​

Short on Time? How 1 Minute of HIIT Can Transform Your Health

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a time-efficient way to boost cardiovascular health and improve VO2 max—how well your body uses oxygen during exercise. VO2 max is a key predictor of heart health and longevity, and HIIT has been shown to significantly increase it, even with just one minute of intense effort.

The HIIT Breakdown:

• What is it? Short bursts of intense activity (around 80% of your max heart rate), followed by rest. This pushes your heart and lungs to work harder, improving endurance and heart health over time.
• How it works: A sample 10-minute HIIT routine: warm up for 3 minutes, sprint for 20 seconds, rest for 2 minutes, repeat, then cool down. Just 1 minute of high-effort sprints can yield impressive results.
• Frequency: 3 sessions per week is ideal. Avoid overdoing it to prevent injury. Balance HIIT with moderate exercise, strength training, and rest.

The Science: HIIT is not just for the heart—it's also beneficial for metabolism and brain health. It improves glucose regulation, insulin sensitivity, and promotes neurogenesis (brain cell growth), which may even have anti-cancer properties.

Intensity Over Volume: Studies show that intensity trumps volume for reducing mortality risk, particularly for cardiovascular disease. More intense exercise is linked to a lower risk of death, while exercising at a moderate pace doesn’t have the same mortality benefits, even if done for longer periods.

Moderation and Variety for Longevity: While high-intensity exercise is crucial, a mix of low, moderate, and high-intensity training each week is best. Engaging in shorter, vigorous bouts of activity—like HIIT—can reduce mortality by up to 40%. But be sure to balance it with longer bouts of moderate exercise for overall health.

Takeaway: To live a long, healthy life, aim for a variety of training that includes vigorous, high-intensity sessions. It’s not about how much you do—it’s about how hard you work when you do it.

​

​​​​

113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

Copyright © 2021-2025 Marci Bowman | The Wonderfulness Community + Program. All rights reserved.