benefits of high intensity interval training
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Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training & How to Get Started

ByAdam Kemp, MS Reading Time: 6 minutes

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with brief rest or low-intensity recovery periods.

This dynamic training style has gained immense popularity because of its ability to deliver maximum results in minimal time.

From improving cardiovascular health to enhancing fat burning and athletic performance, HIIT provides a range of scientifically-backed benefits for fitness enthusiasts and athletes alike.

This guide analyzes the benefits of HIIT, compares it to other popular workout styles like Metabolic Conditioning (MetCon), and offers practical advice on how to integrate it into your fitness routine.

Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

HIIT offers a time-efficient and effective way to boost fitness, enhance body composition, and improve overall health.

By alternating between high-intensity efforts and recovery periods, HIIT challenges your body in unique ways that traditional steady-state cardio cannot.

Here is more on the many benefits of HIIT:

Improved Cardiovascular Health & Endurance

HIIT is one of the most effective workouts for improving heart health, as research shows that high-intensity exercises significantly increase heart rate and oxygen consumption, strengthening the heart and vascular system (Batacan et al., 2017).

  • Reduced Disease Risk: HIIT lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and hypertension by improving arterial flexibility and reducing blood pressure.
  • Improved VO₂ Max: HIIT enhances the body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently, a key metric of cardiovascular fitness.

Additionally, research shows that high-intensity exercise can increase heart rate quicker than lower-intensity exercise, which can help to strengthen the heart and improve its ability to function effectively.

The strenuous effects of HIIT appear safe when HIIT workouts are conducted properly, and HIIT can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health conditions associated with poor cardiovascular health.

Better Body Composition

Research also indicates that HIIT is a game-changer for fat loss and muscle building.

The intense bursts of activity trigger an afterburn effect known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), where your body continues burning calories long after the workout is over.

  • Increased Fat Burning: The elevated oxygen demand during HIIT promotes fat oxidation and boosts metabolism.
  • Lean Muscle Mass: Unlike traditional cardio, HIIT stimulates muscle fibers, promoting muscle growth and retention while reducing fat.

Compared to steady-state cardio, HIIT offers superior benefits for body composition:

  • Increased Calorie Burn: HIIT elevates heart rate higher than steady-state cardio, boosting calorie expenditure both during exercise and through the afterburn effect (EPOC).
  • Enhanced Fat Loss: HIIT promotes greater fat oxidation and hormonal activity, making it more effective for fat loss.
  • Muscle Growth: Intense effort stimulates muscle repair and growth, which steady-state cardio does not achieve as effectively.

HIIT uniquely combines fat burning and muscle building, making it one of the most efficient methods for transforming body composition.

Enhanced Athletic Performance

For athletes, HIIT can enhance performance by increasing speed, power, and endurance.

  • Explosive Power: HIIT improves anaerobic capacity, enabling athletes to perform short bursts of high-intensity efforts like sprints or jumps.
  • Endurance: The ability to sustain high-intensity efforts for longer periods makes HIIT ideal for endurance athletes.

As a result, HIIT can help athletes perform better in their chosen sports, which is why many professional athletes frequently do HIIT workouts.

Saves Time

HIIT provides a full-body workout in as little as 15-20 minutes, making it perfect for busy schedules. Studies have shown that even short HIIT sessions can deliver comparable benefits to longer steady-state workouts (Gillen & Gibala, 2014).

HIIT workouts are time-efficient because they allow you to get a challenging workout in a short amount of time.

Unlike steady-state cardio, which involves exercising consistently for an extended period, HIIT involves alternating between intense bursts of activity and periods of rest.

Properly designed HIIT workouts can be completed in as little as 15-20 minutes, making them a great option for busy individuals who want a quick and effective workout.

Metabolic Conditioning vs. HIIT

Metabolic Conditioning (MetCon) workouts and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are both high-intensity workout styles that aim to improve the body’s energy pathways, burn calories, and enhance overall fitness.

However, there are some differences between the two.

  • Metabolic Conditioning is a broad term that can encompass a variety of workouts that use exercises to improve the body’s immediate, intermediate, and long-term energy pathways.
  • Metabolic Conditioning workouts can take different forms, such as circuits, spin classes, and Tabata workouts, and are typically done at a high intensity for longer periods, usually 10 minutes or more.

