What the heck is HIIT?

What’s up with this new buzzword HIIT?

Sounds like bootcamp (Marine Corps that is) all over again. It was up. It was down. And it was constantly changing. Maybe not a timed tabata circuit but it was always changing. I think we may have even created some new exercises.


Sit down, get back up, get away from me, get back over here. Hands down by your side.

Eyeballs > Click

Ears > Open Sir

Zero > Freeze Recruit Freeze


This was some of the craziest stuff I ever experienced. We got IT’d on the quarter deck (one of those Navy terms).

I did more push-ups, flutter kicks, & jumping jacks than you could possibly imagine especially for being a squad leader. Whenever some other recruits did something off the wall, the drill instructor came to the squad leaders to fix the problem.

First, we got screamed at about how jacked up OUR recruits were & how we needed to work as a team to fix the problem. Then those iconic words came out loud and clear “SQUAD LEADERS, GET ON MY QUARTER DECK NOW”

As we are running over to the cold concrete slab right outside of their sleeping quarters. We hear that cracklin voice say PUSH-UP and we echo with MARINE CORPS. (Then watched sweat get poured onto that cold hard concrete)

He we go again…

PUSH-UP > Marine Corps

One Two Three > One

One Two Three > Two

FLUTTER KICKS NOW… Six inches…. Nope I SAID SIX INCHES.

We were told that we couldn’t march the best, we couldn’t shoot the straightest, & we couldn’t comprehend USMC history. But the one thing we were told was that we would be some of the strongest recruits to ever graduate Marine Corps boot camp. And I think they were right.

The more I think about it, HIIT sounds like some crazed drill instructor didn’t get enough of a fix while down at the recruit depot.  He or She decided to get their yelling in at one of those boot camp style workouts which has now evolved into this thing we call HIIT.

So, what is HIIT? It is some high intense all out exercises with some short periods of rest.

Here is an example for beginners:

Jump Squat (30 sec)

Mountain Climbers (1 min)

Jumping Jacks (30 sec)

Rest  (1 min)

And Repeat…

I’m still convinced that some Full Metal Jacket drill instructor came up with this whole HIIT epidemic. Regardless of who came up with it, it’s definitely a great way to mix up your up cardio and get it done in a short amount of time.

Head over to Google, YouTube, or whatever social media outlet of choice and try your first HIIT workout.

 

Stay On The Grind…

Byron

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