HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It’s one of the fastest ways of getting in shape by exercising to your maximum capacity for short bursts, followed by rest.

A simple example of this is to pick one of two exercises:

Running on the spot
Or
Jumping jacks

NOTE: A low impact for those that prefer is step out the jumping jacks and walk on the spot or stepping up onto a step then back down, alternating legs.

Now get a watch or set the stopwatch on your phone so you can see the seconds. There’s also a free app on your smartphone called the TABATA app which gives a beat to work to because you’re going to do 20 seconds of high intensity exercise (such as jumping jacks or running on the spot) then have 10 seconds of rest such as walking. You can, of course, do this inside or outside.

The goal is to do this sequence 8 times. That means eight 20 second bursts of high intensity exercise followed by eight 10 second rests. If you are not fit start with a simpler exercise. For example, you step out rather than jump for jumping jacks, or jog rather than run fast on the spot, or step up to a lower step. As you get fitter go faster or make the exercise more intense because you want to hit your limit with each 20 second burst of high intensity exercise. A simple film of how to do this is shown at http://tabataprotocol.com/.

By now you’re doing a 4 minute HIIT exercise session compromised of eight 20 second bursts of some activity that gets you to your ‘exhaustion’ point, followed by 10 second rests, walking on the spot.

Make sure you warm up for a couple of minutes before you start and cool down for a minute or so when you end just by moving around, stretching your muscles, much like you’d be doing in the 10 second rest periods.

You only need do this two or three times a week to get a significant benefit in fat burning, muscle building and improved insulin sensitivity, all of which translates into preventing memory decline and dementia in the future.