For those who live to sweat — but maybe want a chance to fully catch their breath — SIT is the new HIIT.
HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, includes bursts (typically 30 seconds to a few minutes) of sharp exertion followed by a rest period.
According to experts, HIIT workouts create a hormonal response that makes you burn calories for hours after you’ve stopped working. It’s called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or “afterburn.”
SIT, short for sprint interval training, involves short (typically 10 to 30 seconds) bursts of all-out, max-effort exercise followed by a more extended rest period of two to four minutes.
Essentially, SIT asks you to go harder and rest longer than HIIT.
Myriad exercises can be incorporated into SIT workouts, including but not limited to bodyweight exercises like burpees and mountain climbers and cardio practices like running, cycling, rowing and swimming.
While traditional cardio workouts aim to maintain a steady pace, sprint training couples spikes of maximum intensity with complete recovery. The theory is that after this rest period, the exercise can be repeated at the same intensity.
Sprint cycles demand peak performance, and a meta-analysis showed that the method significantly improves muscle endurance and aerobic capacity. The same review suggested intermittent training methods, such as SIT, can lead to a 17% to 32% reduction in cancer incidence risk.
“SIT workouts are powerhouse workouts with incredible benefits for your fitness, health and resilience. Athletes of all backgrounds use SIT workouts to enhance their abilities,” Laura Morris, a certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant, told HuffPost.
A typical SIT workout begins with a five-minute light cardio warmup to condition muscles for activity, followed by a maximum effort sprint for 20 to 30 seconds before recovering with one to two minutes of low-intensity movement or rest.
The cycle of sprint recovery should be repeated for four to 10 rounds, depending on fitness level. The workout is completed with a cooldown of light activity and stretching.
Exercise is essential to maintaining overall health and cardiovascular function, and due to their acute nature, SIT workouts offer additional benefits to the body,
“When your heart and lungs work hard, you increase your VO2 max ― your body’s ability to use oxygen ― thus increasing your cardiovascular fitness,” Morris explained.
“The bursts of effort in SIT workouts improve circulation, which benefits both your heart and your brain. It’s been linked to reduced risks of cardiovascular disease and better cognitive function.”
They’re also great for your muscles.
“They train the body to recruit and develop fast-twitch muscle fibers, build muscle, and improve heart rate and overall caloric efficiency,” Matt Nolan, a Road Runners Club of America-certified running coach and master instructor at Barry’s Bootcamp, told Men’s Journal.
According to Morris, SIT workouts are excellent for toning up and boosting athletic performance.
In addition to being challenging and effective, SIT workouts are highly efficient, providing proven benefits in a short amount of time.
Similar to HIT workouts, SIT routines boost metabolism through the afterburn of post-exercise oxygen consumption.
In addition, SIT workouts aid in muscle building and retention, which is crucial for aging populations, particularly people in perimenopause or menopause, periods when muscle loss accelerates.
How do you know when you’re going too hard or hard enough? You should expect to be breathless, but back off if you feel dizzy or experience severe pain in your muscles or joints.
Mireille Siné, a USA Track & Field Level 1 running coach and the founder of Coached by Mireille, told Popsugar to aim for effort that feels like an eight out of 10.
“During this interval where you’re supposed to go hard, did you actually feel like you were going hard so that you could get that recovery after?” she said.
Siné also stressed the importance of cooling down after.
“You don’t want to go from a high intensity and then just stop completely,” she explained. “That’s when you’re incorporating an easy jog and for your heart rate to go down while still in motion.”
