balancing HIIT, strength training, and cardio
This is a question that comes up a lot! How often should you be doing HIIT, strength training, and steady state cardio each week?
Let’s start by breaking down each modality.
HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training
HIIT is a method of training that alternates short periods of all-out intensity with longer periods of recovery. Think :20-:30 of an all out sprint followed by :60-:90 of rest.
HIIT has wonderful benefits if done in proper doses. For most people, 1-2 HIIT sessions per week is plenty. If the volume gets much higher than that, joints won’t be happy and the body can actually start to have a negative response.
Somewhere along the line people got obsessed with HIIT and feel they need to do it all the time. In fact, many group fitness studios only offer HIIT and want their members to train there 5 days/week! Aye aye aye.
Do I hate HIIT? No. (actually yes, personally I have to force myself to do it HA but that’s beside the point) I do hate to see people waste their precious training time on it when they could be getting better results elsewhere though.
Strength Training
Properly loaded and well-executed weight baring exercises are the preferred foundation of physical fitness. Not just for body builders, athletes, or meat heads - for everyone. Weights and reps will vary depending on the movement and fitness level of the individual, but muscles should be challenged to near failure (sometimes to actual failure) with adequate rest between sets.
So that group fitness class that involves 700 reps of random weighted exercises for an hour straight is not strength training. That’s cardio with weights, it’s not NEARLY as beneficial as true strength training, and it’s mislabeled. I’m sorry I said it!
When completed with good technique and full range of motion, strength training:
Builds and maintains muscle, strength, and power
Improves bone density
Protects joints
Supports fat loss
Builds self confidence
The list goes on . . . . .
We recommend at least 2 solid strength training workouts per week, with 3 being optimal.
Steady State Cardio
“Steady state” cardio refers to low/moderate intensity cardio at longer durations. This could be a 20-60 minute incline walk or elliptical sesh; or 2-5 minute intervals on a rower or bike at a moderate intensity level followed by a shorter rest. The idea is to keep your heart rate around 60-70% of your max. You should finish a steady state cardio workout with a nice sweat, slightly elevated heart rate, and an energy boost.
When done in the appropriate volume for one’s goals and fitness, steady state cardio can improve heart health, recovery, and cognition. 1-2 sessions per week works well for most people.
There ya have it. Hope you find this rundown helpful!
Ready to get the best results from your training program? Grab our New Member Special - 2 Weeks of Classes for $25!
Our weekly class schedule is set up so that you can get everything I mentioned above without having to think about it. Just show up and we’ll take care of the rest!
Monday - Strength Training
Tuesday - Steady State Cardio
Wednesday - Strength Training
Thursday - HIIT
Friday - Strength Training
Saturday - HIIT
Sunday - Steady State Cardio
anti aging secret - MUSCLE!
Our society is obsessed with anti aging. We spend a lot of time, energy, and money trying to retain our youth. And no shame from me, I have a very regimented skincare routine myself!
But did you know that in addition to regular facials and $$$$ skincare products, muscle mass can also help you look and feel younger?! Here’s how:
Better Skin
Building muscle improves skin elasticity, structure, and dermal thickness (1), reducing the appearance of those fine lines and wrinkles we spend so much time worrying about. Building muscle mass reduces oxidative stress in the body, which causes physical signs of aging (2). More muscle = younger looking skin.
Body Composition (aka: look better naked)
Muscle mass gives us the strong, defined, “toned” look that many of us are after. Increased skeletal muscle mass improves insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake (3) as well, reducing risk of diabetes, inflammation, pain, and many other health issues that can cause people to look and feel older.
Mood and Energy Booster
There are many ways lifting weights will improve your mood, but I’ll leave you with two today:
Better sleep! Resistance training has been proven to improve sleep quality and reduce anxiety and depression (4).
This is a fun one: increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (5).
WTF is BDNF and why does it matter? When BDF levels are high, learning new information is easier, memories are easily accessed, pain sensitivity is decreased, and anxiety and depression are massively reduced. The higher the better my friend!
There are so many benefits to strength training, many of which you’ve heard me talk about here before. And now we get to add anti aging to the list? If you haven’t gotten in the weight room yet, maybe this will be just the kick in the butt you need :)
Ready to start lifting? Join us! Grab our New Member Special - 2 Weeks of Classes for just $25!
lemme get a snack
I’m coming off a fun girls weekend with my friends from home . . . . and it got me thinking about something very important - snacks! 😛
Over the years I’ve noticed that oftentimes when ladies gather, they eat food suited for rabbits. Veggie trays, chips and dips, and other cute treats are nibbled on throughout the day.
