Is a high intensity right for you?
A 15 min workout 3 times a week can make a huge improvement in weight loss, body composition and mood.
A short high intensity circuit workout can cause in increase in lean body mass, strength, weight loss and general mood. Try the following workout for 3 times per week for 1 month and see the difference.
Do:
3 cycles of:
- 30 seconds of burpees then rest 30 seconds
- 30 seconds of pushups then rest 30 seconds
- 30 seconds of body weight squats then rest 30 seconds
- 30 seconds of jumping jacks then rest 30 seconds
- 30 seconds of crunches then rest 30 seconds.
- The high intensity nature of the workout will increase the metabolic rate allowing additional calories to be burned even after the workout. No equipment is needed. Clear any new workout program with your physician.
The Research
Functional High-Intensity Circuit Training Improves Body Composition, Peak Oxygen Uptake, Strength, and Alters Certain Dimensions of Quality of Life in Overweight Women
Billy Sperlich,1,* Birgit Wallmann-Sperlich,2,3 Christoph Zinner,1 Valerie Von Stauffenberg,1 Helena Losert,1 and Hans-Christer Holmberg4,5
1 Integrative and Experimental Exercise Science, Institute of Sport Science, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
2 Institute of Sport Science, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
3 Institute of Health Promotion and Clinical Movement Science, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
4 School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
5 School of Sport Sciences, University of Tromsø—Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Edited by: Luca Paolo Ardigò, University of Verona, Italy
Reviewed by: Beat Knechtle, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Alessandro Moura Zagatto, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio Mesquita Filho, Brazil; Hassane Zouhal, University of Rennes 2—Upper Brittany, France
*Correspondence: Billy Sperlich ed.grubzreuw-inu@hcilreps.yllib
This article was submitted to Exercise Physiology, a section of the journal Frontiers in Physiology
Author information ► Article notes ► Copyright and License information ►
Received 2017 Jan 3; Accepted 2017 Mar 7.
Copyright © 2017 Sperlich, Wallmann-Sperlich, Zinner, Von Stauffenberg, Losert and Holmberg.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.
Abstract
The effects of circuit-like functional high-intensity training (CircuitHIIT) alone or in combination with high-volume low-intensity exercise (Circuitcombined) on selected cardio-respiratory and metabolic parameters, body composition, functional strength and the quality of life of overweight women were compared. In this single-center, two-armed randomized, controlled study, overweight women performed 9-weeks (3 sessions·wk−1) of either CircuitHIIT (n = 11), or Circuitcombined (n = 8). Peak oxygen uptake and perception of physical pain were increased to a greater extent (p < 0.05) by CircuitHIIT, whereas Circuitcombined improved perception of general health more (p < 0.05). Both interventions lowered body mass, body-mass-index, waist-to-hip ratio, fat mass, and enhanced fat-free mass; decreased ratings of perceived exertion during submaximal treadmill running; improved the numbers of push-ups, burpees, one-legged squats, and 30-s skipping performed, as well as the height of counter-movement jumps; and improved physical and social functioning, role of physical limitations, vitality, role of emotional limitations, and mental health to a similar extent (all p < 0.05). Either forms of these multi-stimulating, circuit-like, multiple-joint training can be employed to improve body composition, selected variables of functional strength, and certain dimensions of quality of life in overweight women. However, CircuitHIIT improves peak oxygen uptake to a greater extent, but with more perception of pain, whereas Circuitcombined results in better perception of general health.
Keywords: aerobic fitness, body composition, female, functional training, interval training, power training
