This is an excerpt from the new PEERtrainer Guide To Healthy Muscle Building, written by a team of experts that we brought together for you. It is a huge guide and we are breaking out little nuggets to make the information super easy to digest. In 2013 we are going to be making each one of you a little stronger each month!
"Many experts favor high-intensity interval training (HIIT), also called burst training, to build muscle and burn fat if you just don't have time to exercise for more than 15 minutes in a day. When studies compare HIIT and endurance training, HIIT is the big winner: researchers found burst training superior for burning fat and building muscle.
To take advantage of HIIT, you'll want to move at maximum capacity for up to 1 minute (you should be breathless or you're not doing it hard enough), then at normal pace for 1 -- 2 minutes. Repeat this four to six times, but don't go longer than twenty minutes--if you find that at the end of fifteen to twenty minutes you have energy to spare, then you most certainly were not exercising hard enough during the "high-intensity" portion!"
Real World Tip: Once you learn this basic concept, you can apply it to any aspect of your life. Many normal aspects of your day, both work and play involve a LOT of small bursts. So when you find yourself needing to "burst" tell yourself that you are working out.
Stairs are also an excellent way to easily burst. As are simple jumping jacks. We tend to way overtrain, especially when we are not in top form. Bursting helps you engage fat burning and muscle building, without overloading your body.
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