And while I love a good charcuterie board just as much as the next gal, a snack is not a meal.
Even if you choose “clean,” protein-rich, low calorie snacks . . . . they’re still not fueling you properly. Yogurt is not a meal, a protein bar is not a meal, fruit is certainly not a meal.
I’m not saying there’s anything inherently wrong with snacking, and sometimes a meat stick in your purse can really save you! But if you’re snacking all day every day, it could be negatively impacting your fitness.
If your constant snacking is:
leading you to binge later in the day because you’re SO HUNGRY
putting you in a caloric surplus because you’re going overboard on the nibblers
making you a hangry, miserable human at the end of the day because you’re malnourished
You need to eat more MEALS.
Again, snacks have a time and place and I’m not discouraging them completely. But if snacks make up the bulk of your diet, I highly encourage you to start eating well-balanced, nutrient-dense meals throughout the day. Your energy, mood, and social circle will thank you.
GET TO STEPPIN
Warm weather has arrived! Weather you like it or not 😊 . . . it’s here.
Warmer weather makes it easier to do one of the simplest, most effective things you can do for your overall health: walk!
And for bonus points, get a walk in first thing in the morning. I know this isn’t possible for everyone depending on schedules, kids, and life. But if you can, starting your day with a walk is so beneficial for your fitness and wellbeing. Why?
exposing yourself to morning sunlight helps regulate your sleep
you’ll increase your daily step count
morning movement will make you feel energized
getting outside will boost your mood
For most people, walking is not only doable - it’s easy! If you can’t do it in the morning, get it in when you can. If your schedule allows, try adding a morning walk to your day.
So throw on some headphones and get to steppin. I think you’ll notice a nice change!
DON’T LET YOUR WEEKENDS DERAIL YOUR PROGRESS
Spring is in full effect! Warm weather got you ready to partaaaaaaaaaaay?
beach trips ✅
drinks on the patio ✅
pool days ✅
This time of year makes it difficult to stay on track. Perhaps you find sticking to your fitness/healthy eating routines attainable Monday-Thursday, but then Friday starts a 3-day indulgence extravaganza that leaves you feeling like @ss on Monday morning.
Sound familiar? No judgement, happens to the best of us.
There are a couple things that are likely happening here.
YOU'RE BEING TOO RESTRICTIVE DURING THE WEEK
Most people only have so much self control. If you're not allowing yourself certain foods during the week - especially foods you love - there is a strong likelihood that eventually you'll binge TF out of them. For example: you love dessert but don't allow yourself any during the week because you're being "good." Then Saturday night one bowl of ice cream turns into an entire tub real quick.
You'd be better off eating a small bowl of ice cream every night. That way you avoid eating so much at once that you feel ill, inside and out.
YOU'RE DRINKING TOO MUCH
Sorry, I said it. And I'm not judging you - I love a good cocktail! But if you're drinking multiple days per week, it's going to be really difficult to meet your fitness goals.
While drinking obviously adds extra calories to your daily intake, it's not just that. Most people's eating habits change drastically while they're drinking and of course the next day. Do you come home and indulge in some late night broccoli? Is your go-to hangover meal grilled fish, rice, and vegetables? 🤢 I think not.
YOU’RE BEING INCONSISTENT
In order to continue progressing in your fitness journey, your body needs consistency. Consistently getting to the gym and consistently nourishing our body.
Under-eating Monday through Thursday then blowing it out of the water Friday through Sunday will probably result in an overall caloric surplus (which can cause weight gain) AND probably leave you feeling like crap for about half the week. If you feel like crap, you probably won't have the best workouts . . . . or might even miss them altogether.
And that my darling, is not what I want for you.
I want you to reap all the benefits of working out, I want you feeling your best all day every day.
PRIORITIZE YOUR GOALS OVER YOUR MOODS
One of the most important keys to progress in the gym is prioritizing your goals over your moods.
Whether your goal is to lose body fat, build strength, look better naked, or anything in between . . . if you rely solely on your moods to get you to the gym everyday, you probably won't be hitting that PR anytime soon :(
I don't know about you, but I don't always FEEL like working out. Sometimes I want to continue whatever it is I'm working on, sometimes I'm cranky, and sometimes I'm just downright lazy 🤷♀️ But if I skipped my workout every time I wasn't feeling it, I'd be a lot less fit than I am now - and that doesn't align with my goals.
So next time you're wavering on getting into the gym or not, instead of asking yourself "do I feel like it?" ask "who do I want to be tomorrow?" And hopefully that will steer you in the right direction.
Enthusiasm fluctuates, but consistent action accumulates.
goals > moods