. It’s one of the best-kept secrets.”
Both trainers who spoke to CNN said that if you don’t have any limiting injuries or problems, you should consider trying some sort of jump at least occasionally during your training.
“Adding impact to your training has benefits,” Tylicki said, “for example, it’s one of the best ways to increase bone density, which is important for women who are at increased risk for osteoporosis or who are at increased risk for osteoporosis.” osteoporosis.”
The key is to start slow and easy: For example, try jumping jacks or jumping rope, which are lower-impact than box jumps. If you want to try box jumps, start with a short box and jump up, then down, says McCall.
“Anyone can jump, but it’s about landing properly,” McCall said. “If you’re jumping off the box and jumping up and down, you’re in danger of falling when you jump back down. I love jumping, but I don’t like jumping in the same place multiple times.”
Whether you jump occasionally or not all the time during your HIIT training, HIIT sessions are intense, so it’s important to limit yourself to two or three times a week, with at least one rest day in between. Also, remember that the older you are, the longer it takes your body to recover.
But HIIT training offers so many benefits, especially for older adults, so don’t let that stop you from incorporating it into your weekly routine.
“HIIT is really effective in reducing the risk of diabetes and fighting cognitive decline as we age,” McCall says. “Right now, the biggest benefit we’re seeing from HIIT training is the brain.”
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Melanie Radzicki McManus I’m a freelance writer specializing in hiking, travel, and fitness.
