HIIT Training Tracks

A couple of people have shown some interest in the mp3 tracks I created for High Intensity Interval Training. For those who don't know, I created the tracks to let me know the timings of the intervals while I'm out running, without needing to check my watch. Each track contains a beep for the start of the high-intensity interval, and another beep for the end. To help even more, I've overlaid the beeps onto excepts of songs where the music matches the high-low intensity of the intervals, i.e. where the music has a slower/quieter buildup to a sudden period of more intense music.

So, as promised, here the ones I've created so far.

What the download contains
The download is a .zip file containing nine 45-second mp3s. These particular tracks are designed for 30-second low-intensity, 15-second high-intensity, a reasonably "pure" form of HIIT, but I do intend to make longer versions (45/30, 60/60) later on.

Each of the songs selected has a section in which the music builds up to a sudden climax (where you start sprinting). There are two beeps in each track; one after 30 seconds to tell you to sprint, another at the end to tell you to stop sprinting. Most of them are trance/techno because they contain many examples of this sort of build-explode pattern and because I find the intensity and beat good for working out.

And before anyone asks, while I like each of these songs they are not a good representation of my overall musical taste :P

Samples from the following songs are included:

1. Rob Dougan - Chateau (from Matrix Reloaded)
2. Chaah - The Funkiness of You
3. The Immortals - Mortal Kombat Theme
4. Rob Dougan - I'm Not Driving Anymore
5. Warp Brothers, Aquagen - Phatt Bass
6. Armin van Buuren - As the Rush Comes (1)
7. Armin van Buuren - As the Rush Comes (2)
8. The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up
9. Porn Kings, DJ Supreme - Up to the Wildside

http://www.bjwaymods.net/dl/hiit_30_15_v1237.zip

The number on the end of the file is added by the file-hosting service by the way, I haven't actually created 1237 versions of this.

How to Use the Tracks
Firstly, you'll want to select those songs you like and think will work well for you. Listen to each one and pick out those where you can really imagine wanting to go nuts and sprint at the first beep. Since HIIT workouts are supposed to be short, you don't need many to get a decent variety. Similarly you could also just have a single looping track that you really like if that works best for you.

Next, decide how long you want your HIIT session to last (I've only just started doing "true" HIIT, so I can barely y manage 5 minutes) and work out how many 45 second tracks you'll need.

Copy the track you've selected to your mp3 player (if your player doesn't support playlists you'll need to have multiple copies of some files for longer workouts) and set them up in their own folder/playlist. Finally, just make sure you have your player set up to only play each file once (or to only go once through the playlist) so that you'll know when to stop!

Notes on HIIT
I'm sure most of you are more than capable of doing your own research on what HIIT is and how it works, but here's a quick overview.

HIIT is a kind of cardio training which alternates periods of high and low intensity activity. The difference between HIIT and normal interval training is the degree of the high-intensity interval: in interval training you alternate between slow and fast, while in HIIT you alternate between slow and as-fast-as-you-can-go. This means that if, for example, you are running, HIIT doesn't require that you run fast during the high-intensity interval, it requires that you sprint. If you can do it for more than about 20 seconds, you're not sprinting.

HIIT is considered an advanced form of training. Most people report that the first time they try it they literally feel ill from exertion by the end. So do yourself a favour by starting with a short session (5 minutes or so), and by taking the time to build up your fitness if you haven't been active for a while.

The key advantage of HIIT is that you only need a relatively short session (in fact more than 15 minutes is not recommended) to get substantial benefits. It increases your cardiovascular fitness faster than standard interval training or normal constant-rate training, and provides better fat-loss rates than the long low-medium intensity workouts most people associate with weight-loss. The fat-loss aspect comes from the fact that HIIT raises your resting metabolism for up to 24 hours after each workout.

Suggestions for HIIT Tracks?
Do you have a favourite workout song that you think would be a perfect HIIT track? Feel free to leave a recommendation in the comments and I'll see what I can do :)

Also, if you are interested in different timings, let me know what your favourite interval times are and I'll put it on my todo list.

Now Download and Enjoy... in a painful sweaty kinda way.