That’s the finding of a new Canadian study, which shows doing just 60 seconds of intense sprint intervals offers the same health benefits as 45 minutes of less-strenuous continuous exercise – further reinforcing the benefits of trendy high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. HIIT consists of a short but extremely draining burst of exercise – essentially to the point of muscle failure – followed by a light exercise or rest period, followed by another grueling if brief phase, and so on and so forth until you’re either the Rock or vomiting on AstroTurf.
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This style of training was compared to longer moderate intensity continuous training (MICT). In addition to monitoring the men’s increased endurance, the researchers also observed their cardiovascular health and how their bodies regulated their blood glucose, Voice of America reported.
A report published in US News said, “The intense exercise was so-called sprint interval training, which involved three 20-second “all out” sprints on exercise bikes”.
Specifically, the volunteers warmed up for 2min on stationary bicycles, then pedalled as hard as possible for 20 seconds; rode at a very slow pace for 2min, sprinted all-out again for 20 seconds;recovered with slow riding for another 2min; pedalled all-out for a final 20 seconds; then cooled down for 3min.
“Considering that a large number of individuals do not meet the current physical activity recommendations, there is value in exploring the potential benefits of exercise strategies that involve reduced time commitment“, they say. “Our study shows that an interval-based approach can be more efficient – you can get health and fitness benefits comparable to the traditional approach, in less time“, Gabala pointed out as quoted by Business Insider.
“I don’t want anyone to read that exercise can be bad for you”, John Mandrola, a cardiac electrophysiologist from the Baptist Hospital East in Louisville, told Mientka.
Researchers found subjects who engaged in 1 minute of intense cycling three times a week showed significant health benefits. Even if you squeeze in time for a longer workout, varying your routine one day won’t hinder any advancements you’ve already made or your weight-loss goals. The other program had the men do 45 minutes of continuous cycling. “Even though the interval group was performing five times less in total exercise and had a five-fold lower time commitment“.
At the end of the study, “the results were remarkably similar”, researchers said. These include improvements in their muscle functions, insulin sensitivity and the oxygen consumption of their bodies.
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Despite its potential health benefits, interval training does have its fair share of risks, according to the Mayo Clinic.
