Running tips for beginners

Running is free, you can do it anywhere, and it burns more calories than any other mainstream exercise.

Regular running can reduce your risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. It can also boost your mood and keep your weight under control.

This guide is designed to make running a safe and enjoyable experience for beginners, and to provide you with tips on how to stay motivated.

What a 60kg person burns in 30 minutes:

• running (6mph): 300 calories
• tennis (singles): 240 calories
• swimming (slow crawl): 240 calories
• cycling (12-14mph): 240 calories
• aerobic dancing: 195 calories
• fast walking (4mph): 150 calories

Source: At least five a week, Department of Health, 2004

Before you start

If you've not been active for a while, you may want to build your fitness levels gently with our guide to walking for health before you move on to running.

Running requires very little equipment, but a good pair of running shoes that suit your foot type may help improve comfort.

There are many types of trainers on the market, so get advice from a specialist running retailer who will assess your foot and find the right shoe for you.

The shoe's structure weakens over time, especially with regular use. Running experts advise replacing running shoes every 300 miles (482km).

Plan your runs. Work out when and where (the exact route and time) you're going to run and put it in your diary. That way, it won't slip your mind.

If you feel out of shape, or you're recovering from injury or worried about an existing condition, see your GP before you start running.

Starting out

To avoid injury and enjoy the experience, it's essential to ease yourself into running slowly and increase your pace and distance gradually over several outings.

Start each run with a gentle warm-up of at least five minutes. This can include quick walking, marching on the spot, knee lifts, side stepping and climbing stairs.

Start walking for an amount of time that feels comfortable.

When you first start out, try alternating between running and walking during your session.

Recommended physical activity levels

• Children aged under 5 years should do 180 minutes every day
• Young people (5-18 years) should do 60 minutes every day
• Adults (19-64 years) should do 150 minutes every week
• Older adults (65+ years) should do 150 minutes every week

As time goes on, make the running intervals longer until you no longer feel the need to walk.

For information on good running technique, read How to run correctly.

Give yourself a few minutes to cool down after each run by walking and a doing few stretches. Try our post-run stretch routine.

Regular running for beginners means getting out at least twice a week. Your running will improve as your body adapts to the consistent training stimulus.

It's better to run twice a week, every week, than to run six times one week and then do no running for the next three weeks.

We have produced a series of podcasts to help absolute beginners get into running.

Our Couch to 5K programme is designed to get just about anyone off the couch and running 5km in nine weeks.

Staying motivated

Set yourself a goal

Whatever your level, setting challenges is useful to stay motivated. Training for a race, such as a 5K, or a charity run is a good way to keep going. Find a running event using our run finder or parkrun.

Run with a friend

It really helps to have someone about the same level of ability as you to run with. You'll encourage each other when you're not so keen to run. You'll feel you don't want to let your running partner down, and this will help motivate you. Find a running partner on realbuzz or JoggingBuddy.

Keep a diary

Keep a diary of your runs. Note down each run, including your route, distance, time, weather conditions and how you felt. That way, whenever your motivation is flagging, you can look back and be encouraged by how much you've improved. Check out realbuzz's running blogs.

Improve your running

If you're looking to improve your running, why not try the NHS Choices 5K+ running podcasts. Each podcast in the series provides a structured run with running music and coaching to develop your running technique, speed and stamina.

Mix it up

Keep your running interesting by adding variety. Running the same route over and over again can become boring. Vary your distances, pace and routes. Use realbuzz's route planner to find, record and share your favourite running routes.

Join a club

A running club is the perfect way to commit to running regularly. Most clubs have running groups for different levels, including beginners. Clubs are also a great way to find running partners to run with outside of club sessions. Find a running club near you using

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10-minute workouts

Short on time? Hate the gym? Too tired to exercise after work? These 10-minute workouts are just what you need.

These equipment-free fitness routines are great to do at home and short enough for you to easily fit them into your daily schedule.

