It can be hard to find the motivation to exercise regularly. We might baulk at the price of gym membership and fitness equipment. We might not have the leisure time to commit to multiple evenings a week in the gym. We could even lose motivation by not seeing noticeable results after a few sessions of exercise. If any of these factors have held you back from maintaining regular exercise, then high intensity interval training (HIIT) is perfect for you.
If you haven’t had the disposable income to spend on equipment or gym fees, HIIT will cost you absolutely nothing to undertake. There’s no equipment needed and it can be done from the comfort of your own home. If time is an issue, most HIIT workouts can be done inside 30 minutes, and some will even take less than 10 minutes. Surely that’s not enough exercise time to achieve real results, though? Guess what: it is when you’re going flat out over a short space of time. Renowned personal trainers have said that even those of a high fitness level should be so exhausted at the end of HIIT workout intervals that they’re almost praying for the time to elapse. Plus, there have been numerous academic studies to prove that short high intensity exercises burn far more calories in a shorter space of time than longer, moderate intensity workouts.
For a guide to HIIT workouts that you can try, and a series of practical tips for engaging in HIIT, have a look at this infographic from London-based pay-as- you-go gym My Fitness Boutique (www.myfitnessboutique.co.uk).
