Oh no, Chris is at it again; naming exercises after himself! Relax! It's called HIIT, not HIT or HITCH (which is an amazing movie fyi, pretty sure that was about me)! HIIT stands for High Intense Interval Training and is definitely not rocket science. This type of cardio should be used to spice up your mundane cardio program. In my opinion, this acronym is one of the most overused terms in the industry. People claim to be participating in this exercise by doing it half heartily. HIIT training is technically defined as anaerobic exercise (without oxygen, think of a 1rm or a full blown sprint). It's followed by less intense aerobic work like a walk or light jog until you have fully recovered). Is HIIT beneficial? For one, it's shorter than the average cardio bout; 10-30 minutes. Two, left ventricular hypertrophy takes place; your heart grows in a beneficial manner. Three, improved glucose metabolism and improved fat burning. Now is the time for weight loss 101. We do not begin to burn fat until we have depleted our storage tank of carbs, aka glycogen, or stored glucose. This depletion is dependent on the duration and intensity of exercise. The average 30 minute run would just barely deplete our carb tank and just begin burning fat. HIIT is far superior because you deplete the glycogen at a faster pace. However; you also build your leg muscles as the intensity is so high. Look at the body types of sprinters, ripped and full of solid muscles. Look at the body type of long distant runners and cyclists who don't implement HIIT, soft and skinny. Why is this? The longer we stress our system (usually greater than 90 minutes); we begin to burn muscle! Say what? Why the heck would we want to do that? Exactomundo my Show Up Fitness prodigies, we don't! Ideally, we want to increase our muscle mass so we can burn fat at rest; HIIT training does this, long distance running does not. Pursue one of the three following HIIT programs and you will be on the right path for success! Remember, summer is right around the corner. We don't want to be self- conscious and soft now do we? NO! So start sprinting, jumping and lifting heavier weights!!!

Warm up for 5 minutes & add in some dynamic stretching then do one of the following&
HIIT 1: Track Workout
400m sprint x 2 sets; 200m sprint x 4 sets; 100m sprint x 6 sets; 50m sprint x 6 sets; 400m sprint x 1 (rest 1-3 minutes per set)

HIIT 2: Pre-core / Eliptical Workout
10-20 second sprint at a resistance between 4-6 x 10 sets (rest 1 minute between intervals)

HIIT 3: Treadmill Workout
Sprint at a pace above normal speed (between 9mph – 12mph) for 1 minute, then hop off treadmill and perform max out push-ups x 3 sets; then max pull-ups x 3 sets ; then 10 jumps x 3 sets (9 total sets)

In my opinion, if your goal is weight loss, HIIT training is your golden ticket. Long distance running is beneficial since it helps decrease blood pressure and the release of BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor), but the repetition may be too damage to the body in the long run. So start implementing HIIT! It's shorter and the results are far more generous! Granted HIIT is not for beginners, so initiate slowly. As always, keep SHOWING UP, smiling, relax, listening to country music and shake and bake!!!