High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is very popular today. It promises incredible results in a short time. Yet, to truly maximize your HIIT potential, you need a solid aerobic base. Think of your aerobic base as the gas tank and anaerobic training as the gas pedal. The gas tank provides steady fuel to push the pedal to drive and go faster.
Breaking Down the Basics
- Aerobic Fitness: This involves sustained, rhythmic activity that uses your heart, lungs, and large muscle groups for more than 3 minutes in a steady, continuous motion. Think of it as your body’s endurance engine.
- Anaerobic Power: This is your short-burst, explosive power for sprinting or heavy weightlifting. It is where you push down the gas pedal to go faster from your steady state of motion.
Why You Can’t Ignore Aerobic Training
While HIIT focuses on all-out bursts, a good aerobic foundation brings numerous benefits:
- Faster Recovery: You bounce back quicker between HIIT rounds, allowing you to work harder each time.
- More Power: Your body can deliver oxygen more efficiently to your muscles, translating to more explosive movements during HIIT. Also, you build more mitochondria that create energy. The more you have, the better!
- Avoiding Burnout: HIIT is incredibly taxing. Aerobic fitness helps you recover faster and stay consistent with your workouts without feeling constantly depleted.
Let’s get into the workouts!
What is Zone 2 Training?
- Heart Rate: 60-70% of your maximum heart rate (MHR)
- Intensity: Low-intensity, conversational pace. You can maintain it for an extended period while still talking comfortably.
- Feel A comfortable, sustainable effort level.
- Focus: Develop your aerobic base and fat-burning efficiency as your primary fuel source.
How to Calculate Your Zone 2:
- Estimate Your Max Heart Rate (MHR): The most common formula is 220 – your age. This is an estimation, and individual MHR can vary.
- Calculate Zone 2 Range:
- Lower end: MHR x 0.6
- Higher end: MHR x 0.7
Example: For a 30-year-old:
- Estimated MHR: 220 – 30 = 190
- Zone 2 Range: 114 – 133 beats per minute (BPM)
Benefits of Zone 2 Training:
- Improves aerobic base: Enhances your body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently during exercise.
- Increases fat burning: Trains your body to use fat as its primary fuel source.
- Builds endurance: Allows you to sustain activity for more extended periods.
- Promotes recovery: Low-intensity exercise helps with active recovery during training.
- Reduces risk of overtraining: Lowers the risk of injury compared to constantly training at high intensities.
Routines for Aerobic Training
Machine Training- Perform 3-5 times with a rest of 1 minute between exercises.
It is a perfect match if you can tolerate a machine for 3 to 5 minutes!
Warm-up: 5 minutes of light walking on the treadmill.
Exercise 1: The Incline Treadmill
Work: Jog for 3-5 minutes. The intensity should allow you to maintain a slightly challenging conversation.
Exercise 2: Rowing Machine
Work: 3 minutes of moderate-pace rowing.
Exercise 3: Fan Bike or Stationary Bike
Work: 3- 5 minutes.
Cooldown- stretching.
Important Notes:
- Listen to Your Body: If you’re new to aerobic exercise, ease in slowly and gradually increase intensity.
- Mix It Up: Cycling machines, ellipticals, and stair climbers are all great alternatives to keep things interesting.
- Fuel Yourself: Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet to support your training.
The Takeaway
Don’t underestimate the power of those “boring” cardio machines at the gym. Just decrease the time. If you eliminate the boredom, you may start to enjoy them.
Integrating these routines into your workouts will transform your HIIT sessions from brutal to explosive and less fatigue, ultimately leading to a fitter, stronger, and overall, more capable you.
What is PHA (Peripheral Heart Action) training?
PHA is an aerobic circuit training style designed to improve blood flow throughout the workout. PHA alternates upper and lower body exercises with minimal rest between sets. This forces blood to move rapidly throughout your body to support muscles, improving cardiovascular fitness.
Choose exercises that alternate upper and lower body and perform the entire circuit. Your reps should be done at pace or slightly slower than the pace for 20 reps or for 45-60 seconds. After the exercise, try to go right to the next exercise. After the circuit, rest for 1 minute or what you need to continue.
Program 1: PHA Power
Warm-up: 5 minutes of light cardio.
