HIIT and Upper Body Movements

For this month of our Workout of the Week series, we will be focusing on HIIT training, followed with Upper Body Bodybuilding movements. By combing these two exercise modalities, we have created workouts that provide the anaerobic and aerobic benefits of HIIT, as well as the strength gains that mass-building movements can yield.

First, let’s touch on HIIT, which stands for High Intensity Interval Training, and some of the benefits it can provide. For our HIIT workouts, we follow the same general guidelines. Each week, you will see a different cardio exercise utilized, and the workout will generally consist of 3 parts: a warm-up, an interval at a “push yourself” pace, and an interval at an “active rest” pace. To program these workouts for the varying fitness levels of our members, we have utilized the RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) Scale of 0-10. Basically, that means that, for each workout, you will judge your fitness capabilities on a scale of 0-10, 0 being extremely easy, and 10 being your max effort, and then adjust accordingly

EXAMPLE: 24-Minute HIIT Workout on Rower

1. 3 minute warm-up at slow pace (RPE-3)

2. 60 seconds at “push” pace (RPE-7/8)

3. 45 seconds at “active rest” pace (RPE-5)

For RPE 7/8, push yourself to 70-80% of your max effort, for RPE 5, row at approximately 50% of your max effort, and so on. We will be using this scale for this month’s workouts, so be honest with your capabilities to see true improvements!

The second component of this month’s program is Upper Body Bodybuilding. These movements are strategically designed to target all the major upper body muscle groups, and are designed to build mass.

Research has shown that HIIT training can yield improvements in all sorts of ways, including: increases in testosterone in men, muscular power, peak oxygen uptake, and increases in time efficiency and enjoyment. By combining HIIT with bodybuilding movements, you will be sure to have a killer workout that works you anaerobically and aerobically, while improving muscular strength.

References:

Herbert, P., Hayes, L., Sculthorpe, N., & Grace, F. (2017). HIIT produces increases in muscle power and free testosterone in male masters athletes. Endocrine Connections, 6(7), 430–436. http://doi.org/10.1530/EC-17-0159

Shepherd, S. O., Wilson, O. J., Taylor, A. S., Thøgersen-Ntoumani, C., Adlan, A. M., Wagenmakers, A. J. M., & Shaw, C. S. (2015). Low-Volume High-Intensity Interval Training in a Gym Setting Improves Cardio-Metabolic and Psychological Health. PLoS ONE, 10(9), e0139056. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0139056