High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a great alternative to steady-state cardio; you’ll burn some extra calories, while also sparing yourself some time and muscle! I'm not sure how the obsession over steady-state cardio developed; however, strength coach Martin Rooney offers a pretty entertaining explanation: We run marathons and jog everywhere else because a few French aristocrats in a salon back in the late 1800's liked a poem. The poem was about a Greek messenger named Pheidippides, and the guys in the salon included Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympics and a buddy of his that liked poetry. The Baron reignited our passion for the modern Olympics. For that we must thank him. We have, however, forgotten to also thank him for the jogging craze that's alive and well over 100 years later. There are many versions of Pheidippides' story, but in the poet Robert Browning's version, the messenger runs from Marathon to Athens to warn of an impending Persian invasion. He then unceremoniously drops to the floor in a sweaty heap, and well, dies. The Greek historian Herodotus tells a different story and so do others throughout history, but the take home message is the same, some Athenian military commander basically said: dude, you're obviously not a fighter and your ability to sing show tunes hasn't proven helpful on the front line, but you are really skilled at running away from stuff, so go run and get us some professionals. The guy stepped up, but it wasn't all that important in the grand scheme of things, and in what can only be considered a real downer move, dies for his efforts. Did anyone miss the punch-line? The guy curled over and died. I did not miss the punch-line, so let's get back to HIIT, you can perform HIIT in many different ways: sprinting, rowing, jumping rope, or spinning, just to name a few. Try doing 40 seconds of effort followed by 20 seconds of rest; repeat this 10 times for a quick and effective 10 minute workout. HIIT isn’t easy, it’s physically and mentally exhausting; however, it’s also incredibly time efficient and effective! 💪
