In this article, we will look at the benefits of HIIT Training Workouts, along with the disadvantages of HIIT training.
HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is a dynamic form of fitness training that continues to gain in popularity. Workouts involve alternating between short high-intensity and medium to low-intensity training intervals.
Numerous studies have shown that by regularly exercising in this manner, you can improve your fitness, strength, and stamina, and lower your body fat. And, you will achieve this faster than you would when doing traditional aerobic or steady-state cardio workouts. You can experience these benefits doing workouts of 30 minutes or under, a few times a week.
While there is no disputing these benefits, HIIT is not without drawbacks.
Keep reading to find out about the benefits of HIIT training, followed by the disadvantages. Knowing these will enable you to make an informed decision as to whether or not it will be right for you.
Table of Contents
Benefits of HIIT Training
-
Short workouts
One of the main benefits of HIIT training is that workouts can be completed in as little as 5 minutes and most take no 
longer than 30 minutes. This makes them an efficient workout option compared to many other forms of training which can take one hour. If you want to get super-fit in the shortest possible time, HIIT is an excellent option.
-
Can be done almost anywhere
Another benefit of HIIT workouts is that they can be done almost anywhere. While fitness equipment can be incorporated, many HIIT exercises use bodyweight alone. This means that you can train indoors or outdoors, at home, or on vacation.
-
High calorie burn
HIIT is ideal if you want to lose weight. Each 30-minute session can torch around 500 calories, which is substantially more than most steady-state cardio workouts. And with HIIT, your metabolism will remain elevated for up to 24 hours after you finish your session. This will enable you to continue burning extra calories, even while you are inactive.
-
Enhances cardio fitness
Being an intense workout, HIIT is one of the best types of exercise you can do to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Doing only two or three HIIT sessions a week, your body will process oxygen more efficiently resulting in increased energy, stamina and sporting performance.
-
Efficient fat burning
Another great thing about HIIT is that it’s one of the top exercises for targeted fat burning. Most types of cardio exercise burn a combination of fat and muscle. However, HIIT burns a much higher proportion of fat to muscle compared with steady-state cardio, and it can help you to quickly achieve a much lower body fat percentage.
-
Increases HGH production
Studies have shown that regular HIIT workouts increase Human Growth Hormone (HGH) production by as much as 450%. A peptide hormone which decreases as we age, HGH promotes muscle growth and fat burning. It also creates stronger bones, reduces the visible signs of aging, and more.
-
Reduces the incidence of boredom
With HIIT workouts being short, there is little likelihood that you will tire of them. Add to this that you can continually vary your workouts so that no two are ever identical, and boredom should never be an issue.
Next, we will look at the disadvantages of HIIT training.
The Disadvantages Of HIIT Training
-
Increases the risk of injury
One of the primary disadvantages of HIIT training is that it comes with a relatively high risk of injury. This is because you will be giving it your all, which places stress on the body.
To reduce the likelihood of sustaining an injury, be sure to warm up before your sessions, and don’t do HIIT for longer or more frequently than is recommended.
-
Not suitable for beginners
HIIT workouts are very taxing, so they are not suitable for people who are just getting into fitness. Before attempting it, you will need to have been exercising for a while and be reasonably fit.
-
Isn’t sport-specific
HIIT is a great choice if you want to improve your athleticism by doing short workouts that burn lots of calories. However, if you aim to hone specific sports-related skills, HIIT won’t always provide this. It is still worth including in your training regimen as it will quickly improve your overall fitness and speed.
To enhance your technical skill and agility related to a specific sport, you will also need to do workouts that focus on these.
-
Has a long recovery time
Another of the disadvantages of HIIT in comparison to most other forms of cardio is that your body will take longer to recover from workouts. You may find that you can do daily 5-minute HIIT sessions, but if you do 30-minute sessions, it will probably take two or three days for your body to recover.
A video discussing the benefits of HIIT workouts and the drawbacks
The Benefits of HIIT Training and the Disadvantages Summary
If you are already fit, HIIT can be a valuable addition to your training program. To get the most from it, you should 
combine it with less intense exercise, and allow your body to recover fully between sessions.
This will enable you to experience the benefits of HIIT training and limit the likelihood of experiencing the disadvantages discussed above.
Click here to read an article about how to create a HIIT workout routine.