There are six workouts, one for every day of the week if you include a rest day, each working on a different area of your fitness.

Try to do one of these routines daily to improve your general health and strengthen and tone different muscle groups.

The workouts can also be bolted on to your regular workout sessions if you want to tone your abs, legs, triceps or buttocks.

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Get running with Couch to 5K

But did you know that regular running can help reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, boost your mood and keep your weight under control?

The NHS Couch to 5K plan is designed to get you off the couch and gradually work you up to running 5K or for half an hour, in just nine weeks.

What is Couch to 5K?

Couch to 5K is a running plan developed to help absolute beginners get into running. The beginners' running plan was developed by a novice runner, Josh Clark, who wanted to help his fifty-something mum get off the couch and start running too. The plan involves three runs per week, with a day of rest inbetween, with a different schedule for each of the nine weeks.

How does Couch to 5K work?

Probably the biggest challenge a novice runner faces is not knowing how or where to start. Often when trying to get into exercise, we can overdo it, feel defeated and give up when we’re just getting started. Couch to 5K works because it starts with a mix of running and walking, to gradually build up your fitness and stamina. Week one involves running for just a minute at a time, creating realistic expectations and making the challenge feel achievable right from the start.

Who is Couch to 5K for?

Couch to 5K is for everyone. Whether you’ve never run before, or if you want to get back into being more active, Couch to 5K is a free and easy way of getting fitter and healthier. If you have any health concerns about beginning an exercise regime such as Couch to 5K, make an appointment to see your GP and discuss it with them first.

What are the benefits?

There are plenty of benefits from getting into running. For starters, it’s an easy way of improving your physical health. Running regularly will improve the health of your heart and lungs. It can also help you lose weight, especially if combined with a healthy diet.

There is evidence it may help increase bone density in some people, which can help protect against bone diseases such as osteoporosis.

There are also mental benefits of running. Taking on the challenge of Couch to 5K can help boost your confidence and self-belief, as you prove that you can set yourself a target and achieve a goal. Running regularly can also be a great stress reliever and has even been shown to combat depression.

Download NHS Couch to 5K

Use the panel below to download the NHS Couch to 5K podcasts (also available as an app). The podcasts feature a narrator, Laura, who guides you through the session, explaining when you need to run and when it’s time to walk.

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Aids deaths halve as more get drugs

Deaths linked to Aids have halved in a decade, official figures shows.

The condition, which is caused by HIV, used to be one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide.

A report by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAids) showed deaths had fallen from a peak of 1.9 million in 2005 to 1 million last year.

It said the "scales have tipped", with more than half of people getting drug treatment for the first time.

An HIV infection cannot be cured - it can only be contained with daily doses of antiretroviral therapy.

Unchecked, it destroys the immune system, causing Aids. At this point people tend to die from other "opportunistic infections" such as tuberculosis.

Worldwide, 36.7 million are living with HIV and 53% of them are getting the therapy that gives a near-normal life expectancy.

Michel Sidibe, the executive director of UNAids, said: "We met the 2015 target of 15 million people on treatment and we are on track to double that number to 30 million and meet the 2020 target.

"We will continue to scale up to reach everyone in need and honour our commitment of leaving no-one behind."

UNAids said eastern and southern Africa were "leading the way" and had cut new HIV infections by nearly a third since 2010.

Life expectancy has increased by 10 years over the past decade too.

The agency has set a series of goals known as the 90-90-90 targets.

The aim is for 90% of people with HIV to be diagnosed, 90% of those to get therapy and 90% of those to have their infection suppressed, by 2020.

In 2016 the figures were 70%, 77% and 82% respectively.

Mr Sidibe added: "Communities and families are thriving as Aids is being pushed back."

However, the agency warned that inadequate treatment in north Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe had seen death rates increase sharply.

