By: Anna Catherine Rutledge
So by this point you’ve probably heard about HIIT – high intensity interval training and the amazing benefits this type of workout can afford you. In case you haven’t heard about it because maybe suddenly keeping up with current fitness trends fell off the priority list because maybe your current workout consists of lugging the sleeping baby in his car seat up three flights of stairs (which still counts as exercise!), HIIT describes a specialized workout that alternates between short intense bursts of high energy activity followed by longer periods of less intense exercise or a period of rest.
HIIT is amazingly effective, but the trick is you have to push yourself beyond your comfort zone (from that steady-state aerobic zone where you can still have a breathy conversation to your anaerobic zone, y’know that point where you can’t breathe and you think your lungs and heart might explode) but only for a brief period before you get a recovery period. Imagine a 1 minute sprint followed by a 2 minute walk. Do that for 15 minutes and you have a super fat-blasting workout.
What all the many articles touting this type of workout haven’t mentioned is what fantastic news the benefits of HIIT are for moms. Especially in the winter. Okay, say what you will about any given profession, there is nobody busier than a mother (to be fair, parent). Whether you are an at work, work at home or stay at home parent, how often is exercise the first thing that falls to the bottom of (or falls entirely off) the to-do list. After all the meals are prepped and served and cleared, all the spills have been wiped up, after all the dishes are done, the laundry is folded and put away and the toys are picked up… homework is done, the baths are given, stories read, seriously, if you’re not one of those women who can get up before the children (assuming your children aren’t 4:30am risers) to get your workout done, when does it happen? At the end of the day when the kids are finally asleep, is putting on your workout clothes and going for a run or to the local gym in the freezing cold exactly what you’re going to do?
With HIIT, you don’t really have an excuse. The New York Times magazine recently wrote a great article about the Scientific 7-minute workout. , which cites this research from the American College of Sports Medicine. The research basically says you can achieve maximum exercise results with just 15-20 minutes of high intensity interval training 3-4 times a week using ONLY your body weight. No equipment necessary, compared to previous recommended practice of getting in 2-3 hours of cardio training along with 2-3 hours of strength training a week.
Seriously… what mom has time for that type of schedule. With all of the research backing up the many benefits of a HIIT workout, you no longer have to worry about fitting in 4-6 hours of dedicated exercise a week. Here even the busiest mom can get maximum exercise benefits with limited time. Bonus – You burn more calories and fat in the 24 hours following a HIIT workout than you would after a regular run of the same time period.
Here is a HIIT workout you can do in your home, during nap time, first thing in the morning or when you’re on the road. If your kids are older, get them involved, remember they are always watching and never undervalue the importance of teaching them that fitness can be fun.
Please remember to warm up for at least 5 minutes before beginning each set of exercises.
do the following 5x through for a total of 15 minutes**
jumping jacks – 30 sec
rest – 10 sec
squat jumps – 30 sec
rest – 10 sec
pop ups – 30 sec
rest – 10 sec
plank – 30 sec
rest 10 sec
**if jumping is not possible for you right now because y’know, you just had a baby, all these exercises can be modified. Squat jumps come to your toes and squeeze your butt, jumping jacks can be stepped or changed to high knees or mountain climbers.
The important thing about these workouts is that you really do have to push yourself to the point of uncomfortable, you want to push your heart rate to the max. In order for it to work you have to sweat and not stop working, BUT it’s only for 15-20 minutes, you gave birth, you know what uncomfortable is. This is nothing.
Don’t let the holidays and the cold weather be your excuse for not exercising, Make the most of the limited time you have to stay fit and healthy for you and your family.
Anna Catherine Rutledge is a certified personal, pre and post natal fitness trainer. She owns and operates Fit4Mom Brooklyn offering Stroller Strides, Body Back, BK Mom’s Run Club. Info at brooklyn.fit4mom.com. Anna Catherine blogs atwww.howtobuildabettermother.com