The former physical trainer for the French National Volleyball Team talks to us about HIIT.
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Seven minutes often refers to the time spent having a coffee or a cigarette: very achievable, even on a busy day. However, this short amount of time can also be used for a complete workout—not just a pointless break.
How? By using the High-Intensity Interval Training method, or "HIIT" for short.
Over the past few years, this type of training has gained a large following—it’s seen as a miracle solution for shedding extra pounds and a great way to stay fit without wasting time. We spoke with Olivier Morelli, former physical trainer for the French National Volleyball Team and the Montpellier handball team. He explains why this method is perfect for the busy man who doesn’t want to let himself go.
A simple principle
The principle of HIIT workouts is straightforward: reduce the duration of effort while increasing its intensity. You take part in a session lasting between 7 and 30 very intense minutes, with very short recovery times. "The benefit of this type of session is that you get the same effects as longer sessions of 1 to 1.5 hours because the high demand on the body leads to significant energy expenditure during the workout, which continues for 2 to 3 hours after the session ends," says Olivier Morelli. It’s a bit like embers continuing to emit heat and consume wood long after the flames have died down.
A technique in tune with the times
"These sessions are very interesting for people looking to lose weight," Morelli explains. However, there’s nothing specifically new here, because this training idea has been around for ages. "It's an old method that's being revived because the evolution of today’s society means we have busy days, and organizing a sports session lasting an hour or more, with the logistics it involves, is not always practical." So, HIIT is ideal for busy guys, or those looking to do more with their time than slog it out in the gym.
How can you get into HIIT?
There are plenty of quick workout apps available on our smartphones. They often feature similar training programs and differ mainly in their interfaces—the “Seven” app, published by Perigee, is particularly user-friendly. In 7 minutes, you can do an intensive workout using just your phone.
Ab exercises, squats, wall sits, T-pushups, and side planks are HIIT classics—along with jumping jacks and jump rope exercises. If an exercise is good enough for Rocky, it’s good enough for you too.
Essential prep
To balance the "miracle solution" flashing in your mind, it’s necessary to remember that this method comes with a few caveats. "The main downside is that you need to be very careful with movement and technique, and adapt the exercises to your capabilities," says Olivier Morelli.
Whether you’re running, rowing, or cycling, seated, standing, or dancing, we’re not all equal when it comes to the physiological demands of different activities and the requirements of such training. "For people who aren’t very sporty, there’s often a lack of precision, especially in terms of intensity. Some techniques talk about ‘all-out,’ but you need to know your body and its limits very well to push it to 100%."
The risk areas are mainly the joints and the back, from the lower back to the vertebrae. A brief mobility warm-up to ease joint movement and unlock your body, which has begun to merge with your office chair, is essential. Despite these few downsides, the physical trainer's enthusiasm remains undiminished: "If done correctly and adapted to the person’s level, it’s a very interesting way to train, and it’s quite effective for weight loss."
Just one last thing: don’t forget that no matter how short your workout, a shower is not optional. It’s hard to fit a session between two meetings. Your colleagues may appreciate knowing that you had time to eat, handle the pile of emails in your inbox, and work up a sweat during your one-hour lunch break, but they’re unlikely to enjoy your post-exercise state.