BBC The Truth about Exercise (3 mins HIIT per wk is enough)
 

Did anyone in the UK see this Horizon programme last night? They are researching the idea that 3 x 1 min of HIIT per wk is enough exercise (so why am I doing more?:D) It did also advocate being more active in everyday life.

It's worth a watch if you didn't see it and is on BBC iPlayer at the moment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...bout_Exercise/

Emma

Interesting, but I think I'd rather work out "normally" for an hour six or seven days a week than do hiit three times a week. :p

Hiit has such dread factor for me that I can only do it about once a week (or less).

The clip isn't available to me because I'm not in the UK. But whenever I read/hear claims like this I'm always wondering "enough for what exactly?" Cardiovascular improvements?

Well, maybe, but that's not going to do much for the other components of fitness--muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, balance, functionality, core strength, power... And I'm even wondering about cardio endurance. From what I've heard, the body improves at whatever type of training you do. So if you train for high intensity intervals 3 times a week, that's what you'll improve your performance in... Better than nothing, or long, slow, steady state, maybe. But "enough"? Enough for whom for what?

Right. There is NO WAY that could be enough for any aspect of fitness IMO. It reminds me of the claim a while back that lifting 100% of your maximum weight once every week or so would build muscle as well as traditional workouts. Did anything ever come of that?

Basically, it stated that Hiit 3 mins (1min per day:3x's per week of 20 sec duration) was shown to produce reduced insulin levals within the body. Also the genectic test they had refined could oredict if a person would respond to training like an olymplic athlete (massive aerobic threshold). The test subject did have a family history of type 2 diabetes and reduced his insulin levals as a result of the Hiit. The genectic test predicted he would not increase his VO2 max and the final result when retested showed no incease in the VO2 uptake.
I felt that you have to find what works for you, if you enjoy it continue but the overall message was to move the body as the CHAIR was a killer in the long run.

Although I enjoy watching BBC, I wouldn't trust them for exercise advice. Although I think HiiT has some potential, some of the studies were really flawed.

Very cute! I agree!

I didn't see the studies so cannot comment on whether or not they are flawed, but I think the takeaway message from this article is that inactivity isn't good for the human body. We are meant to move. Thanks for the info! :sun:

Go Tottenham Hotspurs!!!! Whoever thought an Alabama girl would be football mad (a lot of folks call it soccer in the US). Sorry, OT!

This episode was really interesting and Michael Mosley who fronted it previously did a show about diabetes and Visceral fat which this followed on from.
Here's two little articles from Radio Times that has the basic info from the show for those that can't watch it.

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-...l-keep-you-fit

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2012-...-exercise-plan

Obviously one show is not the final word on anything but it was an interesting investigation and the findings were supported by scientific evidence.

Thanks for posting the extra stuff, Richie. I thought it was a very interesting programme. I think it appealed to me, as I'm very time stretched at the mo, with a very active toddler, but even I could fit in 3 mins a week!

Emma

Just found this youtube clip, which will give you an idea of the programme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ_BGhA7SK8

Emma