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What to Do if Your Pharmacist Refuses Your Prescription Because of "Personal Beliefs"

A teenaged girl in New Mexico was refused a prescription because the pharmacist working at her local Walgreens cited personal beliefs. The medications in question included a pain-reliever, an anti-anxiety medication and Misoprostol, the generic name for a drug that is used to treat stomach ulcers, and also used to prep the cervix before an IUD is placed, especially in women that have never been pregnant. The combination is also colloquially known as “the abortion pill.”

The girl’s mother then contacted the ACLU and the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and Southwest Women’s Law Center filed against the pharmacist for sex discrimination. If the girl had been a man, the prescription likely would have been filled because the drug is used to treat stomach ulcers.

Not that it’s any of anybody’s business but the teen in question, but her mother told a newspaper that the IUD was being placed to control severe period symptoms, a common reason for birth control prescriptions in women that may or may not be sexually active.

After receiving the news, the mother drove an hour in traffic to another Walgreen’s to get the prescription filled but became increasingly upset about the incident. She eventually returned to the original Walgreen’s to confront the pharmacist who told her that he had refused to fill it on personal beliefs because he had “a pretty good idea” what the use was for.

It’s not the first such case that has made headlines in New Mexico. In 2012, a married woman in her 30s made the news when she sued a pharmacist for refusing to fill her birth control prescription. Now, the women are commiserating over the fact that progress has yet to be made.

Walgreen’s officials are said to be working on the issue to educate their staff on how to handle similar issues in the future.

In the meantime, until pharmacists move out of the Dark Ages, the ACLU can be found at 

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Does Being Vegan Make You More Chill?

You may think of vegans as suffering from stress, anxiety, depression or aggression less than the average human being. But is there validity to this? The answer might shock you.

Does Vegan Dieting Affect Mood?

Studies are mixed as to whether or not vegan dieting negatively or positively impacts mood and mood disorders. A 2015 study published in Nutritional Neuroscience found that eliminating animal foods from the diet is associated with improved mood in adult men and women. For example, anxiety was lower in vegan dieters compared with non-vegan dieters in men, and stress levels were lower in women who followed vegan diets compared with non-vegan females.

Harvard Health Publications says there is a correlation between diets high in refined sugar and symptoms of mood disorders (like anxiety and depression). So, if you’re following a vegan diet low in added sugar you might be able to reap mental health benefits of a happier mood.

Plant-based diets are also associated with lower body weights, according to a 2015 study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Achieving or maintaining a healthy weight could mean feeling healthier and happier — and improvements in self esteem.

However, other studies have linked vegetarian dieting with poorer mental health status. A 2012 issue of Psychology Today says several studies link plant-based diets with better moods and mental health status, but others (though these studies have limitations such as small sample sizes) found that vegetarianism is associated with higher rates of anxiety, depression and eating disorders.

Does Vegan Dieting Make You More Chill?

Chances are, if you have a more “chill” laid back personality it’s not because of your diet. Genetic makeup and the environment you live in affects personality traits — and can affect your food preferences. But because vegan dieting lowers your risks for chronic diseases, helps maintain a healthy weight (especially when eaten as part of a diet low in added sugar), and may lower your risk for depression and anxiety, it’s very possible vegan dieting can help improve your mood. But, whether or not you have a “chill,” personality is likely due to simply the way you’re wired (a combination of genetics and environment).

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6 Ingredients You Should Always Have in Your Kitchen

As you clean out the unhealthy foods in your house and make way for new, better alternatives, there are a few kitchen staples you’ll want to have on hand at all times. These staples help with the prep of many different meals and also offer a good nutritional profile, so are items that you’ll reach for time and time again.

Remember that succeeding with your fat loss diet is as much about being prepared as anything, so you’ll want to ensure that you get these in place.

Here are the six ingredients you’ll want to have.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats you can consume and is used widely in an array of recipes. Having it on hand will ensure you are always prepared whether you’re cooking a stir-fry, making a salad dressing, or simply sautéing some vegetables.

