HIIT - Discover HIIT Fitness Franchise

If you’re into health and well-being and have considered opening a fitness franchise, there’s a good chance you will have heard about HIIT. However, despite it being fairly ubiquitous, not everyone understands what HIIT is, how it benefits individuals, or which franchises provide HIIT services. Here, we take an in-depth look at this particular type of fitness regime.

What is HIIT fitness?

HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. Essentially, HIIT involves performing either strength or cardiovascular exercises in short, intense bursts, followed by short recovery periods. During the periods of high-intensity exercise, your heart should be operating at upwards of 85% of its potential, and it should drop to around 40-50% (above your resting heart rate) during the recovery periods.

The amount of time you spend exercising depends on the intensity desired. While some workout sets will last just a few seconds, others can last several minutes. The overall length of a HIIT workout can vary from 15 minutes to an hour and can be carried out at home or in the gym. While gym equipment (e.g. treadmills and CrossFit trainers) are often used, they are by no means necessary, and many people carry out successful HIIT workouts without a single piece of equipment.

History of HIIT

Though HIIT has been used for centuries as an effective means of exercise and training, it was only popularised under the HIIT fitness name after the 1970s. In the early 1900s, runners began using interval training techniques to prepare themselves for competition and Olympic competition. The Finnish runner Hannes Kolehmainen won gold at the Olympics having prepared using a type of interval training. The Swedish coach Gosta Holmer later refined the techniques used by these runners. In the 1930s, Holmer developed a kind of interval training known as Fartlek running – it remains popular today and could be considered an early form of HIIT.

Modern HIIT workouts are primarily inspired by the Japanese researcher, Izumi Tabata. In 1996, Tabata carried out the most extensive study to date on the effects of HIIT, proving that this specialised form of training had impressive benefits over other types of exercise. In Tabata’s study, those who followed a HIIT regime improved their aerobic and anaerobic results by 28% more than the control group. Such incredible results launched HIIT into the limelight, and it's been a popular form of training ever since.

How is HIIT beneficial?

HIIT is beneficial in several different ways. First and foremost, those that work out using HIIT continue burning calories for up to 24 hours after their exercise comes to an end. This is due to the way that performing a minimum of 15 minutes of HIIT each day helps you to enter a continuous metabolic state, where you're always burning calories.

Increased strength, endurance, and power are also associated with HIIT workouts. The high-intensity exercise allows for quick results and gives you that well-exercised feeling without having to give up too much of your time. This links to another benefit – time efficiencies. HIIT workouts are incredibly time efficient and take up considerably less of your day than traditional workout plans. In roughly 8 minutes, a carefully considered HIIT plan can achieve the same cardiovascular gains as 20 minutes of jogging.

Finally, HIIT is beneficial and successful because it’s enjoyable. Those taking part in the regime receive an endorphin exercise hit and all the benefits of a full exercise regime without getting bored by long stretches of monotonous exercise. It may be tough, but it’s not tough for long.

Why is HIIT beneficial?

HIIT is beneficial for a diverse number of reasons. A recent study in Sweden has shown that interval training causes different chemical reactions in the body compared to those that take place during regular training regimes. A higher number of free radicals are released, which effectively target calcium channels and cause an increase in energy and efficiency.

Second, HIIT workouts are designed to raise your heart rate and keep it elevated, allowing you to burn more fat in less time. By creating an oxygen shortage during the periods of intense exercise, HIIT puts your body in a position where it's demanding more oxygen during the recovery periods, keeping your heart rate high, and ensuring you're still burning energy.

How is HIIT being used in the fitness industry?

HIIT is a fantastic example of how the fitness industry is driven by trends and the need to adapt their services to the modern lifestyle. Fitness providers, like Les Mills, have built devoted followings by developing new fitness regimes that are incredibly well marketed and designed to appeal to those with a busy schedule. Other classes are also subject to contemporary trends. For instance, in recent years, spinning classes, Zumba, and BodyPump have all had (or are having) their time in the sun and increased gym membership figures in the process.

Examples of a HIIT workout

If you’re looking for a simple HIIT workout to try yourself, there are some simple routines that will give you a taste for this type of training. Our example involves three simple exercises – push-ups, burpees, and star jumps. All you have to do is follow these easy steps;

1. Try and do as many press-ups as you can in 30 seconds
2. Do 60 star jumps
3. Do 20 burpees
4. Rest for one minute
5. Repeat process another four times

What franchises are offering HIIT?

Most fitness franchises offer HIIT training opportunities. Group classes have become an incredibly popular service amongst those who frequently visit the gym and HIIT is considered one of their core products. Franchises such as EasyGym, One Element, and Anytime Fitness all offer classes and have personal trainers who boast a great deal of HIIT experience. Some franchises, such as One Element, trust in the method to such a degree that they use HIIT workouts exclusively.

In recent years, HIIT training has become an increasingly popular workout regime. The ability to fit the workout around other commitments, its proven success, and its high-intensity, feel-good factor ensure that it will remain a fitness franchise staple for years to come.