High Intensity Strength Training
30 Minute Workout
What is High Intensity Strength Training?
High intensity strength training is a strength training program that only takes 30 minutes one to three times per week. That’s it.
What's the difference between H.I.T. and traditional strength training?
The difference between High Intensity Strength Training and traditional strength training is the intensity. With greater intensity, more is accomplished in the muscle, resulting in a better quality workout, and in a shorter amount of time. With H.I.T., typically the muscle is worked in only one intense set, whereas with traditional strength training the muscle is worked with anywhere from one to three (or more) less intense sets. H.I.T. is all about the quality of the workout, not the quantity. The quality of one intense set (from the beginning of the movement until the end where the muscle fatigues) is much more significant for muscle development than multiple, less quality reps and sets. With H.I.T. the work is done is a short amount of time which allows more time for muscle growth and less wasted time in the gym.
Really?! I always thought more workouts led to more results.
Muscle is really built outside of the gym. When we’re lifting weights we are breaking down our muscle fiber. It’s the rest during our days off-and our nutrition-that determine how quickly and how well the muscle grows, develops, and builds. With “the more, the better” mentality, we can easily overtrain our muscles. Our muscles need time to rest, replenish, re-nourish, and rebuild the muscle fiber from the previous workout. Rest and the type of nutrition/fuel we put in our bodies throughout the week is really where your muscle develops and grows.
How Does H.I.T. Work?
High Intensity Strength Training works the muscle fibers to the point of momentary muscular failure and fatigue, in the safest way possible, in the shortest amount of time. Once you hit that wall of complete muscular failure and fatigue, you’ll know the muscle has done its work and is now in need of rest, nourishment, recovery, and growth. Because we are working the muscle to point of momentary muscular failure and complete exhaustion, there is no need for another set, and it now needs a longer than usual amount of time to recover, rest and rebuild.
How long should I wait between H.I.T. workouts?
The ideal H.I.T. workout trains the full body and takes about 20-30 minutes, with one set for each body group. It usually takes anywhere from three to five days for muscles to completely recover, depending on each individual‘s unique genetic make up, rest, and nutrition. I’m speaking about anaerobic or strength training workouts, rather than cardio or aerobic workouts. We can do cardiovascular/aerobic activity multiple times throughout the week. Contrary to some other High Intensity Strength and Super Slow trainers, I believe it’s important for us to move and get our heart rate up multiple times during the weekday to burn fat calories and keep our metabolism active. Choose something you especially love to do!
How is H.I.T. performed and what about safety?
Surprisingly enough, and contrary to how it sounds, High Intensity Strength Training is one of the safest workouts available, especially with the Super Slow format. Because we are working with such intensity to get to muscular fatigue, we lower the resistance and work against momentum reducing the risk of any injury. The majority of the work is performed on machines in which the weight can safely rest on the bumper when finished, without any risk of weight dropping, loss of balance, or injury.