High-Intensity Interval Training and Its Benefits to Weight Training and Fitness

The revelation that is high-intensity interval training has taken the fitness world by storm. Instead of the formerly accepted method of doing long stints of low to medium-intensity training with short bursts of high-intensity exercises, high-intensity interval training flips it on its head to do longer periods of high-intensity training followed by very short breaks for an overall workout that takes less time to complete. Forged in the 1970s, it seems to be a given that doing long stretches of high-intensity work is more beneficial than less strenuous exercise followed by small amounts of really pushing oneself, but, as you would assume, it requires a lot more effort physically and mentally. There are many benefits to using high-intensity interval training, one being that it is far more time-effective than other methods, so here we'll be breaking down its perks for weight training and general fitness.

HIIT for faster results

Building muscle and getting stronger is a process, a careful process that requires time, patience, and dedication. So, if someone were to come up to another person doing weight training and tell them that they could build muscle faster and burn more calories during a workout if they changed their training, you can bet that they would snap at the chance. According to Dr. Mercola of Peak Fitness, while you do need to follow guidelines to avoid overtraining syndrome and injuries, high-intensity weight training for two months can increase muscle strength by 50 percent. As well as building muscle faster, it burns more fat and calories and, as highlighted before, is far more time-effective than other more traditional training regimes. To add to this, as your muscles require a lot more oxygen over elongated periods of time when using high-intensity interval training, the demand on your heart and lungs increases, resulting in improved cardiovascular fitness as well as enhanced strength and muscle training. One very well-rounded sport that demands high levels of both strength and endurance gained through cardiovascular exercise is boxing, and one of the greatest athletes who epitomises those motions right now is unified world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua.

Having recently moved to 20-0-0, the 6'6”, 18-stone British boxer has impressed in the ring with his boxing skill as well as his immaculate physique. Anthony Joshua was once seen as “just a bodybuilder” by some, but after his valiant 11-round effort against one of the most dominant heavyweights of all-time, Wladimir Klitschko, on April 29, 2017, nobody doubts the 28-year-old's levels of fitness and endurance. You can simply search “Anthony Joshua training” and see all of the videos of the high-intensity fitness training that he utilizes, and now that he's preparing for a bout with Joseph Parker you can bet that he's stepped it up even further. With Parker coming in as a 24-fight undefeated, stern, slippery, and physically powerful world champion Joshua is at +550 with UK betting site Betway Sports to win by decision or technical decision. Men's Health recently revealed the high-intensity full-body TRX Workout exercise that Joshua grinds through to build his core, upper-body strength, and lower-body strength, and he'll need it all if he's to defeat Parker. Even though the 25-year-old New Zealander is coming in as the heavy underdog, he's proven that he knows how to win a fight by going the distance.

Overall fitness perks of HIIT

High-intensity interval training is very challenging; it's not simply a quicker way to get results. It will push the user mentally and physically, but it is richly rewarding. While using high-intensity training when weight training gives quite obvious results in muscle strength, there are also many other perks that come with the additional effort that high-intensity interval training requires. According to Health Fitness Revolution, just “15 minutes of high-intensity interval training burns more calories than jogging on a treadmill for 60 minutes” – which is just a phenomenally better rate of burning. Furthermore, as discussed earlier, it helps to build endurance – which is key to all forms of fitness activities – as well as boosts metabolism, doesn't necessarily require equipment, and it is great for added cardiovascular benefits.

The fact that high-intensity interval training is very challenging is one of its major perks, as it trains you to be more committed, more determined, and makes you push yourself for better results. Whether you're just looking to get quicker results from your physical excursions, want to improve both muscle strength and endurance – as the top boxers like Anthony Joshua do – or simply want a new challenge, high-intensity interval training is the way forward. The training pushes you to your maximum, so you're still going at your own pace, but you are being pushed to your limits for maximum results over shorter workouts.