Hiit

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hey docs,

27, M, 6ft, 210lbs, S:440 B:320 D:540

Been reading everything I can find on your cardio recommendations. Added a day LISS and a day of HIIT. The LISS went fine (30 mins @7, heart rate hovered around 130) but I tried the 20s/1:40 intervals on an air bike today and it crushed me. The first sprint I could maintain extremely high intensity for the entire 20s, by the third I’d slowed considerably and my speed dropped dramatically after 15s. Stopped it there because my legs were trashed and felt like I was going to vomit for about 10 mins.

Wondering what the most sensible option is:

  1. drop to 2x LISS for a while until I have a better aerobic base.
  2. increase rest times between sprints
  3. Just do all 7 rounds regardless
  4. Something else

Any guidance is very much appreciated,

Thank you!

2

I’d do 1 or 3. I think that when HIIT is done properly- the RPE should be the same across each effort, but the absolute performance is likely to fall off until you become adapted to the stimulus. That said, building an aerobic base is useful, though I don’t feel strongly that doing an extra session of LISS vs HIIT is going to work better or worse for that. If you’re up for doing the HIIT, I’d keep with that.

3

I’m definitely up for the HIIT so I’ll keep doing it. Training performance was great today so I probably overestimated how fatiguing the HIIT was. Thanks Jordan.