Site Search

High Intensity Training: Why You Should Do It

By Bruce Kelly

Why high intensity exercise? Notice I didn't say high intensity cardio because there are a variety of ways you can do high intensity exercise outside of standard "cardio" exercise.

First of all, what is high intensity exercise? For our purposes, we will define it as any exercise that gets your heart rate over 75% of maximum heart rate. Theoretical maximum heart rate is defined at 220- age. This is just an estimate and if you are reasonably fit your maximum heart rate could be higher than that estimate. If you have no health/heart issues, exercising north of the 75% mark should not create issues but if you have any doubt, get clearance from your physician.

Why has low intensity exercise become the norm? Probably for two reasons: ignorance and laziness.

Many people are under the misguided impression that it is all about burning "fat" calories. They understand that lower intensity burns more fat calories (percentage wise) than higher intensity exercise as fat is the primary energy source at lower intensities. What they fail to grasp is that a lower percentage of a higher absolute calorie expenditure, as in high intensity exercise, frequently ends up burning more total fat calories as well as more total calories. For example, if a low intensity exercise burns 100 total calories and 50% are fat calories then you burned off 50 fat calories. A high intensity workout might burn 300 calories but only 20% came from fat i.e. 60 fat calories. This is only an illustration meant to demonstrate the point that people should be as concerned, if not more concerned, with total calorie expenditure as opposed to fat calorie expenditure. In the long run burn the calories and the fat calories will take care of themselves. That takes care of the ignorance component regarding high intensity exercise. Now on to the laziness component.

Quite frankly, high intensity exercise isn't easy--it can even "hurt". People don't want it to hurt so they take the easy way out. That is why so many revert to slogging away on the cross-trainer or bike with little or no focus or attention. In what other endeavor, let alone exercise, is it considered necessary to distract oneself through the use of TV, iPods, and the like as when people do their "cardio"? Obviously, in strength training people use music but more as a motivational/emotional mind set tool than as a necessary evil. to distract oneself from the boredom of the exercise.

Quite frankly, we as fitness professionals have been remiss in not educating our clients as to the benefits of high intensity exercise. Is it suitable for everyone? Absolutely not. Those with heart issues, serious orthopaedic issues, or other medical contraindications aren't candidates for high intensity exercise. But for the rest of the population they should be including at least some of this type of training in their exercise program.

One way to "sell" the concept of high intensity exercise to your clients is to ask them this simple question. Would you rather look like a sprinter or a marathon runner? For most people the answer would be the sprinter because of their muscular, lean appearance. Most marathon runners are merely thin with little to no muscle. In fact, many world class sprinters have lower body fat percentages than marathoners despite the fact they weigh substantially more.

Why is that the case? Look at the way the two train: the sprinter does speed/interval work, plyometrics and strength training--all forms of high intensity training. On the other hand, most distance runners primarily run as in many circles strength training was considered unnecessary if not downright counterproductive. In the endurance community, this is slowly changing but old habits die hard.

The point is this: if you want to look somewhat like the sprinter then you have to do some of that type of training. That doesn't mean do a world class sprinter's workout program but it does mean doing some high intensity work.

What does that mean for you? For starters, you can start using the interval based programs that are on virtually all "cardio" machines. If you like to exercise outdoors, it means adding some sprints or intervals to your biking, running, rollerblading, or swimming workout. In either case, a digital watch and heart rate monitor are good tools to have especially if you like to quantify things such as length of interval, recovery interval, how quickly your heart rate recovers, etc.

But don't think you are limited to so-called traditional "cardio" as your only modes of high intensity training. A good group fitness class or a power based sport such as tennis, squash, soccer, or basketball can all induce the same results. In addition, even strength training if done in circuit fashion, especially with free weights and bodyweight exercises, can be a high intensity workout.

In conclusion, here are some reasons you should include some high intensity workouts into your program:

  1. More time efficient: more calories burned per unit of time
  2. Improves both aerobic/anaerobic capacity
  3. Helps produce Human Growth Hormone which helps body comp
  4. "Afterburn" effect: more calories burned post exercise than steady state/low intensity exercise
  5. Variety of modes to do high intensity exercise

About the Author:

Bruce Kelly, MS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, NASM-PES has written articles for sportspecific.com, completetrackandfield.com as well as local publications. He has been a fitness professional/performance enhancement coach for nearly 20 years. He owns a Fitness Together training studio franchise in Media, Pa. His website is www.ftswarthmore.com.