Let’s HIIT It!
By Stacey Mann, 2Unstoppable Fitness Director and Program Creator, Cancer Exercise Specialist
When it comes to exercise, we often look for the fastest amount of gains in the shortest period of time. A quick workout that maximizes time and energy output yet reaps the benefits of improved muscle stamina and cardio fitness is appealing. Time still reigns supreme as the biggest barrier to exercise. The American Cancer Society suggests 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise per week and two to three times a week of strength training for cancer survivors. Between doctors appointments and everyday life, fitting in exercise can seem overwhelming. If only there was a workout format that boosted metabolism, increased cardio and muscle strength, decreased muscle pain and overall fatigue and much more in a short period of time. Enter the HIIT Workout.
High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT is simply defined as short bursts of performance followed by brief rest periods. During the short burst, like 20-30 seconds of bodyweight squats, you work as hard as your body will allow while paying attention to your form. You should feel a bit breathy after squatting (or doing sit-to-stands) for 20 seconds, but after a brief 10 second rest, you feel ready to move onto the next exercise. Do you have to do squats or burpees or all out sprints? That’s the beauty of designing your own HIIT program to fit your body. You can pick any 4 exercises that get your heart rate up when performing them for 20-30 seconds each.
A true HIIT workout has you working at 80% of your maximum heart rate. The basic formula for finding your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. For cancer survivors, determining your maximum heart rate could be complicated by pharmaceuticals or individual body response to exercise after chemotherapy or other cancer treatments. It is always best to be medically cleared before exercise and to ask your doctor or physical therapist how to determine your maximum heart rate. For the purposes of this article, we are going to use a Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale of 1-10. A rating of one means you put forth no effort and is the same as sitting on the couch. Rating a workout a ten means it was way too difficult and you are having trouble catching your breath. During a HIIT workout, you want to aim for a 7 or 8 on the scale.
Before we get to the how of the workout, let’s talk about the why. According to a systematic review of seven studies by Herranz-Gómez et al[1] Cardiorespiratory function, quality of life, and consistency in exercise significantly increased in cancer patients who were prescribed a HIIT workout in addition to their cancer treatments. In Breast Cancer survivors, HIIT training showed a statistically significant increase in cardiovascular fitness and showed mental health benefits compared to those who did not exercise or exercised at a medium intensity. The researchers also found that adherence to a HIIT program was higher than other workouts. Most likely this relates back to that sneaky time problem and the need for a quick workout that maximizes effort.
In another systematic review of thirty-five trials by Toohey et al[2] participation in HIIT exercise was associated with improvements in pain, lowered blood pressure and improved fatigue. The results from this review provided evidence for clinicians to prescribe HIIT exercise for cancer survivors to improve overall health during and following treatments. That all sounds pretty great, so how do you get started?
My favorite way to incorporate HIIT into a workout is a format called Tabata. One round of traditional Tabata lasts for four minutes. Four exercises are performed for 20 seconds each at maximum effort with 10 seconds of rest in between. We then repeat those exercises to complete one round of Tabata. After finishing round one, take a one minute break and then begin round two. The general recommendation is four rounds of Tabata, however, let’s start with two rounds and over time, as you increase your endurance and stamina, slowly build up to four.
The Workout:
*Always modify exercises to suit your body and be medically cleared for exercise before beginning any program. Warm-up the body by taking a quick walk or moving in place for 5 minutes. Be sure to have some water to sip on and cool down for five to ten minutes after your workout.
Round One:
- High Knees (quickly march or jog in place bringing knees up as high as possible)
- Wall, Chair or Floor Push-ups
- Jumping Jacks or Heel Digs (tapping your heel forward, one foot at a time while moving your arms as you would in a traditional jumping jack without the jumping!)
- Fast Feet (with your feet shoulder width apart, lower your hips slightly and run in place on the balls of your feet)
Round Two:
- Squats or sit-to-stands
- Alternating Lunges (step forward in a lunge, step back together, repeat on other side)
- Standing Bicycle Crunches (alternating sides, bring a leg up along the midline of the body and bring opposite elbow to opposite leg – think about a “crunch” while standing)
- Skaters (quickly tap one foot behind the opposite leg, alternating sides as you go)
If you are just getting back into exercise, gradually increase your exertion and try for a 4 or 5 on the RPE scale. As you progress, you will notice an improvement in stamina and endurance and you will find it easier to increase your intensity. Aim for completing a HIIT workout two or three times a week, perhaps as an addition to your regular walking schedule. Now, put on some fun music and HIIT It!
[1] Herranz-Gómez A, Cuenca-Martínez F, Suso-Martí L, Varangot-Reille C, Calatayud J, Blanco-Díaz M, Casaña J. Effectiveness of HIIT in patients with cancer or cancer survivors: An umbrella and mapping review with meta-meta-analysis. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2022 Nov;32(11):1522-1549. doi: 10.1111/sms.14223. Epub 2022 Aug 13. PMID: 35925829; PMCID: PMC9804206.
[2] Clinical updates on the effects of high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise in people diagnosed with cancer. A systematic review and meta-analysis
Toohey, Kellie et al.
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Volume 26, Issue 12, 667 – 675