Lose Weight Doing High Intensity Intervals On A Bike
HIIT (high intensity interval training) has been discovered by the mainstream fitness world...and for good reason.
It works.
It works as a means to accelerate weight loss, it works as a way to increase physical fitness like few other exercise programs can, and it works to make the best use of precious exercise time.
HIIT Defined
Let's start with a short primer of what interval training is all about. Interval training is a workout consisting of relatively short, hard bursts of effort...mixed with 'rest' efforts. I'll make the explanation easier to understand by giving a sample cycling HIIT workout.
- 10 minutes warm-up of easy spinning.
- 10 minutes of alternating 10 seconds 'all out' effort with 20 seconds of easy spinning.
- 10 minutes warm-down of easy spinning.
As you can see, the workout is 'short and sweet'. The magic in the whole concept with regard to weight loss is that your metabolism will remain elevated for hours after a HIIT workout...all the time burning up that fat you've been doing everything you can to lose.
There's Nothing New About HIIT
Interval training is only new in the consciousness of the popular fitness culture. It's been around for decades. In fact, the Hungarian runner Mihaly Igloi relied almost strictly on interval training to make it to the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
I came from a long distance running background way back in the 1970's and one of the mainstays of our training was interval training. What interval training allows you to do is put a strain on the systems of the body that only kick into gear when your effort is above a sustainable cardio effort.
There's no way you could continue an effort that is 150% of your sustainable cardio level for very long. But if you exercise at that level for multiple bursts, the time you're exercising anaerobically starts to add up.
But What About A Wobbly Bike?
As much as I'm a fan of cycling, I do know that getting out on a bike in the hazards of winter, on the dangerous roads of the city, or even out in the oppressive heat of summer can be a problem for a cyclist trying to get in the benefits off HIIT.
After all, you'd better not be doing a 'hard' interval on sheet ice, in busy traffic, or under the broiling sun. And then there's the issue of just staying upright when you're giving it all you've got on a bike.
That's where an indoor bike trainer can prove it's worth.
Which Trainers Are Best For HIIT?
Traditionally, the best bike trainers have been the fluid trainers, like the Kurt Kinetic trainer. They're quiet, and can provide the resistance needed to 'fight back' when you're putting the 'pedal to the metal'.
Recently, I've become aware of the merits of the CycleOps Magneto trainer. Contrary to the belief that magnetic trainers are too loud to be considered, the Magneto is as quiet as my Road Machine, or its counterpart the Cycleops fluid trainer, and has more than enough resistance to be part of a good HIIT workout.
Summing It Up
While slogging along at a constant 'cardio' rate is certainly better for fitness and weight loss than sitting on the couch, you can give your workout effort an added 'zing' by incorporating some high intensity interval workouts to your routine.
An excellent way to accomplish HIIT workouts is on the saddle of a bike, with no jarring impacts to shake your body into submission - only smooth pedaling to melt the fat away.
About the author: Ron Fritzke D.C. is a chiropractor in Mount Shasta, California who rides and races his bikes in Northern California. He also spends a lot of time researching and writing about good cycling gear on his Cycling-Review.com website.
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