Fitness for a Busy Schedule: Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Workouts
What Is High-Intensity Interval Training?
This type of exercise alternates intense bursts of aerobic exercise (1-3 minutes) with periods of active recovery. This allows for more calories burned and push heart rate more than steady rate exercise regimes. Overall aerobic capacity to increase at a faster rate. The best part, these exercise regimes are short! Maybe 10-15 minutes. So busy people and families can incorporate these routines as time allows during the day.
What Are the Benefits?
- Improves blood vessel function and could lower blood pressure
- Reverses muscle degeneration due to age by increasing mitochondrial function and protein levels
- Elevate mood and enjoyment
- Burn more fat and calories
- Increase metabolism
High Interval Exercise Regime Ideas
Choose a handful of this exercise and do one for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds by walking and breathing. Repeat with 3-4 more exercises. As endurance allows, add more exercises until you are up to a 10-20 minute workout regime.
- Butt kicks
- Jump squats
- Burpees
- Mountain Climbers
- Side Lunges (alternating)
- Jumping Lunges
- Forearm Plank (20 seconds)
- Plank Jacks
- Lateral Plank Walks
You can be creative in creating a routine that works for you with exercises you enjoy! Try to keep variety in your routines to work out more than one or two muscle groups.