Why don’t more Americans exercise when the benefits are so great?
When I ask my patients this question, a frequent response is “Not enough time.” Many of us think that, in order to get fit and lose weight, we need to burn lots of calories while we exercise and therefore spend a great deal of time doing it. This is a myth! You can accomplish a great cardiovascular workout in as little as 20 minutes, 3 times per week – and continue to burn calories long after you’ve finished your exercise routine.
The type of cardio workout that will accomplish this is called high intensity interval training, also known as a HIIT workout. In essence, you work out for a shorter time with brief bouts of high effort intensity, compared to working out for a longer time with a low level of intensity. A great example of interval training is “wind sprints” which involve jogging punctuated by intermittent sprinting.
Here is how it’s done…
Before getting started, you need to know your maximum heart rate (from here on abbreviated MHR). This is the rate your heart should NEVER exceed in beats per minute. You find this by subtracting your age from 220. For example, I’m 40 and therefore I should have a MHR of 180 beats per minute.
During a twenty minute cardio workout on a Stairmaster™, I will get to 80-90% of my maximum heart rate at least 3 times during the twenty minute interval. In minute one, I’ll start with my heart rate at 50% of MHR. It goes to 60% in minute two, 70% in minute three, and so on. I’ll work up to 90% of my MHR, and then I’ll go back down to 50% during the next minute. You get your heart rate up by either increasing speed or resistance.
It’s best to have a heart rate monitor to interval train. It is a strap worn around the chest with a wrist watch that displays your heart rate. They cost about $75 and are available at most sporting good stores. In fact, all patients in our 8 Weeks to Wellness program are required to have their heart rate measured this way.
I, for one, want to maximize my time while exercising. If you could accomplish in 20 minutes, what others take 60 minutes to do, wouldn’t you choose do so?
