High Intensity Interval Training at Home

High Intensity Interval Training Workouts at Home involves Quick Exercises to do at Home. These quick home exercises involves you exercising at maximum effort for 30 seconds, then rest, and then repeat about 7 to 10 times to perform one of latest of Quick Exercises to do at Home. These quick home exercises is revolutionizing the exercise world. It takes just 10 minutes and are a quick home exercises that will keep you as fit as if you were doing extended heavy exercise for an hour every day. This is not fiction, but result after results of Research all over the world has proven this fact. The exercise can be by Climbing Stairs Exercise as described below or on an Exercise Bike or an Elliptical Machine (Elliptical Trainer or Ellipticals) or by just mixing jogging or brisk walks of 30 seconds and then walking at slow pace for resting and repeating 7 to 10 times as described at the bottom of this page.

The basis of these exercises is that during the 30 seconds or so of High Intensity exercise your heart is beating at the fastest possible rate and you are at the peak of your breathing, almost gasping for breath as if you just can't get enough of air. Researchers are not sure, but it is believed that at this point of peak of performance, natural processes occur in your body which releases a hormone known as Irisin which converts White Fat into Brown Fat to make your body much more healthier. Research has shown that body fats keep on being reduced in an unexplainable way, when you are on an intense training program for a few months. The metabolism of people on intense training changes to become like the metabolism of some people who eat a lot, but still remain thin by nature, because they are born like that. Researchers are now thinking of making Irisin injections and Irisin tablets which will make you lose weight without exercise.

To quote from the website of The University of Birmingham "Three minutes of intense exercise, three times a week, is equivalent to five one-hour sessions according to research at the University of Birmingham’s School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, offering hope for people too busy to find the time to work out."

Here is another confirmation on the BBC Website "Short bursts of intense exercise every few days could dramatically cut the risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to an expert. Rather than slaving away for hours in the gym, people should focus their attention on quick "sprints" with each workout lasting just a few minutes. James Timmons, Heriot-Watt University professor of exercise biology has studied the effects of quick exercise. He recommends 4 x 30 second sprints on an exercise bike three times a week. He said people could reduce their risk of diabetes and heart disease substantially with short, intense workouts - with such "time-efficient" exercising appealing to busy workers."

The fact that short periods of intense exercise or 'High Intensity Interval Training' is better than extended periods of exercise has been proved by research in many countries. According Dr. Alan Sears, author of 'PACE, the 12 minute Fitness Revolution' "Long-duration exercise isn't natural. Our ancient ancestors never ran for mile after mile without rest or recovery. Their exercise was primarily hunting with short bursts of exertion, followed by periods of rest. By exercising in short bursts, followed by periods of recovery, you recreate exactly what your body needs for building fitness."

Modern man's existence is not more than a few thousand years, before that, for millions of years, we were hunters and living off the land. Thus the modern lifestyle exists only for about ¹/₁₀₀₀ th (one by a thousandth) of the time of our evolution.

The Interval Training benefits have also been confirmed by a study into the benefits of "High Intensity Interval Training", known as HIIT, by McMaster University, Ontario, Canada. The method adopted was running or cycling at almost maximum effort for a minute and then resting for a minute and then repeating the process around 10 times. The details and results of this study was published in the 'Journal of Physiology' and Professor Martin Gibala said the study proved that it was "possible to get more by doing less". Further to their first research which involved all out effort, the HIT (high-intensity interval training) a new research also published in the 'Journal of Physiology' says that a less extreme form of HIT also works. In the new Study, they exercised at about half the effort rather the full maximum effort and the results were as good as that of the all out 'HIT'. Professor Gibala says "We have shown that interval training does not have to be 'all-out' to be effective".

In summary the best form of exercise, especially for seniors, is to do an aerobic exercise, like a brisk walk for 30 seconds, then rest or reduce the pace of walk to a leisurely pace, then again a fast walk of 30 seconds and then slow pace for a minute. Repeat this process 7 to 10 times daily. Rather than trying to see the time, it is better to count the number of steps you take. Assuming during a brisk walk you take 2 steps a second, that means 60 steps in 30 seconds. Similarly assume you take 1 step a second for a leisurely walk, you take again 60 steps a minute at a slow pace. So walk fast counting your steps till 60, then slow down and again count to 60 steps of slow walking and repeat this for at least 7 to 10 times per day. If you can Walk, Jog, Run instead of the brisk walk, then that will be great. Interspersed Walk Jog Run is one of the best forms of exercise. Counting your steps also exercises your brain!!

Exercise Bike, Elliptical Trainer or Treadmill

For seniors it is better to have an Exercise Bike or Elliptical Trainer rather than a Treadmill. This is because on an Exercise Bike or on an Elliptical Machine your feet does not leave the pedal of the machine and thus there are no shocks or jerking of your knees and other joints like when you are using a Treadmill. If you are planning to buy a new Elliptical Machine called an Elliptical Trainer or just plain 'Ellipticals', make sure that the 'Stride Length' of the Elliptical Trainer is at least 18 inches. An Exercise Bike is also a good option, but some people tend to get sore bottoms and sore inner thighs. An elliptical machine has the additional benefit of improving your balance. Both the elliptical Trainer and the exercise bike are good options for seniors.

You must try out the machine before you buy. When trying out the machine make sure that all braking mechanisms of the machine are in the off position and the machine should be at its least resistance mode. Just try out the machine slowly for even just 10 seconds and make sure you are comfortable. Once your machine is at home, do not go all out in the beginning. Use the Interval Training method on the Elliptical Trainer or the exercise bike. First few days try out the machine slowly for 30 seconds or so at the beginning and after that you can start following the High Intensity Interval Training as explained above. High Intensity Interval Training exercise on the elliptical machine or exercise bike should start with you pedaling at your maximum for 10 to 30 seconds, or till you can't do it anymore, then stop and rest for upto a minute or till you feel OK and repeat this process 7 to 10 times daily. This Interval Training exercise will keep you fit and is as good as your doing an hour of exercise daily.

Climbing Stairs Exercise, How to Exercise at Home with no Equipment

Climbing Stairs as exercise involves climbing stairs very fast and resting on top and repeating it. This Climbing Stairs High Intensity Interval Training can be adopted by people in fairly good health. There is no need of any exercise machines for this. You go up one story as fast as you can, then rest upstairs till you get your breath and then get back down slowly and then climb up the stairs as fast as you can and then rest. Repeat this 7 to 10 times and this will be a very effective form of High Intensity Interval Training.

Brown Fat, White Fat and Irisin Hormone

Latest research suggests that while exercising the muscles produce an hormone called 'IRISIN'. Irisin converts White Fat into Brown Fat. Brown Fat burns calories and gets rid of excess fat in your body. Dr. Spiegelman of  Harvard Medical School, injected Irisin Hormone into over weight and diabetic laboratory rats and these rats had improved glucose tolerance and lost weight without any exercise.

So look out for the day when you can have Irisin injections or Irisin tablets to lose weight without exercise.

P.S.
Your Doctor is the best person to advice you on any of what is said here. Please do not do any Exercise without consulting your Doctor.