From this article, Scientists Discover Why High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Can Match Endurance Training discussing HIIT:
“Short bursts of just a few minutes of exhausting physical activity can prepare muscles to work harder, boosting the production of new mitochondria (powerhouses of the cells, generating the energy that our cells need to do their tasks), which culminates endurance enhancement much like more time consuming endurance training. High-intensity exercise triggers the breakdown of calcium channels as a result of an increased production of free radicals.”
Calcium channel blockers preserve the cell growth capacity against free-radical damage.
Result: less free-radical damage, more mitochondria, and more muscular endurance with less time spent exercising. Additionally HIIT workouts burn more calories long after the workout is finished and the workouts will lower blood pressure and increase blood flow.
It is not necessary to spend hours in the gym to get results. At Austin Personal Training and at New Orleans Fitness Trainers we can show you how to perform HIIT workouts on our aerobic equipment or our full body strength training circuits.
More articles on HIIT here.