There have been plenty of new fitness trends in the past few years and one that is getting a lot of attention is the Peak 8 fitness program. It basically consists of 30 seconds of high intensity exercise, which is guaranteed to get the pulse rate up and the blood pumping, followed by a much-needed 90-second break. At the end, there is a two-minute rest period.
How To Do Peak 8 Fitness
The routine is very simple to follow.
1. Start with a gentle two minute warm up.
2. After the three minutes, perform 30 seconds of your chosen exercise at maximum speed.
3. After the 30 seconds, continue gently for 90 seconds to recover. This, you will do up to eight times alternating between 30 seconds of intense activity followed by 90 seconds of recovery. If you are unable to do eight repetitions of 30 seconds/90 seconds then do as many repetitions that you can and gradually increase over time.
4. Finally, spend a couple of minutes warming down.
The Benefits of Peak 8
One of the biggest benefits of Peak 8 is that the 30 seconds of intense activity can vary depending on what the participant is comfortable with. For instance, cycling, running, jumping jacks, using a rowing machine etc., could all be chosen. This is a good option for people who don't want to get too far-out of their comfort zone when exercising, but still want something to challenge them.
Experts used to advise that people exercise for longer periods in order to get the most out of it. People were often advised to exercise for at least thirty minutes at a time in order to see the benefits.
However, studies have shown that doing shorter periods of high intensity cardio exercise provides a more effective way to promote fitness. Just twenty minutes of intense activity can dramatically improve the health of the cardio system, improve fat burning and boost metabolism – and all without spending hours in the gym.
One study has indicated that carrying out high intensity exercise for just 10 minutes could be as beneficial to the body as exercising for an hour. It is believed that high interval training can also make participants look and feel younger.
Moreover, interval training is beneficial to people who are prone to overuse injuries as the activity is broken up and the muscles are given time to recover in between intervals.
Who Shouldn't Do Interval Training
This form of exercise shouldn't be done by people who are new to fitness. Any beginner should talk to a qualified instructor before taking part in any form of interval training.
Anyone with a past history of illness or injury should also take care with this kind of exercise regimen. People being treated for blood pressure problems or a heart condition might find that this form of exercise is too intense for them and they should speak to their care team before taking part in this form of exercise.
It should go without saying that people who have been recently injured should not exercise, however, many people do like to push themselves harder than they should and often end up reinjuring themselves.
Nutrition
Taking part in high intensity exercise can be extremely draining for the body so a good nutrition program needs to be in place before getting started. Eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of complex carbs that are balanced out without protein will provide healthy fuel for the body. In addition, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables will provide essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Participants in interval training might also want to consider taking a protein powder supplement to help fuel their muscles and provide some nourishment for the body after a challenging workout.
Rest Days
The body isn't designed to train hard every single day, and a body that is pushed to its limits seven days a week will soon start to show signs of injury or wear and tear.
Peak 8 interval training is probably best when carried out three times a week, or four at the most. On rest days, it is a good idea to do a lot of stretching as high intensity training can be jarring for the muscles, and if they are overworked, then they will tend to get tight and be more prone to injury.
Stretching should be carried out 3-4 times a week in order to keep the muscles from tightening up too much; it will also help prevent tension accumulating.
Massage
If the muscles are being trained hard, then some form of massage is beneficial to help keep the joints loose, encourage circulation, and to keep the muscles supple.
In addition having a sports massage can aid performance meaning the participant can get the most out of their Peak 8 interval training sessions.
For further information and videos on Peak 8 Fitness, please see the following page http://charlescoty.blogspot.com.es/2011/06/peak-8-exercise-breakthrough-dr-mercola.html