Coconut Oil

Another oil to have in your kitchen at all times is coconut oil. More people are making the switch to using this oil more often in their cooking and for good reason. It boosts your immune system, helps to improve your metabolic function, provides a quick source of energy, and can help to ward off your risk of disease as well.

Coconut oil offers a nice light taste and is a great alternative to olive oil once in a while.

Spinach

Of all the vegetables to ensure you have in your menu, spinach is a must. This leafy green is loaded with nutrition, comes with very few calories, and can be used raw in salads or cooked in one of the many dishes you prepare.

Always stock some so it’s easy to reach for and incorporate into your menu.

Fresh Or Dried Garlic

To help add flavor to your foods, you’ll want to ensure that garlic is a mainstay in your kitchen. Whether you choose to buy fresh garlic and simply chop it yourself or you buy it chopped up already and freeze dried, you’ll want to be adding plenty of garlic to your menu. Not only is it virtually calorie free as well, but it also offers a number of great health benefits.

Chicken Breasts

As a protein staple, you just can’t go wrong with chicken breasts. They’re highly versatile, loaded with protein, low in fat, and can be cooked in so many different ways.

Keep some on hand or in your freezer at all times.

Eggs

Finally, as another protein staple, you’ll want to ensure that you have eggs in the house. Eggs are a great breakfast source of protein, which is something that most people are lacking. They can also make for a great snack anytime during the day as well.

Keep both eggs and egg whites in the house for when they’re needed.

So there you have the top pantry and kitchen staples you’ll need to succeed with your healthy eating diet plan. Are you missing any of these?

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4 Ab Workouts That Aren't Crunches

Maybe you just really hate crunches. Or maybe you’ve been doing crunches for eons and aren’t seeing the results you want. It turns out that they your old gym teacher was wrong and crunches really aren’t great for your abs. For one thing, the motion wreaks havoc on your back. It’s the same motion that occurs when people reach down for something and “put their back out.” It’s spinal flexion and can cause herniated discs. So if you want to workout your abs, then you need to try something else. Like cardio and intervals to lose body fat. And then in between sessions, try these workouts for abs that won’t harm your back.

1. Bird-dog/Bird-dog crunch: Bird-dog is a yoga pose on all fours. By balancing and adding a crunch motion, you get a deeper workout on your abs.


2. Planks/plank variations: Start with an elbow plank and then work up to a full plank. Side planks work the muscles on your obliques and further variations, like jack planks or bird-dog planks are harder and more intense.
3. Pilates 100: A classic pilates pose isn’t easy but does provide great results. Settle into boat pose, keeping your legs bent if you’re a beginner, then pulse your arms.
4. High knee march: Standing upright, with your hands behind your head, bring each knee up, as you move slightly forward.

These are just a few of the basic exercises that you can do in place of crunches that don’t require gym equipment so that you can do them anywhere. If it’s been a while since you’ve done an ab workout, or worked out at all, start with basic forms and then try more advanced versions. Adding weights, including kettlebells or medicine balls, can also boost the intensity, once you’ve managed to learn the basics or advanced variations. From these four center moves, you can add dozens of variations so that you never get bored or lose your focus.

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4 Delicious, Healthy Ways to Upgrade Your Egg Game

Looking for creative but delicious ways to serve eggs? Look no further. Here are some of the best ways to serve this stand-out protein source that can’t be missed.

Eggs are a fantastic and highly versatile source of protein. But if you’re bored of the same old recipes day after day, you need to change that. Try one of these tips instead.

When it comes to eating healthy, getting enough protein is paramount to success. This is something that unfortunately many people miss out on though and it can cost them results.

The good news is that there are so many different ways to serve eggs that you should never find yourself bored. Let’s look at four delicious and healthy ways to upgrade your egg game.

Try Egg Salad – The Healthy Way

Most people avoid egg salad for fear of the high calorie, high fat mayonnaise it contains. And, it’s good to do so as unfortunately, mayonnaise is one fat that you definitely do not want in your diet plan.

