Training: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

Last Friday night at Kinabalu Fighters club, Joanna Lye was introducing us HIIT workout. We had a blast doing the new exercise regime & comparatively this workout is very time efficient: 12 minutes alone will make you panting.

Joanna have written a pretty good simple article for those who want to know what this workout is about, we got her to be our "guest writer" for the day.

You must be wondering WTF is a HIIT? It stands for High Intensity Interval Training, a form of cardio method that is made to improve fitness level without going for long hours of exercises. Also a very powerful fat burner as you will continue to experience high metabolic rate for hours and hours even after cool-down period. It ranges from 4 to 20 minutes and it is meant to be kept as short as possible and as intense and possible.

In short, the keywords are INTENSE, SHORT, EFFICIENT and EFFECTIVE. So, I call it the no-excuse exercise.

I first learn about this method is from a beautiful Czech Republican, Zuzana, of BodyRock.tv 2 years ago.

But I never tried it (I was never an active/sporting person to begin with) until last year October. Then, it totally changed my lifestyle.

So here are the workout breakdown of what we did last night:

4 minutes Tabata warm-up
8 intervals, each interval 20 seconds and a 10 seconds rest in between each interval.

Exercises:
1. High-knees
2. Squat Thrust (without the push-up)
3. Jumping Jacks
4. Mountain climber

So that makes you repeat the 4 exercises one more time and your tabata warm-up is done.
Note: you may use Tabata as a full workout by repeating 3-4 times as long as its intense and no longer than 20minutes of the total workout.

Without resting, we proceed to the next 12 minutes of hell.
12 minutes BodyRocker fusion (I pick most of the exercises some from Zuzana's workout)
12 Intervals, each interval 50seconds and a 10 seconds rest in between each interval.

Exercises:
1. Side -jump lunge
2. Blaster push-up
3. Deadman's burpee

Total 4 sets of these exercises then you're done.

Note: Blaster push-up links to an intense 4 mintues workout so if you don't have time or outstation you can do which is better than skipping your workout.

If you think the above exercises are too much for you, you can always switch them to an easier/beginners exercises like sprints, dumbbell lifts, wall push-ups, triceps dips etc. Its really customizable as long as you have an pre-set intervals with a short rest in between.

HIIT is a great workout to do before you are going for post higher carb-meals. Best do right when you wake up in the morning or before your dinner since the fat burning takes place during and after the workout.



You may download this interval timer app, RoundtimerX, to your phone and start training, also can use it for circuits.

I'm no fitness expert, but I hope this post helps you people alot especially those with high commitments of life and lack of time for exercises.

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We would like to thank Joanna for sharing this great workout routine. This "save time" routine basically allows us to workout any where any time, Im sure 12 minutes of good condition training is something that even the fasting Muslims can do.

For more information on HIIT workout, you may also read more here.

For those that want to maintain muscle, cut fat & increase cardio, then this workout is surely for you!

Time to HIIT it!

*by the way, do check out Joanna's blog here!