New HIIT Question

Scrazzymoto · 08-01-2006, 09:27 PM

I did HIIT training today for the first time. I did a five minute warmup, then did four sets of 2:1 work/rest ratio intervals, and then a 2 1/2 minute cool down. It was pretty killer, but here's the problem: I only burned 123 calories in the 13 minutes. Is that okay?

I was doing 30 minutes of regular cardio and was burning more than 300 calories, but everything I've rad has said you only need to do HIIT for between 13 and 15 minutes. I would like to improve my endurance as well as burn fat. Is this a bad tradeoff?

Wolfcastle · 08-01-2006, 10:48 PM

Hey Scrazzy,

I don't get right into the scientific side of things nor into counting calories, but I think with HIIT type training, the big difference is you will continue to burn calories during your rest periods.

You will burn a moderate amount whilst exercising, but it will continue (at an excellent rate) once you have stopped exercising, unlike normal cardio.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Jake Martin · 08-01-2006, 11:03 PM

Wolfcastle is correct. Also, do not trust treadmill calorie counters as they are very very rough estimates at best.

Scrazzymoto · 08-01-2006, 11:08 PM

Word. Thanks you guys.

Mark Limbaga · 08-02-2006, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfcastle

Hey Scrazzy,

I don't get right into the scientific side of things nor into counting calories, but I think with HIIT type training, the big difference is you will continue to burn calories during your rest periods.

You will burn a moderate amount whilst exercising, but it will continue (at an excellent rate) once you have stopped exercising, unlike normal cardio.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

You hit the nail on the head

Revok · 08-02-2006, 12:17 AM

I always wondered how these calorie counters can aim to be even remotely accurate. How can the calorie expenditure of any given activity be judged the same whether you're a 20 year old, 145lb elite athlete or a 50 year old, 400lb one-legged gastropod? With so many variables from height/weight ratio, body fat, muscle mass, age, even the ambient temperature and altitude - surely these devices ought to be scrapped?

**Standard** · 08-02-2006, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Revok

With so many variables from height/weight ratio, body fat, muscle mass, age, even the ambient temperature and altitude - surely these devices ought to be scrapped?

i totally agree with what your saying man, i think they only help the recreational person that wants to be able to go home and say i burned 400 calories, now i can eat that happy meal.

Wolfcastle · 08-02-2006, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Standard

i totally agree with what your saying man, i think they only help the recreational person that wants to be able to go home and say i burned 400 calories, now i can eat that happy meal.

Agreed. If you are interested in monitoring anything during your exercise, you're probably better getting a heart rate monitor and finding an optimal goal to reach for an optimal time. This may or may not be effective for HIIT training though.

Revok · 08-02-2006, 02:22 AM

A heart monitor is indispensable for all types of training - you need to know what your maximum heart rate is, where your aerobic threshold is, and how long you can maintain various anaerobic intensities. Once you get some idea of what these states feel like you can then recognise them independantly, and only then are you properly equipped to develop your conditioning.