But, does this mean you have to forgo egg salad completely? Not necessarily. Instead, consider mashing the hard boiled eggs together with some avocado. Avocado will still give it that creamy texture but will replace the saturated fat with unsaturated fat and fiber. Plus, you’ll also get a great dose of vitamin E by doing this as well.

Mash the eggs with avocado and add a touch of lemon juice along with salt, pepper, and paprika. It’ll become your new favorite way to serve eggs.

Poached Eggs Goes Low Carb

The next way to serve up some eggs is with a poached egg recipe. While these are traditionally served over two slices of bread – something that may not exactly fit in on your lower carb diet plan, you can find alternatives. Consider serving your poached eggs over some boiled spinach instead. Add a little salt to the spinach and then play the eggs over top.

It’s a delicious low carb meal that contains a balanced mix of protein, healthy fats, and dietary fiber.

Plus, the spinach will also give you a load of antioxidants and some iron as well.

Whip Up A Protein Pancake

If you want something totally different, consider a protein pancake. These are prepared using eggs and whey protein powder, along with a variety of mix-ins depending on your preferences and nutritional needs.

You can combine one scoop of whey protein powder along with one egg and an egg white and then mix with a quarter cup of raw oats and half a banana. Blend this all together and then cook like a regular pancake. It’s a much healthier twist on the original recipe.

Liven Up A Salad Recipe

Finally, consider adding a sliced hard boiled egg to a salad that you are preparing. This is a fantastic way to bring protein into the salad and give you some variety from the plain veggie salads you may be currently eating.

The great thing is that hard boiled eggs will keep for a few days in the fridge as well, so they’re easy to have on hand for a quick meal on the go.

Don’t let yourself become bored with eggs any longer. Try one of these recipes and put those eggs in your fridge to good use.

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How to Workout When You're Hungover

Whether or not you should work out with a hangover is something that has been disputed in health circles. There are some arguments against working out when hungover, because according to the likes of Damion Martins, M.D., a sports medicine physician — who is also director of Executive Health, Orthopedics as well as Sports Medicine at New Jersey's Atlantic Health System — you will only end up further dehydrating your body, and this could lead to more serious effects, Glamour reports.

But there have also been arguments for working out, with Mario Batali telling those with a hangover that they have to sweat out the poison. He said during an interview with People magazine that the best cure for drinking too much is "Basically if you get up and you exercise hard for 45 minutes and then shoot a beer, it's gone." But what are you meant to believe?

One thing we do know is that if you do decide to work out when hungover, and according to Women's Health Magazine, personal trainer and founder of RightFitNation, Matthew Kornblatt, “exercising when you're hungover helps you get rid of toxins from drinking,” you need to be careful. Firstly, you need to eat a nutritious meal beforehand, which Kornblatt suggests should be something like oatmeal with fruit and a coffee will help speed up your metabolism before you begin your workout. But the most important thing? Hydrate! Drink a lot of water before doing any physical activities to combat the effects of the night before.

Working out normally can be hard, but working out with a hangover is so much worse, but it also decreases your reaction time and can cloud your judgement, which opens you up to the possibility of getting hurt. That's why it's important not to overdo it, and instead focus on stretches or yoga (to get your blood flowing). According to DailyBurn, Dr. Robert Czincila, who is the Chief of Emergency Medicine at Einstein Medical Center Montgomery in East Norriton, says it's best to start slow — yoga is great, as is a brisk walk or a stationary bike ride, and if you want to weight train, use lighter weights than usual.

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7 Amazing Workouts That Pull Double Duty

When it comes to burning fat, boosting your metabolism, and building muscle, complex and multi-joint movements are far more effective than isolated movements. For example, a Bench Press hits your chest, triceps, and shoulders, while Triceps Presses only work your triceps. Multi-joint movements that recruit multiple muscle groups use more energy, meaning your body has to work harder and burn more fat to replenish what you're using. For serious results, 2-in-1 workouts can be the best way to go!

