Safety Precautions To Know When Doing HIIT

As you go about your cardio workout routine, you might start to think about introducing high intensity interval training into the mix. This form of workout is one of the most highly recommended variations of cardio training and for good reason – it works.

High intensity interval training will help to boost your metabolic rate, improve your cardiovascular conditioning level, enhance insulin sensitivity, and get you in the best shape of your life. Plus, it’s fast. You can be in and out of the gym (or your home gym) in less than 30 minutes, making it ideal for those who are pressed for time.

But before you jump right to it, there are a few safety considerations that you should think about first. Being sure to stay safe should be a top priority as this is what will ensure that you can continue with your training for some time to come.

Let’s go over the main points that you should know.

Always Warm-Up

First, always make sure that you are performing a thorough warm-up before getting started. If you neglect to warm-up and go right into your interval too quickly off the start, you will definitely be at risk for pulling a muscle or tendon.

Plus, with the sudden stress on the heart of such an exertion level when the body isn’t ready, this could potentially cause some heart issues in those who are at risk for heart conditions.  Warm-up and stay safe. It’ll only add another five minutes to your workout routine.

Know Your Intervals

Next, also make sure you know your intervals. If you’re just starting, use shorter intervals with longer rest periods in between to ensure that your body is recovering between the high intensity phases.

Start with 30 second intervals and 90 second active rest periods. As you progress, you can reduce the rest down to 60 seconds and then possibly even 30 if you get into very good shape.

Always listen to your body and know when it needs a bit more time to rest before the next interval is going to start. Don’t force it when just starting – this is a very intense form of exercise and it’s critical you don’t push yourself too hard.

Schedule Your Workouts Wisely

Also make sure that you are scheduling your HIIT into your workout schedule wisely. Keep in mind that since these are so intense, they are not to be done daily.

Aim for two to three sessions per week depending on how many other intense workouts (such as weight lifting) you have scheduled.  Remember that you do need time to rest and recover as well.

Maintain Good Form

Finally, last but not least, always make sure that you maintain good form. As the pace picks up, always pay attention to your form and make sure that it’s spot on. If it’s not, you’re going to be at risk for injury and you won’t even be able to execute the exercise mode properly.

So keep these few points in mind as you go about your HIIT plan and you should have no problem staying safe and injury free.

For help selecting a treadmill to perform your HIIT on, check out this guide.