Home fitness HIIT

Without any equipment, you can achieve the fat-burning effect of 40 minutes of regular steady-speed aerobics in 15-25 minutes each time. As long as the movements are adapted to your own physical conditions, there is no inevitable knee injury problem. The threshold is much lower than yoga and strength training.

The first time I came into contact with home HIIT was during the lockdown in 2022. At that time, I stocked up a bunch of yoga mats and elastic bands at home. I started dancing with popular online classes. I practiced high-impact classes for 20 minutes for the first time. After jumping, I squatted on the ground and panted for ten minutes.

When it comes to this, we can’t get around the “HIIT injured knee” theory that has been quarreling on the Internet for a long time. I deliberately reviewed the opinions of practitioners in several different fields. The general view in the sports rehabilitation circle is that the pressure of HIIT itself on the joints is adjustable. The essence of injured knee is that the movement deformation + intensity exceeds the range of one’s own tolerance - for example, the weight BMI exceeds If a 28-year-old starts doing high-impact movements such as burpees and squat jumps, his knees have to withstand 3-4 times the pressure of his body weight. It would be surprising if there is no problem. However, if he changes the movements to low-impact versions, such as jumping jacks to side steps, and burpees to standing burpees that do not need to take off, the pressure on the knees will be even less than daily brisk walking. On the other hand, enthusiasts in the field of competitive fitness often feel that the intensity of home HIIT is too low and cannot meet the requirements for muscle gain or fat removal, so it requires more weight and difficulty. However, in fact, for most ordinary people who just want to stay in shape and improve their physical fitness, there is no need to join in the fun. If you can insist on practicing 2-3 times a week, the effect is much better than if you have an annual fitness card and cannot go 3 times.

I once had a colleague who developed patellar tendonitis in her knees from running a marathon. She weighed 130 pounds and was afraid to run or jump. So I gave her a set of low-impact HIIT movements: seated leg curls, wall push-ups, lateral steps, and high glute bridges. Do each movement for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, and cycle 5 times for a total of only 15 minutes. She practices three times a week and drinks less full-sugar milk tea. She has lost 3 points of body fat in two months and her knees have never hurt. Recently, she also took the initiative to add a small weight dumbbell to exercise her arms.

Oh, by the way, don’t listen to those people on the Internet who brag about “losing 10 pounds by practicing HIIT in one week”. That’s all the effect of dehydration. I have actually tested it myself for almost two years, and fixed it three times a week. Sometimes when I’m tired after get off work, I’ll do low-intensity exercises, and when I feel energetic, I’ll do high-impact exercises. With a little control over high-sugar foods, I can steadily lose 4-5 pounds in a month, and I won’t lose muscle like dieting, and my overall mental state will be much better. The principle here is actually the EPOC in exercise physiology, which is the afterburn effect. To put it simply, when you practice HIIT, your body is in a state of hypoxia. For 6-8 hours after the exercise, the body will continue to consume more calories than usual to recover. Just like after you burn a charcoal fire, the remaining temperature can stay warm for a long time. Unlike constant-speed aerobics, as soon as you stop, the calorie consumption will immediately drop back to the basic level.

I once stepped into a pitfall, that is, practicing barefoot on a yoga mat. Once when I was doing jumping jacks, my foot slipped and almost sprained. Later, even at home, I wore soft-soled indoor sneakers. If it bothered me, I would also wear thicker non-slip socks. Don't make fun of my ankles. Some people also ask me if I want to buy dumbbells, elastic bands, etc. In fact, there is really no need at the beginning. Mineral water bottles and backpacks filled with books can be used as weights. It is not too late to buy them when you feel that you no longer feel anything when doing freehand exercises, so as not to collect dust when you go home.

In fact, in the final analysis, home fitness is just for convenience. There is no need to set so many rules for yourself. HIIT is just a fitness tool. If you feel comfortable and able to persist in practicing, it will be more effective than official standards and Internet celebrity schedules. If you feel pain after practicing for three days, it is better to change to your favorite exercise. After all, the best is the one that can be persisted for a long time.