Building Lean Muscle Mass using HIIT

If you’re a fitness enthusiast and have scoured the internet for exerciseroutines to build lean muscle mass, you probably must have come across the term HIIT (high-intensity interval training). It is nothing extraordinary but a combination of exercise routines which are shorter in duration but done with vigorous intensity. These shorter activity outbursts have longer lasting impacts on your metabolism and body. HIIT is how well you time the intensity of a routine, probably by using a fitness timer app or a stopwatch, so that you can get the maximum intensity out of your routines.
The beauty of HIIT is that it can be applied to almost any workout routines. Just combine your CrossFit trainings or Pilates with HIIT and use any free interval Timer like Shredder or any fitness timer app or Stopwatch, and you will be astonished from the results.

 

How HIIT helps in muscle gain?

Implementing HIIT as the primary form of cardio in your daily exercise routine boosts the secretions of several hormones like testosterone, epinephrine, AMPK and the growth hormones. Increased levels of these hormones in combination induces a chemical reaction inside the body which leaves you with increased metabolism, which means you can digest the carbs, proteins and other nutrients more effectively, without any wastage.
Timing your sessions is everything when it comes to HIIT. Half of the task is done if you are effectively able to divide your intervals using any fitness timer app or Stopwatch because at the end of the day, results will be counted just based on the time for which the exercise was done with full intensity.

 

Below are the two popular HIIT workouts for muscle gains are:
 A). 3 Rounds of:

• 40 seconds of Kettle bell Swings.
• 30 seconds Rest.
• 40 seconds of Bear Crawl Sled Drags.
• 30 seconds Rest.
• 40 seconds of Burpee.
• 30 seconds Rest.
• 40 seconds of Russian Twist.
• 30 seconds Rest.
• 40 seconds of Drag Curl.
• 90 seconds Rest, then repeat the Round.

B). 3 Rounds of:

• 40 seconds of Goblet Squat.
• 30 seconds Rest.
• 40 seconds of Jump Squat.
• 30 seconds Rest.
• 40 seconds of Air Biking.
• 30 seconds Rest.
• 40 seconds of Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extension.
• 30 seconds Rest.
• 40 seconds of Arnold Dumbbell Press.
• 90 seconds Rest, then repeat the Round.

Implementing above workout routine along with any free Interval Timer can help you get a better body composition and shape along with a better cardio fitness. From the above two sets of routines, if you want to increase or decrease the durations of one or two exercises (for example, Jump Squat, as you want to focus more on your leg muscles), you can simply make such customizations with the help of any fitness timer app or a stopwatch.
You can incorporate HIIT workouts on a weekly basis (maybe 2-3 times) in your routines. Initially you need to understand your body needs and limitations, after which you can plan your body transformation accordingly.