Trust me I’m a personal trainer

admin

October 10th, 2016

You may have been watching the BBC television series, Trust Me I’m a Doctor in which TV Doc Michael Moseley and friends bust some myths around health and exercise. Whilst I’m not in complete agreement with everything they tell us, I must confess I do like a bit of TV wellness of an evening.

In a recent episode, the team evaluated exercise regimes that can be completed quickly to see if any of them delivered improvements to the fitness level of participants. HIIT (high intensity interval training) was one of the training methods tested by a small group who performed 3 sessions of HIIT per week in their homes.

The workout took the form of three different exercises repeated five times for one minute, with 90 seconds of rest between each.

As a result of carrying out this workout three times a week, the participants in the trial gained a 12% improvement in their fitness levels (they measured this using a test called VO2 max which monitors how effectively the body uses oxygen)

That “someone” might be a person with a compromised pelvic floor, or who suffers with low bone density.

It was a fine workout (I have tagged it on to the end of this blog if you’re curious), but I felt that it wouldn’t be suitable for someone looking for low impact style HIIT.

You can monitor your improved fitness by noticing how much less puff it takes to get up hills and stairs or with a small swell of pride at how much more briskly you can walk.

So, not to be outdone, here’s the FitActive version. It uses the same interval timing as the TV version, contains minimal impact, plenty of functional movement AND is still a great workout. Do it three times a week and you too will experience improvements in your fitness. Unlike the peeps on the TV, you don’t need to go into the lab to find out exactly how much you’ve improved.

Before doing the workout, spend 6 – 10 minutes warming up. Some dancing to a couple of your favourite disco tracks will do it. Have a drink of water to hand and during the rests, stay hydrated and keep moving with a march or gentle jog. Finally, make sure you cool down with some stretching to round off.

To make the workout tougher (and to get it over with more quickly), simply reduce some or all of the rest intervals.

You can rest for as little as 10 seconds if you want. Be sure to maintain control of your moves at all times and only add in free weights when you have mastered the basics. Remember that doing the moves with good form is more important than speed or additional weight.

HIIT WORKOUT SUMMARY:

60 SECONDS ALTERNATE LEG LUNGE AND ARM SWING
90 SECONDS REST

60 SECONDS POWER KNEE DRIVES
90 SECONDS REST

60 SECONDS SIDE TO SIDE SHUFFLE
90 SECONDS REST

60 SECONDS ALTERNATE LEG LUNGE AND ARM SWING
90 SECONDS REST

60 SECONDS POWER KNEE DRIVES
90 SECONDS REST

Here’s the one the doctors gave us.

Disclaimer: The FitActive five minute HIIT Low Impact workout is undertaken at your own risk. Consult your doctor before exercise if you haven’t exercised in a long time or if you have any doubts about your ability to workout safely.