Between the shopping, wrapping, decorating, and celebrating–not to mention your regular responsibilities–your schedule may be pretty full in December. Many of us do not have two hours to devote to exercise every single day, especially not during the holiday season. But you don’t have to choose between fitness and your holiday plans. Truthfully, if you have 15 minutes, you have enough time to get an incredible workout. How? By turning up the intensity!
The most popular way to do this is with HIIT–or, high-intensity interval training. HIIT is a form of anaerobic exercise, generally defined as short bursts of activity performed with maximum effort. A classic HIIT workout alternates work intervals with periods of active recovery. We love sustained aerobic exercise, like running, swimming, or biking. However, HIIT can offer similar cardiorespiratory benefits, including improved vascular function, greater endurance, and lowered blood pressure.
To get the benefits from quick high-intensity workouts, you need to come close to maxing out on your effort. If you are doing HIIT the right way, that 15-minute workout should be tough. But the work is a great bang for your buck! High-intensity training is highly efficient for burning fat when you are low on time. After exerting maximum effort, your body needs to consume more oxygen to return to its resting state. This effect keeps the body burning long after your workout has finished.
Have we convinced you that you need more high-intensity training in your routine? Because you have plenty of options! Check out our regularly scheduled HIIT favorites, like Les Mills SPRINT, Row-X, HIIT the Barre, HIIT 50/10, and HIIT Bootcamp classes. But we also some new HIIT workouts planned for you, so you can get the most out of your club membership.
In December, AAC is offering Pilates HIIT for the Holidays. A lot of HIIT workouts involve jumping–tuck jumps, jump squats, burpees, and such. These are very efficient, dynamic movements, but that level of impact is not appropriate for every person. Pilates HIIT offers an approach better suited for protecting the joints (check out our knee pain blog post here). But make no mistake, Pilates HIIT will get your heart racing and your entire body working.
In the new year, AAC will also be demoing new equipment in a high-intensity pop-up room. This is a limited feature, so check it out and let us know what you think! We hope you feel inspired to work in some high-intensity training, and to see you at the Club this holiday season.
