HIIT Workouts Suck! 3 Reasons Why I Hate Them

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HIIT workouts, standing for high intensity interval training, are the top of the fitness world right now. I actually even did a post about the benefits of HIIT training last year!

While the idea of an crazy intense, short workout that can continue to burn fat even hours after the workout sounds perfect for so many busy people; HIIT Workouts aren’t for everyone. They can standstill your weight and even put you at risk of an injury!

Why I Hate HIIT Workouts

1. Unnecessary High Impact Moves

Since these workouts are designed to be short and crazy intense to work at an anaerobic heart rate, they often times have a lot of jumping and high impact moves in them. This can cause unnecessary pressure on the joints and even can lead to incontinence problems!! Yikes!

You can find some low-impact HIIT workouts, but it’s always best to look before buying. These workouts are still designed to be short and high intensity, but they don’t have all the jumping! One of my favorites is Low-HIIT TurboFire. It’s set to music and a lot of fun. You can check out the 20 and 25 minute HIIT workouts here.

2. HIIT Workouts Suck if Your Goal is Weight Loss

If you’re at your goal weight already and wanting to lower your body fat, HIIT workouts are perfect because they have been proven to burn more fat than traditional cardio. They also keep your heart rate high throughout the day burning more fat and calories.

However, if your goal is weight loss, HIIT workouts’ calorie burns are usually lower than traditional cardio overall. Some people will argue with that opinion, but since typically HIIT workouts are 30 minutes or less with 20-30 second recovery times the calorie burn is lower than a traditional cardio workout that is 30-60 minutes. Traditional cardio won’t burn as much fat, but it will burn more calories since you are usually working out longer and not getting those breaks that you get in a HIIT workout.

3. Many People Don’t Know How to Measure Their Heart-Rate

HIIT workouts are designed to push you to your max effort (a 9 to 10 on a scale) for a short period of time followed by a chance to recover before repeating the cycle. This is the “interval” part of it.

Since you are going so hard for a minute or so, it can be hard to tell if you are going at a 9 or 10 safely. Your heart-rate will be higher than traditional cardio since you’re working anaerobically, but you still want to be safe with it.

For that reason, I highly suggest doing these workouts with a trainer or have a heart rate monitor like the Polar FT4 if you’re working out at home.

Who are HIIT Workouts For?

In my opinion, they are for someone that has been working out for awhile. They know their body and their limits better than a beginner. They also probably have gotten closer to their weight loss goal and are ready to start working on muscle tone and definition. Since HIIT Workouts burn more fat than traditional cardio, they may see faster results with them.

Is there another Tabata or HIIT workout I’d recommend?

If you just gotta have a HIIT workout, check out Insanity MAX 30. If you are open to doing normal interval training with a low-impact option, I would recommend the 21 Day Fix or 21 Day Fix Extreme.