Bursts of exercise can help you lose weight

An article by the BBC News online caught our attention as it looked at why longer, less intense work outs are being superseded by bursts of high intensity interval training (HIIT) when it comes to weight loss.

We wanted to see for ourselves if this form of exercise does what it says on the tin and caught up with one of our fitness assessors and paramedic, David Walker – who also happens to be a fully qualified personal trainer.

David has spent the past 12 years championing exercise and fitness which has come in particularly handy for his role in the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) – which triages and treats patients within particularly hazardous or potentially contaminated areas. The team is trained in breathing apparatus, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents, confined space, urban search and rescue, water related incidents and working at height jobs as well as working closely with armed police and riot training.

The team members are individually required to complete and pass 14 minute fitness tests every six months dressed in full ground kit while wearing breathing apparatus weighing 25kgs.

In addition to his HART paramedic role, David is one of the three members of HART that carries out and assesses fitness tests which include repeating the following four times; 32 steps on an aerobic step carrying two 7kg dumbbells, a 50m walk carrying two 7kg dumbbells with the addition of performing a clinical intervention such as putting on a bandage dressing, a 75kg dummy drag for 15m on the last round and a 50m walk.

“Very few of us have little time these days to fit working out into our hectic schedules and this is why HIIT training works, as you don’t need a great deal of time to see the benefits. In half an hour, you can burn a lot more calories by ‘peaking’ your heart rate with a series of high intensity interval exercises, than using, for example, a running or rowing machine and working at the same pace for half an hour.”

“HIIT is ideal for preparing for something like this as it involves repeated bursts of high intensity exercise interspersed with low intensity recovery periods or shorter periods of rest.

HIIT is not something that everybody can participate in so we suggest you seek advice from your GP before starting any form or exercise. So what is HIIT? Short bursts of intense exercise followed by a brief resting period over a period of time. Where can I do it? Wherever you want, in or out of a gym and with or without equipment. Benefits of HIIT? Structured to suit your time, burn calories faster, weight loss, increase aerobic capacity and build muscle.

Will HIIT training work for me? Although it may only be a ten minute workout, HIIT training will help burn more calories in less time and is ideal for a busy life style. Another positive is that HIIT can be done anywhere, and does not have to be in a gym environment. It all depends on what you want the workout to involve. HIIT can also be set out for an individual or group and can be benefited by people of all ages, fitness levels, and athletic ability. An example of a HIIT Burpees - 20 seconds Rest – 10 seconds Sprint – 20 seconds Rest - 10 seconds Repeat 10 times

So what is HIIT?

Short bursts of intense exercise followed by abrief resting period over a period of time.

Where can I do it?

Wherever you want, in or out of a gym and withor without equipment.

Benefits of HIIT?

Structured to suit your time, burn calories faster,weight loss, increase aerobic capacity and buildmuscle.

Will HIIT training work for me?

Although it may only be a ten minute workout, HIITtraining will help burn more calories in less time and isideal for a busy life style. Another positive is that HIITcan be done anywhere, and does not have to be in agym environment. It all depends on what you wantthe workout to involve. HIIT can also be set out for anindividual or group and can be benefited by people ofall ages, fitness levels, and athletic ability.

An example of a HIIT

Burpees - 20 secondsRest – 10 secondsSprint – 20 secondsRest - 10 secondsRepeat 10 times

HIIT is not something that everybody can participatein so we suggest you seek advice from your GPbefore starting any form or exercise.