10/10 Challenge: Day 3
NEW Wave Train For ONE Minute (Seriously!)
If your goal is weight loss, then wave training better be part of your program. Wave training, also known as H.I.I.T. or interval workouts, is not only a speedy way to have a sweat session, but it’s also a game-changer for transforming your body.
You probably know by now that by incorporating short but intense bursts of exercise followed by recovery segments, wave training allows you to push yourself past your normal limits. The magic of this type of training is its ability to keep you burning fat for several hours after your training, so you burn calories more efficiently. And, you can perform wave workouts while walking/running, on a bike, on the elliptical or even while doing squats.
For years (decades, even!) I’ve been teaching about the benefits of this type of training. Countless studies prove that wave training is the key that unlocks stubborn fat, especially belly fat. Typically, the studies suggest that if you add up the time you spend in your high-intensity bursts, then your total burst time should be from 6-10 minutes.
But, a new study from the Public Library of Science found that with only ONE MINUTE of total interval training per day (three times a week for six weeks), participants found the following shocking benefits:
- 12% increased endurance capacity
- Healthier blood pressure
- Increased levels of biochemical substances which raise the activity level and number of mitochondria (which helps elevate endurance levels while exercising)
- The men in the study significantly improved their blood sugar control
Their wave training routine was as follows:
2-minute warm-up
20-second push (as hard as you can go!)
2-minute recovery (not a rest, but a low-speed pace)
20-second push (as hard as you can go!)
2-minute recovery (not a rest, but a low-speed pace)
20-second push (as hard as you can go!)
2-minute recovery (not a rest, but a low-speed pace)
3-minute cool-down
Although it may seem extreme, the scientists involved in the study explained, “We’ve dropped from 30-second all-out intervals to 20-second intervals,” he said, “because for many people those last 10 seconds were excruciating.” However, most of us can finish a 20-second interval without wanting to drop over.
For now, relying on only one minute of high-intensity training can certainly boost your fitness levels if you’re in a time-crunch or currently living a sedentary lifestyle. The point here is that “I don’t have time to exercise” can no longer be your excuse to not make fitness part of your lifestyle.
Think you’re up for it? Try this wave-training routine:
- 3-minute warm-up
- 20 seconds of squats or pop-ups (a squat followed by a jump…see image on the left)
- 30 second recovery (Keep your body moving with an easy stepping-in-place action as you recover)
- Start with three sets. As you build your stamina and endurance, start adding sets, so you’re eventually doing 8 rounds!
Here’s to your health!