Here are a few exercises that will help you target multiple muscle groups — and, in some cases, even your cardiovascular system.

Burpees

Burpees are everyone's least favorite exercise, but boy do they work! They engage the chest, shoulders, and triceps in the Push-Up portion of the movement, along with the legs for the Squat portion. They also work your core when you jump your legs forward and backward, and they add the final touch of a plyometric/high intensity element with the jump at the end. They may be exhausting but they can be highly effective for developing total body strength.

Rowing

Rowing (on a machine or in a boat) is an amazing total body movement, one that combines resistance training (for your shoulders, biceps, upper and lower back, glutes, and hamstrings) with cardiovascular conditioning. It's one of the best 2-in-1 workouts to help you improve your overall fitness like a boss!

Squat Jumps

Squats are amazing for developing lower body strength, but adding the jump at the end of each squat will improve explosive power AND push your cardiovascular condition to its limits. A single set of 10 to 20 bodyweight squat jumps can be the perfect finisher to your Leg Day workout.

Push-Up Rows

This movement targets both the upper body pushing and pulling muscles, plus engaging the core, hips, and glutes. You focus on the "pushing" muscles while you're doing the Push-Up, as well as while you are holding yourself in Plank Position. The "pulling" muscles engage while bring the Dumbbells to your ribs in an alternating Dumbbell Row. An amazing and beautifully difficult movement, to say the least!

Lunge Presses

Lunge Presses combine a lower body movement (lunges) with an upper body movement (overhead dumbbell presses) for a wonderful double whammy. If you want, you can even add a dumbbell curl into the mix (between the Lunge and the Press) to increase the strain of the movement.

Curl Presses

Curl Presses are excellent for developing strength in your arms and shoulders. Your biceps engage for the Curl portion, while your shoulders and triceps do the work when pressing the dumbbell overhead. Pay extra attention on the eccentric (lowering) phase of the workout to hit your muscles from a new angle.

Single-Arm Overhead Press

Overhead dumbbell presses focus on your shoulders and triceps, but performing them one-handed (one weight only) forces your spinal erectors (lower back) and obliques (sides) to engage. You'll find this is an amazing addition to your workout to give your core some much-needed love.

These movements will use more energy, activating your metabolism and speeding up fat and calorie burn. Plus, they'll do double duty and help you blast through your workout more quickly. Definitely worth including in your training.

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5 Myths About HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) Debunked

CrossFit Training Push Ups

You’ve probably heard again and again that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) gets people amazing results in fat loss and fitness training. HIIT pairs high-intensity exercise intervals with low to moderate-intensity exercise recovery phases. The American College of Sports Medicine surveyed more than 3,800 fitness professionals to identify the top 20 fitness trends worldwide for 2014, and High-Intensity Interval Training took the number one spot. As with many other popular fitness and nutrition trends (such as CrossFit or Paleo), there are plenty of myths out there about HIIT training. On the next slides we’ll debunk the myths to make sure that you don’t fall victim to any of these mistruths.

Group of people training with kettle bells in gym

MYTH #1: EVERYONE CAN DO A HIIT WORKOUT

Just like you would not run a marathon – or even a half marathon – without training, you also shouldn’t probably go all out on a HIIT workout overnight. According to Len Kravitz, Ph.D., professor at the University of New Mexico and Micah Zuhl, M.S., assistant professor at the Central Michigan University, you need to be careful when starting or restarting an exercise program. “Beginning with HIIT may increase the chance for injury and muscle soreness,” both Kravitz and Zuhl warn in a recent paper they published on endurance training. It’s better to start with low-intensity aerobic exercise until you can run for 30 consecutive minutes at a moderate intensity, they advise.

