• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Alexander Training

Alexander Training

Personal training and strength programs in Austin, Texas.

  • Home
  • About
  • Resources
    • About Personal Training
    • Online Personal Training FAQ
    • Train Heroic FAQ
    • Weight Loss FAQ
    • Exercise Library
      • Warm ups & stretching
      • Legs & glutes
      • Back & chest
      • Shoulders & arms
      • Abs & core
    • Austin Fitness Info
  • Blog
  • Personal Training
  • Online Personal Training
  • Training Programs
    • The Garage Squad
    • Tech Strong
    • The Home Team

HIIT

HIIT Revisited: Is it a Must-Do?

August 6, 2018 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

If you follow fitness blogs or publications, you’ve probably heard of HIIT training. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. HIIT is, as the name says, high intensity training that is done in bouts alternated with rest.


HIIT_Kathryn_stairs

For example, after a proper warm up, one might do sprints, stair climbs, or sled work in bouts of :60 seconds, with :60 rest. This is just an example, as a variety of exercise methods and work:rest intervals can be used.

Sounds simple, but this is exhausting! It requires mental fortitude, but drives big results!

See examples of HIIT here, on the Exercise Minute with KVUE and Erika Lopez.

Is HIIT for everyone?

Absolutely not! Every person is an individual with different goals, background, and preferences, and no one training style is a must-do for everybody. 

The benefits of HIIT are widely known, so people who are healthy enough for HIIT should understand it is an option. Some people really take to the intensity and focus HIIT demands, and they begin to enjoy or at least appreciate it.

Who Should Avoid HIIT?

HIIT requires high exertion, so anyone with heart problems, breathing issues, or unstable/injured joints should not do HIIT. In some situations, people with high blood pressure should avoid exercising at a high intensity as well.

Anyone who’s doctor has recommended against vigorous exercise should also lean toward more moderate exercise. This does not mean “ineffective”.

Read about other training protocols here: Different Styles of Cardio and When to Use Them

Additionally, some people don’t enjoy the high intensity, or the mental effort needed to do HIIT. It is much better to modify a training protocol than quit. If a client of mine absolutely hates HIIT, we find other ways to reach their goals. After all, it does them no good if they decide not to suffer through it, and quit.

Who Should Do HIIT?

People who are healthy, have a base of at least 2 months moderate activity, and a drive for progress should absolutely try HIIT. It’ll be tough, but it’ll teach mental strength as well.

HIIT is a really great tool, but it’s not the only way to reach a health or performance goal. Consider your options and what is right for you. If you have questions about this, email me!

Filed Under: Training Tagged With: cardio, HIIT

HIIT Interval Training for Fat Loss with Erika Lopez on KVUE

December 30, 2017 by Kathryn Alexander Leave a Comment

Today on the KVUE Exercise Minute, Erika Lopez and I discuss HIIT Interval training for fat loss. Please see the link for the entire video, and for exercise demonstrations. 

Video here: HIIT Interval Training with Kathryn Alexander and Erika Lopez


Erika_Kathryn_conditioning.png

Erika: I am here with Kathryn Alexander. We are talking about some of the questions I’ve been getting on social media. They have been asking what is the best form of cardio that is most effective for weight loss. What do you recommend?

Kathryn: I would say HIIT training. High intensity interval training is going to be the most effective for burning a lot of calories, increasing conditioning, and that results in fat loss.

Erika: What exactly is HIIT training?

Kathryn: HIIT means high intensity interval training, and it means for a period of time, you’re going to work really hard – harder than you can maintain at a steady pace –  but then you bring it back down.

Erika: So what are some of the exercises that we can do for a HIIT workout?

Kathryn: A good option at home is to do mountain climbers for 30 seconds, and then on your next interval, you can do plank jacks, rest, on your next interval you can do jumping jacks. I would say a hard 30 seconds, rest, 30 seconds to a minute.

Erika: Perfect. And so as long as you continue to get your heart rate up and then bring it down that’s what’s most important.

Kathryn: Exactly.


Erika_Kathryn_KVUE

 

Erika, thank you so much for the opportunity to be on the KVUE Exercise Minute! 

If you are reading and have questions, please feel free to email me! kathryn@kathrynalexander.com

Filed Under: How To, Training Tagged With: cardio, conditioning, high intensity interval training, HIIT, KVUE, KVUE Exercise Minute, training

Footer

Follow

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Contact

  • Home
  • Blog

Copyright © 2022 · Genesis Sample on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Featured In
  • Privacy Policy
  • Testimonials