Circuit:
- Lat Pulldown
- Squats
- Shoulder Presses
- Deadlifts
- Seated Rows
- Lunges
- Pushups or Chest Presses
- Rest 1-2 minutes.
- Repeat the circuit 3-4 times.
Cooldown: 5 minutes of light cardio and static stretching.
If you find this circuit is too long, break the circuit down into two.
Important Considerations:
- Weight Selection: Use a challenging weight that allows you to maintain good form throughout. It’s more about sustained effort, not maxing out your weights. The workout should be challenging your lungs first and your muscles second.
- Progression: Gradually increase sets, reps, or weight as you get fitter.
- Form First: Incorrect form can lead to injury. If you’re unsure of an exercise, seek guidance from a trainer.
- Listen to your body: It’s okay to take short breaks if needed, especially when you’re starting.
Why PHA for Aerobic Fitness?
- Calorie & Fat Burn: The high-intensity nature of these workouts leads to a significant calorie and fat burn.
- Muscle Building: You will improve your cardio and build muscle and strength.
- Variety: These formats add excitement and challenge to your workouts, keeping boredom at bay.
30/30
This works by 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest.
It is a little challenging, but you don’t need to move fast, just at pace. Keep the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) between 6 and 7.
Warmup- 5 minutes
30 seconds work. 30 seconds rest.
- Squat Press
- Lunges
- Pushup Rows (Renegade Rows)
- Mountain Climbers
- Alternating Box Step Ups Holding a Plate or Dumbbells
- Dumbbell Swings
- Rest one full minute and perform 3-5 times.
Cooldown-5 minutes
People do not like aerobic training mainly because of boredom. I get it. It is hard to watch the hamster running on the wheel for more than a minute, let alone do it yourself.
But you can enjoy aerobic training by switching machines by breaking it down into 3-minute intervals. Or, if you are not a fan of machines, use resistance bands and dumbbell exercises for 1-minute sets to develop your interest—not your dislike and hatred of aerobic exercise.
Check out my INSTANT STRENGTH book for total strength, speed, and power programs.
To maximize stability, mobility, and flexibility, check out my book, THE BALANCED BODY.
To see great exercises, methods, and techniques videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel, BALANCED BODY.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is very popular today. It promises incredible results in a short time. Yet, to truly maximize your HIIT potential, you need a solid aerobic base. Think of your aerobic base as the gas tank and anaerobic training as the gas pedal. The gas tank provides steady fuel to push the pedal to drive and go faster.
Breaking Down the Basics
- Aerobic Fitness: This involves sustained, rhythmic activity that uses your heart, lungs, and large muscle groups for more than 3 minutes in a steady, continuous motion. Think of it as your body’s endurance engine.
- Anaerobic Power: This is your short-burst, explosive power for sprinting or heavy weightlifting. It is where you push down the gas pedal to go faster from your steady state of motion.
Why You Can’t Ignore Aerobic Training
While HIIT focuses on all-out bursts, a good aerobic foundation brings numerous benefits:
- Faster Recovery: You bounce back quicker between HIIT rounds, allowing you to work harder each time.
- More Power: Your body can deliver oxygen more efficiently to your muscles, translating to more explosive movements during HIIT. Also, you build more mitochondria that create energy. The more you have, the better!
- Avoiding Burnout: HIIT is incredibly taxing. Aerobic fitness helps you recover faster and stay consistent with your workouts without feeling constantly depleted.
Let’s get into the workouts!
What is Zone 2 Training?
- Heart Rate: 60-70% of your maximum heart rate (MHR)
- Intensity: Low-intensity, conversational pace. You can maintain it for an extended period while still talking comfortably.
- Feel A comfortable, sustainable effort level.
- Focus: Develop your aerobic base and fat-burning efficiency as your primary fuel source.
How to Calculate Your Zone 2:
- Estimate Your Max Heart Rate (MHR): The most common formula is 220 – your age. This is an estimation, and individual MHR can vary.
- Calculate Zone 2 Range:
- Lower end: MHR x 0.6
- Higher end: MHR x 0.7
Example: For a 30-year-old:
- Estimated MHR: 220 – 30 = 190
- Zone 2 Range: 114 – 133 beats per minute (BPM)
Benefits of Zone 2 Training:
- Improves aerobic base: Enhances your body’s ability to use oxygen efficiently during exercise.
