Rest is also working hard

13-03-2016 -

How do you get the most out of your high intensive interval training so you also burn fat on the days you do not workout? The answer is simple: increase the intensity of your HIIT workout and subsequently crash on the couch!

 

Regular exercise will create more muscle and more muscle burns more fat. That is well known. But did you know that a brief, but intense exercise could cause you to continue to burn fat up to 48 hours after your training? This is thanks to the Excess Post Oxygen Consumption Process (EPOC).

Increased oxygen uptake

During a workout, your body requires more oxygen. When you're done with your workout the extra oxygen required does not drop immediately. That above normal oxygen consumption is called EPOC. The goal is to achieve a higher oxygen intake that persists as long as possible in order to enjoy the beneficial effects, even during your day of rest.

A higher EPOC value thanks to a HIIT workout

Why is this theory so important to know? Well... Studies have shown that EPOC values increase faster with (short) intense workouts rather than with longer, but less intensive training. An intense HIIT workout of 12 minutes can therefore equal or even surpass the after-burn effect of a longer training. That’s good news for Workoutclub members!

Don’t forget to rest

Because of all adrenaline and motivation we sometimes give our body not enough time to rest and recover. The days we rest are just as important as the days we exercise. Because of the higher oxygen intake your body recovers faster, your hormonal system is brought up to standard quicker, the energy stock is replenished and cells are repaired.

So you can safely crash on the couch all sweaty. Don’t feel guilty. Make sure you give you body the time to recover. Thanks to the EPOC effect, recovery is much faster. Be ready to give it your best in your next workout!