by Karyn Silenzi – Fitness professional
canfitpro PRO TRAINER
ICG/Life Fitness Master Trainer North America
HIIT is an innovative workout format that has taken the fitness industry by storm over the last few years. What an amazing new training concept!
**Except…. it isn’t.**
It’s not new at all. Would it surprise you to know that HIIT has been around for over 100 years? Interval training has been utilized in athlete training since before 1920, originally recorded throughout Norway, Sweden and Finland. It has been proven to elevate performance and used to win world records and Olympic medals for over a century.
The first scientific publication on HIIT was in 1959 by Reiundell and Roskamm, and zones based on HR response and VO2 max were created in 1960. Since 2000, sport-specific application of HIIT in addition to clinical application has shaped the way we train. Different forms of interval training have been identified and refined to address strength and power improvement across many different sports. Interval training can take the form of Tabata, Fartlek, HIIT, HVIT, VIIT, Lactate Threshold, and circuit training.
Is it possible to do HIIT wrong? Absolutely.
Is it possible to do multiple Tabatas in a cycling class? Not a chance.
Is HIIT necessary? Define necessary.
How often should HIIT training be done?
We want to hear from you – what are your thoughts?