Two women doing pushups with dumbbells in gym

MYTH #2: HIIT AND SMIT ARE THE SAME THING

Many people are actually doing supramaximal interval training (SMIT) and mistakenly calling it HIIT. HIIT involves performing high-intensity exercise intervals, interspersed with low to moderate-intensity exercise. SMIT, by contrast, involves performing all-out bursts of exercise, interspersed with full rest periods, or no activity. Confusion and mislabeling aside, SMIT could be a more effective training method. A 2013 study published in the European Journal of Sport Science looked at the endurance and sprint benefits of high-intensity and supramaximal interval training. The researchers found that SMIT led to greater improvements in performance than HIIT or continuous running. SMIT also provided the greatest benefits for physically active people, especially for women. You can’t always do SMIT training, as your body will become adapted to the type of stimulus, making your effort less effective. Plus, you’re also more likely to lose interest when you’re doing the same type of conditioning. That’s where HIIT comes in. Try incorporating both SMIT and HIIT training to make your workouts more comprehensive, effective and interesting.

Related: 4-Minute Tabata-Inspired Fat-Blasting Workout

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MYTH #3: HIIT IS THE ONLY WORKOUT YOU’LL NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT AND STAY FIT

It’s no secret that a well-designed strength training program can significantly increase strength, power, athletic performance and physical appearance in both men and women. But, what many people don’t realize is the importance of muscle in the fat loss process. Put simply, muscle is metabolically active tissue, as it is the physical place in your body where fat is burned (i.e. used as energy). So, the more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories/fat you’ll burn throughout the day, even while you sleep ─ because more muscle tissue requires more energy. Your body is like your car. If you put a bigger motor in your car, you’ll burn more fuel while driving. With this analogy in mind, having more muscle will help make your interval training efforts more effective by helping you burn more calories. This is why strength training and maintaining muscle with proper training and eating strategies is absolutely critical for fat loss. The winning workout plan combines interval training with a comprehensive strength training plan.

Related: 13 Benefits of Weightlifting That No One Tells You About

Close up of Black athlete resting in warehouse gym

MYTH #4: MORE HIIT IS ALWAYS BETTER

Like the name suggests, high-intensity interval training is intense and pushes your body hard, so it’s important to allow for plenty of recovery time between workouts. You don’t want to do too much throughout the week. Using high-intensity interval training three times per week will give you the best results while limiting the risk of injury.

Related: Can You Do This Free 33-Minute HIIT Workout?

Diverse People Running on Treadmill

MYTH #5: HIIT IS BETTER THAN STEADY STATE CARDIO

With the popularity of high-intensity interval training, the standard 30-minutes of steady state aerobic training (like road work, treadmill, elliptical trainer or bike) has seemed to fall out of favor. Steady state cardio is often demonized for interfering with and even killing muscle gains from strength training. However, a 2012 study published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that adding low-impact aerobic exercise, such as cycling, will not jeopardize gains in strength or muscle size. In fact, this study found that in previously untrained men, aerobic exercise might increase their muscular gains. And, of course, aerobic training increases your aerobic fitness. Light to moderate aerobic exercise is a great method to use on recovery days ─ between the more intense anaerobic (conditioning) interval training days.

Related: 7 Reasons to Do Moderate Intensity Exercise More Often

Two friends in smiling in crossfit gym

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

The benefits of HIIT are undeniable, but it’s important that you don’t become so obsessed with this method of training that you neglect other effective training methods that will add variety and diversity to your workout routine. Keep things in perspective. Each type of training ─ strength training, high intensity and super-maximal interval training, and steady state cardio ─ have their unique benefits and limitations. Using only one of them is like eating only fruits and no vegetables. Don’t fall for any argument that pits one of these methods against another. Have you tried HIIT? Have you been getting good results with it? What other workouts do you include in your weekly routine? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Related: 10 Free Workouts, including HIIT, Plyo and Strength

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A 35-Minute HIIT Workout That Won't Hurt Your Knees

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