Many times in a fitness discussion people will ask "what is the best (training program) way to burn fat" and there will at least be some who recommend "High Intensity Interval Training" (HIIT). And in the same discussions, there would be people who say the contrary, saying that these are not for beginners.
Well, in my own experience, and in the TACFIT approach to metabolic conditioning, i found that the statement "HIIT ain't for beginners" to be not true. I have started many complete beginners with HIIT and they have made great gains in their fitness levels.
Let's take a look at what HIIT workout look like.
As the name suggests, there are intervals of High Intensity bursts/efforts, also called "on". Interspersed by intervals of No or Low Intensity, also called "off".
Image from S-Cool
I want to touch on a HIIT protocol that uses 8 sets/rounds of 20 seconds "on" and 10 seconds "off", making a total of 4 minutes. In shorthand, we write it as "20/10 x 8".
It is a variation of the Tabata protocol.
What's so difficult about training for 4 minutes?
Well, if you have done the 20/10 x 8 protocol as prescribed originally (ie maximum effort for all 8 sets), you know that it can be the hardest 4 minutes of your life.
Due to the extreme intensity that the protocol can induce, an untrained person can and is likely to:
1) Not finish all 8 sets.
2) Deteriorate his/her technique in the process.
3) Or simply give up using this training method altogether.
Note that the key word here is "untrained".
With a little instructions and coaching, however, this scenario can be prevented. These instructions are not new and is presented in all TACFIT programs using the 20/10 x 8 protocol, eg TACFIT Commando.
In fact in the TACFIT system, one of the reasons the 20/10 x 8 protocol is chosen as the first and most primary metabolic conditioning protocol is due to its shortest "on" and "off" interval. With proper coaching, 20 seconds is easier mentally than the longer intervals in the subsequent protocols. And the 10 seconds forces you to recover in the shortest time possible.
The easiest "on" interval because it is shortest and the hardest "off" interval because it is shortest.
The hard part is you just need to do it eight times. But if you can do it once, you can do it eight times. Hehehe.
If you can conquer the 20/10 x 8 protocol, you can conquer all the subsequent protocols.
Without going into the technical details, here are things you want to tell yourself or your client if you are doing HIIT for the first time, or any kind of physical training, whether it is for cardio/strength/mass/metabolic conditioning etc:
1) Always start with a Moderate Intensity workout. Reasons are already discussed in this article so i won't say it again. Okay, so this makes the workout not a "true" HIIT but that is of no concern to us because sticking to the 4x7 formula takes precedence over the "correctness" of a protocol.
2) Always choose an exercise progression (sophistication) that is suitable for your current fitness and skill level.
3) Start the first two rounds as practice rounds, focusing on a high level of technique. Third round onwards then you start to ramp up the intensity to as high as you can maintain good technique. Quality quantity.
4) If somehow the exercise is too easy, feel free to up the sophistication. On the contrary, if you find that the exercise is too difficult, drop down the sophistication.
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