High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is great for those who have less than 30 mins to exercise each day - i.e. pilots! In fact, Cross-Fit is certainly a form of HIIT: Short INTENSE bursts of effort followed by an immediate recovery period, repeat. 1:2 ratio of effort to recovery respectively.
Applying HIIT principles you can get an amazing work-out within 15 to 20 mins (not including any warm-up or cool-down periods). Also, you will start in the aerobic training zone and quickly transition into the anaerobic zone as your heart rate (HR) increases past 85% of your maximum, (Max HR = approx 220-age), and you enter into oxygen debt. In the aerobic zone you will burn some fat and mostly glycogen for fuel, and in the anaerobic zone you will burn stored-muscle glycogen and creatine-phosphate for energy and will produce lactic acid.
Always perform HIIT training while wearing a HR monitor to verify your intensity level.
At higher intensities you will be at a HR above your lactate-threshhold and produce lactic acid faster than you can recycle it, and will eventually experience the lactic-acid 'burn' in your muscles.
On the recovery phase you will clear and recycle the lactic acid from your muscles and allow your HR to come down to about 70% of your maximum, then repeat the interval.
Sprints, hill-running, and stair-running are all great examples of HIIT training, where you can burn up to 500 calories or more in only 15 minutes of training, depending on your physical conditioning and how intense you are willing to (safely) go! You are utilizing all forms of energy production.
For a video demonstration of HIIT training (stair running) go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTncMjOJgOA
Happy New Year!
Max Wettstein
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Airbus 320 Captain
JetBlue Airways
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Your 'ABS-Expert' says: "Optimum health is a lifestyle not a fad. Focus on fitness and your ideal physique will follow."
