Burn Baby, Burn
Can you burn more fat with high-interval intensity training?
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According to research, it’s possible to increase your fat burning postworkout approximately 10 percent, as long as the workout is a HIIT-style plan. What that means is that you alternate between very high-intensity exercise and ultra-low-intensity output.
The most basic form of high-intensity interval training relies on running or cycling (more advanced HIIT options can include exercise with two heavy ropes or TRX straps), and for newbies, the ratio of high-to-low output can be 1:3, 1:4 or 1:5. For example, an all-out sprint or cycling portion of the interval lasts 15 seconds, followed by a slow walk or very light pedal for 45 seconds. This gives you a 1:3 ratio. A 1:5 ratio would call for 10 seconds of intense exercise followed by 50 seconds of ultra-low intensity. The ultimate goal is to do five or six intervals, but as a beginner, you might shoot for three intervals at the start and add more of them as your cardiovascular endurance improves. The beauty of a HIIT program (do it three times a week) is that it generates continuous fat loss for at least 24 hours after it’s finished. What are you waiting for?