High Intensity Interval Training Workouts or HIIT are a favorite of mine, which any reader of my site knows. My usual recommendation is to engage in high intensity, brief HIIT, and then move into steady state cardiovascular work, and then finish with a long burst of HIIT in order to maximize your outcome. Though I still believe this to be a great way to lose fat, I am also interested in exploring a different type of advanced HIIT training advocated by Rusty Moore (of Visual Impact fame) on Fitness Black Book.

Not too long ago, I wrote about a USA today article that showed people who were “fit” actually burned more fat than people who weren’t “fit” after a workout. This article is not only compelling for the outcomes of its study, but also tells us something important about HIIT training at the advanced level. The oxygen that a person uses during a 1 minute period of exercise is referred to a VO2 max. The research in this article determined fitness based on a person’s VO2 max. Fit people have higher VO2 max levels than out of shape people. Based on this theory, increasing your VO2 max level will also increase the fat you can burn post workout.

The concept at work is that brief interval HIIT serves to releaes fatty acids into the blood, while the steady state cardiovascular work works to eliminate them. HIIT in short intervals also aids in the release of HGH and the reduction of glycogen. HGH is a hormone that helps to maintain your muscle mass while at the same time burning fat. Long interval HIIT closes everything out by further deflating glycogen levels allowing for significant after burn effect (EPOC).

Though you can certainly eliminate fat with my HIIT routine, as you become leaner, it may be possible to overcome a weight loss plateau by concentrating on raising your VO2 max to increase your fitness level. Rusty reviewed a great deal of research and learned that the most effective way to raise VO2 max is to engage in longer interval high intensity interval training workouts at the start of each week, and do shorter interval HIIT workouts toward the end of the week.

During your long interval HIIT workouts at the start of the week, you should run at a pace you would be able to comfortably maintain for 8 uninterrupted minutes. You can intensify your workout by sprinting faster when you are doing your shorter interval HIIT in the latter part of the week. Your legs can burn out if you are not careful, though. Be aware of this, and do not over train. I generally only recommend 3 non-consecutive days of HIIT per week, so the above program should probably only be used for a month at a time before taking a 4-5 days off. Furthermore, you ought not engage in targeted leg training routines while engaged in this type of program.

If you’re a beginner, start with the first HIIT workout routine I outlined. However, as you burn more fat and get in better shape, you might want to shift your focus to the advanced HIIT training program in order to increase VO2 max and further improve your fat burning potential. Whether they offer the effects of HGH release or the combination of HGH release and VO2 max increase, either of these High Intensity Interval Training Workouts could be right for you. Either way, HIIT will help you get your best body ever.