- Increases fat burning: Trains your body to use fat as its primary fuel source.
- Builds endurance: Allows you to sustain activity for more extended periods.
- Promotes recovery: Low-intensity exercise helps with active recovery during training.
- Reduces risk of overtraining: Lowers the risk of injury compared to constantly training at high intensities.
Routines for Aerobic Training
Machine Training- Perform 3-5 times with a rest of 1 minute between exercises.
It is a perfect match if you can tolerate a machine for 3 to 5 minutes!
Warm-up: 5 minutes of light walking on the treadmill.
Exercise 1: The Incline Treadmill
Work: Jog for 3-5 minutes. The intensity should allow you to maintain a slightly challenging conversation.
Exercise 2: Rowing Machine
Work: 3 minutes of moderate-pace rowing.
Exercise 3: Fan Bike or Stationary Bike
Work: 3- 5 minutes.
Cooldown- stretching.
Important Notes:
- Listen to Your Body: If you’re new to aerobic exercise, ease in slowly and gradually increase intensity.
- Mix It Up: Cycling machines, ellipticals, and stair climbers are all great alternatives to keep things interesting.
- Fuel Yourself: Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet to support your training.
The Takeaway
Don’t underestimate the power of those “boring” cardio machines at the gym. Just decrease the time. If you eliminate the boredom, you may start to enjoy them.
Integrating these routines into your workouts will transform your HIIT sessions from brutal to explosive and less fatigue, ultimately leading to a fitter, stronger, and overall, more capable you.
What is PHA (Peripheral Heart Action) training?
PHA is an aerobic circuit training style designed to improve blood flow throughout the workout. PHA alternates upper and lower body exercises with minimal rest between sets. This forces blood to move rapidly throughout your body to support muscles, improving cardiovascular fitness.
Choose exercises that alternate upper and lower body and perform the entire circuit. Your reps should be done at pace or slightly slower than the pace for 20 reps or for 45-60 seconds. After the exercise, try to go right to the next exercise. After the circuit, rest for 1 minute or what you need to continue.
Program 1: PHA Power
Warm-up: 5 minutes of light cardio.
Circuit:
- Lat Pulldown
- Squats
- Shoulder Presses
- Deadlifts
- Seated Rows
- Lunges
- Pushups or Chest Presses
- Rest 1-2 minutes.
- Repeat the circuit 3-4 times.
Cooldown: 5 minutes of light cardio and static stretching.
If you find this circuit is too long, break the circuit down into two.
Important Considerations:
- Weight Selection: Use a challenging weight that allows you to maintain good form throughout. It’s more about sustained effort, not maxing out your weights. The workout should be challenging your lungs first and your muscles second.
- Progression: Gradually increase sets, reps, or weight as you get fitter.
- Form First: Incorrect form can lead to injury. If you’re unsure of an exercise, seek guidance from a trainer.
- Listen to your body: It’s okay to take short breaks if needed, especially when you’re starting.
Why PHA for Aerobic Fitness?
- Calorie & Fat Burn: The high-intensity nature of these workouts leads to a significant calorie and fat burn.
- Muscle Building: You will improve your cardio and build muscle and strength.
- Variety: These formats add excitement and challenge to your workouts, keeping boredom at bay.
30/30
This works by 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest.
It is a little challenging, but you don’t need to move fast, just at pace. Keep the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) between 6 and 7.
Warmup- 5 minutes
30 seconds work. 30 seconds rest.
- Squat Press
- Lunges
- Pushup Rows (Renegade Rows)
- Mountain Climbers
- Alternating Box Step Ups Holding a Plate or Dumbbells
- Dumbbell Swings
- Rest one full minute and perform 3-5 times.
Cooldown-5 minutes
People do not like aerobic training mainly because of boredom. I get it. It is hard to watch the hamster running on the wheel for more than a minute, let alone do it yourself.
But you can enjoy aerobic training by switching machines by breaking it down into 3-minute intervals. Or, if you are not a fan of machines, use resistance bands and dumbbell exercises for 1-minute sets to develop your interest—not your dislike and hatred of aerobic exercise.
Check out my INSTANT STRENGTH book for total strength, speed, and power programs.
To maximize stability, mobility, and flexibility, check out my book, THE BALANCED BODY.
To see great exercises, methods, and techniques videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel, BALANCED BODY.