By now you are probably no stranger to HIIT workout trends and the vast amount of benefits that go along with this type of regimen. If you are interested in making HIIT an integral part of your workout but are left wondering where to start, we have the inside scoop! StairMaster High Intensity Product Specialist, Jake Petersen, aka “HIIT Ninja” walks you through a successful class structure by incorporating a variety of workout protocols, such as work/rest intervals. Check out the video below and get started designing your HIIT class today!
#1 Traditional Work/Rest Intervals
(There is a fixed time members work and a fixed time member rest)
#2 Fixed Work
(For the entire workout there are tasks that need to be performed and the score for the workout is the total time it takes members to complete the tasks)
#3 Fixed Time
(Members get a fixed amount of time and their score is the amount of work they are able to complete in that time period)
#4 Every Minute on the Minute
(A variation of work/rest but dedicate one minute to specific tasks for the entire workout)
Work/Rest Interval Example:
This is a more traditional HIIT style workout structure. You have a fixed amount of time to work and a fixed amount of time to rest. The time can be varied but a really good example to use is a traditional Tabata.
A Tabata is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, and it’s 8 rounds. So the total workout is 4 minutes. Our recommendation is to structure most of HIIT workouts about 20 minutes long so one way to achieve this is to offer a Tabata with a specific exercise, have members rest for 3-4 minutes followed by another Tabata.
In a Tabata, the rest intervals are really small compared to the work intervals and many facilities that offer the traditional HIIT workouts will instruct a 1:1 work/rest ratio. Studies show that to get the best recovery benefit it is better to offer a 1:3 work/rest ratio. So you can offer a Tabata, have members build up their rest period and then do another Tabata.
Another example of a work/rest interval could be a simple 1 min on, 2-3 mins off. Members could do a simulated sled push on the HIITMill for 1 min and then rest for 2-3 mins. This could be set up with 3 different team members so 2 people are resting while the other person is working. You can also set it up so the other team members are doing what we call “active recovery” which we use like walking on the HIITMill or a light task that will keep members moving but doesn’t spike up their heartrate as they go through their recovery phases.
We hope these tips will help you provide more variety in your next HIIT workout. We base our StairMaster HIIT program on a very simple, easy to follow, science-based program that accounts for the amount of available equipment at the facility, member base (how many people that will be there), scaling options for the different exercise, different workout protocols (as described above) and instructions on the different exercises and how to perform them properly. We go over all the different moves that are available on the HIITMill / HIITMill X, and how the BoxMaster, HIIT Bike and HIIT UBE can all be included to deliver one hell of a workout.
Looking for more information on HIIT programming and how to incorporate it in your facility? Contact one of our HIIT Specialists today!
