Heart disease: it’s the leading cause of death in Australia, and has been for some time. A healthy heart is key to a long and happy life, and the good news is there are a number of proven ways to keep your heart pumping strong, long into the future.

Sitting at the top of that list – alongside diet – is exercise.

A few short minutes a day spent on high intensity cardio routines can seriously boost heart health, while also making you fitter, stronger and happier.

In this guide we’ll take a closer look at high intensity interval training (HIIT) for heart health:  how HIIT improves cardiovascular health, what these heart health exercises look like, and some safe high-intensity workouts for beginners.

 

Understanding high-intensity cardio

HIIT is a type of workout in which you alternate short, intense bursts of activity (raising your heart rate to 80-90% of its maximum) with periods of rest (40-50% of your maximum heart rate).

HIIT benefits your heart by getting it pumping in an intense yet controlled manner. The aim is to reach a specific heart rate, and keep it there for a short period, before an equally short period of recovery. This builds the resilience of the organ and the broader cardiovascular system tasked with sending oxygen-rich blood around your body.

It should be noted that people with existing heart conditions should consult their GP before undertaking HIIT, as it can be an intense experience. A modified/customised routine may be the safest bet.

Pro tip: To calculate your approximate maximum heart rate in beats per minute (bpm), subtract your age from 220. And if you want to hit 80% of that maximum, multiply the resulting number by 0.8.

 

Health benefits backed by science

Study after study has found that high-intensity cardio routines offer a number of unique health benefits, even when compared to continuous aerobic exercise. HIIT has been shown to:

  • Enhance cardiorespiratory fitness
  • Improve heart function
  • Assist with blood sugar control
  • Improve blood pressure

The major way that HIIT enhances your health is by improving your aerobic capacity, more specifically your peak oxygen consumption (VO2 peak), which is a well-established indicator of cardiovascular health and mortality.

 

Getting started: tailoring HIIT to your fitness level

Ready to start improving your heart health with HIIT? Here are a couple of safe, high-intensity workouts for beginners, with advice on how to tweak them for a more intense workout.

 

Routine 1: Full-body beginner HIIT (15 minutes)

30 seconds of high-intensity effort, 30 seconds of rest, repeat for 3 rounds.

Exercises:

  1. Star jumps
  2. Bodyweight squats
  3. Push-ups
  4. Sit-ups/crunches
  5. Plank

For an added challenge:

  • Reduce rest to 15-20 seconds and increase exercise to 40-45 seconds.
  • Increase the number of rounds.
  • Swap star jumps for squat jumps.
  • Replace knee push-ups with regular push-ups or add plyometric push-ups.
  • Add shoulder taps or leg lifts to the plank.

 

Routine 2: Cardio and lower body HIIT (12 minutes)

30 seconds of high-intensity effort, 30 seconds of rest, repeat for 4 rounds.

Exercises:

  1. High knees
  2. Step-back lunges (alternate legs)
  3. Mountain climbers

For an added challenge:

  • Reduce rest to 20 seconds or do active rest (e.g. jogging in place).
  • Increase to 6-8 rounds.
  • Replace step-back lunges with jumping lunges.
  • Perform mountain climbers at a faster pace or add a cross-body variation.

While these are equipment-free routines, investing in cardio equipment like treadmills, exercise bikes, ellipticals or rowing machines can help to make your workouts even more impactful, by engaging more muscles or more precisely targeting key areas of the body.

 

Maximising the safety and effectiveness of HIIT exercise

It’s right there in the name: HIIT workouts are intense, so care should be taken to ensure you don’t cause yourself any harm, and to maximise the benefits that you get from the exercise. Here are some tips:

    • Warm up and cool down: Spend a few minutes doing dynamic stretches and light activity both before and after your workout.
    • Focus on form: By maintaining proper technique throughout each exercise you minimise the opportunities for injury and maximise the effectiveness of your workout.
    • Start small and slowly progress: Begin with short and simple HIIT routines, like those listed above, then slowly progress to more advanced, intense exercise.
  • Rest and recover: Don’t ignore the importance of the periods of rest between. Listen to your body and extend those breaks when necessary.
    • Stay hydrated: A good HIIT workout will see you get your sweat on, so be sure to replace those lost fluids.
    • Monitor your heart rate: A good HIIT workout will see you hitting up to 90% of your maximum heart rate – but you should avoid going past that number. Stop if you do.
    • Consult professionals: If you’ve got any questions about whether HIIT training is right for you, speak to your GP, and consider working with a fitness professional to develop a custom HIIT routine and program.

     

    Complementary heart health lifestyle changes

    Exercise is key to heart health, but other lifestyle changes can be every bit as important:

    • Eat a balanced diet featuring plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lean proteins, while minimising sugars, saturated fats, salts and ultra-processed foods.
    • Maintain a healthy weight through a combination of diet and exercise.
    • Manage your stress and anxiety through mindfulness and meditation exercises, by prioritising sleep, and by limiting your alcohol, caffeine and smoking/vaping.

     

    GymQuip: helping you use HIIT for heart health

    At GymQuip we’ve been helping our customers to get healthier and happier for over three decades by supplying all the HIIT training equipment you could ever need.

    From basics like gym mats and resistance bands, to high-end cardio machines that add an extra level of intensity and fun to your workout, we’ve got everything you need to start HIIT training and improve your heart health today.

    We’re home to one of Australia’s largest fitness showrooms, and we have an even bigger selection of products available through our online store. Our generous shipping and returns policy means we can also send a rowing machine to your door anywhere in Australia, with all purchases covered by our price beat guarantee.

    And if you’re not sure what HIIT equipment you need, our friendly team is always ready to help – get in touch today.