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​High Intensity Interval Training for Everyone

Speed Training Academy (S.T.A.) is an online personalized coaching and training solution for male and female team sports and individual athletes 17 years to masters level. We also cater to people seeking to start a physical training program using a progressive, intense interval training approach inside and outside the gym. If you are about to begin your exercise journey, look no further. 

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What is High-Intensity Interval Training

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves alternating short bursts of intense or explosive activity with brief rest periods of low-intensity activity. HIIT programs involve performing multijoint exercises in an upright position. The exercises that feature in a HIIT program create an anaerobic endurance training environment for the exerciser.

The exerciser performs each multijoint (whole-body) exercise at near-maximal or maximal intensity for 20 to 45 seconds. An active recovery period of 20 – 30 seconds using low-intensity exercises follows. Repeat this cycle of hard-easy-hard matching your fitness level and exercise goals. A HIIT workout typically lasts 10 – 45 minutes.

 

The benefits of doing HIIT are:

  1. Improving body composition

  2. Increase anaerobic power and capacity

  3. Improving aerobic fitness

  4. Reduction in body fat

  5. Positive impact on insulin sensitivity

  6. Positive impact on blood lipid values

 

Who is the Program For

High-intensity interval training, whether using a resistance mode, a running mode, or a stationary bike mode, is a trendy type of training for athletes, fitness persons, and in health. Below is a list of groups that regularly engage in HIIT.

  1. Weight loss – persons needing to shed a few pounds

  2. Post-pregnancy moms – pregnancy is also tough on the body; restore, renew, and restrengthen

  3. Millennials who are trying to beat back and control the mid- to middle-age body composition oncoming creep. You are busy building a career and family, so fitness "gotta away" from you. Take back control, halt the fitness downward slide.

  4. Young at-heart seniors looking to maintain muscle and bone strength, regain joint mobility, and chase away joint pains and stiffness - just too early for the rocking chair. Put back the vigour and pep in your step. Maintain your physical and mental independence. Work out and build muscle.

  5. Team sport athletes

  6. I just want to look good; we have you covered — nice-looking glutes, core and upper body. We can help here, too.

 

In female soccer players, Stankovic et al (2023)  concluded that “high intensity interval training (HIIT) programs, regardless of the type, induce improvements in endurance as measured by VO2max, repeated sprint ability (RSA), change of direction speed, speed, explosive strength of the lower limbs, and body composition in female athletes who are engaged in team sports. Regardless of the level of training or competitive experience, HIIT offers benefits in both the preparation period, when physical performance is raised to a higher level, and in the competitive period, where it can be maintained. It is also highly important that coaches use HIIT methods when preparing their teams and adjust the HIIT type according to the time of the season when it is used”.

Stankovic, M., Djordjevic, D., Trajkovic, N. et al. Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on Physical Performance in Female Team Sports: A Systematic Review. Sports Med - Open 9, 78 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-023-00623-2

 

In a study with an older population, Moro et al (2017) concluded the following:

  1. Older persons can safely perform HIIT. 

  2. HIIT produces slightly better body composition changes than traditional strength training

  3. There is a significant reduction in baseline insulin levels, improving insulin sensitivity. 

  4. There is a reduction in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol values

  5. HIIT results in a significant increase of insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP1), and the improvements in body composition and increase in physical performance

  6. HHIT is an efficient training method to improve blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors

Moro T, Tinsley G, Bianco A, Gottardi A, Gottardi GB, Faggian D, Plebani M, Marcolin G, Paoli A. High intensity interval resistance training (HIIRT) in older adults: Effects on body composition, strength, anabolic hormones and blood lipids. Exp Gerontol. 2017 Nov;98:91-98. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2017.08.015. Epub 2017 Aug 15. PMID: 28821429.

 

What is involved in HIIT for Everyone 

  1. Strengthening: Multijoint exercises and movements using barbells, dumbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, and body weight. Low to moderate reps with challenging resistance.

  2. Power: be prepared for plyometrics. Plyo what!!! Mainly, body resistance exercise involves hopping and bounding against the pull of gravity. We have plyometrics for the upper body, too. So, ramp up your strength levels.

  3. Conditioning: short, snappy, and intense routines to increase the heart rate and the depth of breathing, challenge the muscles and mobilize the joints. As a bonus, you will sweat profusely. Be prepared for incomplete recoveries.

  4. Movement: regain the ability to move freely in differing situations and environments using auxiliary exercises and routines. Body weight and jump rope routines are tools to capitalize on increasing strength and endurance metrics. Move better without strain during home, work, and play activities.

 

HIIT for Everyone – Performance Outcomes

  • Injury Prevention – Eliminate back pain from prolonged sitting at your desk, reduce the likelihood of falls, and reduce the possibility of repetitive strain injury at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist.

  • Flexibility and Mobility – walk faster, climb stairs easier, pick up stuff from the floor without strain.

  • Strength – home chores inside and outside become easier with increasing strength of the muscles and tendons from resistance exercises. Physical tasks are more accessible to perform with a reduction in economy of effort, less residual fatigue, and reduction in time to completion.

  • Power – as they say, all work and no play makes Jack and Jill dull. Ramp up your strength levels and return to enjoyable physical pastimes or sports. 

  • Body Composition – watch the extra pounds melt away, muscles feel firmer, and body weight gravitate towards a workable metabolic setpoint.

  • Energy – Commit to your HIIT training and be like the energizer bunny, keeping going and going. 

  • Metabolic improvements:

    1. ​ Reduce blood pressure

    2. Lower resting heart rate

    3. Reduce dosage and number of medications with medical guidance 

    4. Reduce and normalize blood sugar levels

    5. Breathe easier, sleep deeper and better

    6. Improve food choices and digestion

    7. Think better, faster, and more clearly.

  • Self-awareness goes without saying: as all the above start to improve, stress reduction and outlook on life improve.

 

HIIT for Everyone Plan Delivery

So What's Next

  1. Book a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation.

  2. Buy a Fitness Testing Package - testing and baseline data collection will take over two or, at most, three days. The purpose of the assessment period is to collect past and current relevant medical, injury, and exercise history. Additional data collection includes a movement screen and physical tests. 

  3. Buy the HIIT for Everyone plan.

 

Client Support System

Speed Training Academy offers each client purchasing the HIIT for Everyone plan a client support system as follows:

 

Primary Support 

Daily Training Diary 

  • At the end of each training session, please insert all metrics relevant to each training session for each exercise/drill. 

  • Fill out the training diary which accompanies each training session. For success, fill out the training diary within 15 – 20 minutes post-training program. The benefit to the successful training progression is that it provides the coach time to tweak the next day's session based on data inserted for each activity and the completed training diary. 

  • Time and effort in completing the two tasks above ensure the population of the visual dashboard generated with each training program. This dashboard gives the athlete an equal partnership in the success of the training plan.

  • NO logged data for each exercise and the training session equals NO feedback on the gains from the relevant training session.

 

Secondary Support

Skype Call

  1. Skype calls for each client are on the final Sunday of each training month between 9 pm and 10 pm Atlantic Standard Time (A.S.T.- Barbados). Adjustments will be made for clients in other time zones. Each client will receive a time appointment for the Skype call based on mutual suitability for both client and coach. 

  2. Note that coaching and the work week run from Monday to Saturday. 

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