The goal is to condition the body to become more efficient in using energy.

In contrast, HIIT workouts are more narrowly defined and are done at the highest energy level possible with predetermined rest intervals throughout.

  • HIIT workouts can be circuits or MetCons, but they typically involve short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief rest or recovery periods.
  • HIIT workouts are designed to maximize the body’s calorie burn, even after the workout is over, and to improve aerobic capacity.

Both Metabolic Conditioning and HIIT workouts offer significant health benefits.

  • MetCon improves the body’s efficiency in using energy, burns calories, increases aerobic capacity, and can help build lean muscle mass and reduce body fat.
  • HIIT workouts also burn calories, increase aerobic capacity, and can help build lean muscle mass, but they are more specifically focused on calorie burn and improving the body’s ability to recover from intense exercise.

MetCon and HIIT are both effective high-intensity workout styles that offer significant health benefits.

While there are some differences, both can be useful for improving overall fitness, burning calories, and building lean muscle mass.

How to Get Started with HIIT Workouts

Getting started with HIIT is straightforward, but taking a few preparatory steps ensures you maximize benefits and reduce injury risk. Here’s how to begin:

  1. Consult Your Doctor: If you have pre-existing health conditions or are new to exercise, seek medical approval before starting.
  2. Warm Up: Begin with 5-10 minutes of light cardio, such as jogging, cycling, or dynamic stretches, to prepare your body for intense activity.
  3. Choose the Right Exercises: Select activities you enjoy and that match your fitness level. Great options include:
    • Running or cycling
    • Jumping jacks or burpees
    • Mountain climbers or squat jumps
  4. Start with Short Intervals:
    • Perform an intense exercise for 20-30 seconds, such as sprinting or burpees.
    • Rest or do light activity (e.g., walking or slow jogging) for 30-60 seconds.
  5. Adjust for Your Fitness Level: Aim for 6-10 intervals, gradually increasing intensity or duration as you build stamina.
  6. Cool Down: End with 5-10 minutes of light cardio and stretching to reduce muscle soreness and aid recovery.

By starting with manageable intervals and focusing on proper form, you can safely incorporate HIIT into your fitness routine for effective and time-efficient workouts.

The Best HIIT Workouts

In my opinion, the best HIIT workout program is the Tabata interval workout.

The Tabata protocol is a high-intensity interval training workout that involves working at maximum intensity for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest, which was developed by Dr. Izumi Tabata and his colleagues at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Japan.

You can do the Tabata interval protocol with a variety of different exercises. Here are some good options:

  1. Jumping jacks
  2. Burpees
  3. Mountain climbers
  4. Squat jumps
  5. Push-ups
  6. Plank jacks
  7. Sit-ups
  8. Jumping lunges
  9. Box jumps
  10. Kettlebell swings

Additionally, you can use cardio machines, like the stationary bike or ERG rowing machine.

You do one exercise for the entirety of the workout, or you can include multiple different exercises.

Final Thoughts: HIIT Workouts Benefits

It’s important to listen to your body and not push yourself too hard when starting with HIIT.

If you are new to this type of training, you may want to start with shorter intervals of intense exercise and longer periods of rest while gradually increasing the intensity and duration of the intervals as you become fitter.

It’s also a good idea to consult a doctor or personal trainer before starting any new workout routine.

Read Next: Best HIIT Leg Workouts

Professional Basketball Player, M.S. Nutrition, ISSA Certified Personal Trainer

Hello! I'm Adam Kemp, a professional basketball player, fitness consultant, and author with over a decade of experience playing internationally across Europe and Asia. I graduated from Marist College in 2014 with a degree in Sports Communication and a minor in Psychology, where I also competed at the NCAA Division I level. My professional basketball journey has taken me to countries such as Poland, Hungary, Greece, Kazakhstan, and more, where I’ve learned unique approaches to fitness, nutrition, and performance.

I provide authentic, practical, and evidence-based content on fitness, nutrition, sports performance, workout programs, and holistic well-being, drawing from both my personal experience and formal education, including a master’s degree in Nutrition Education from American University.

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