When new research comes out that looks at different training methods, I always try to break it down in a way that makes sense for our members. One recently published study compared three common approaches to exercise moderate intensity continuous training, high intensity interval training, and high intensity circuit training. The researchers were not looking for which one burns the most calories on paper but rather which style of training improves fat oxidation, carbohydrate utilization, and post exercise oxygen consumption (the afterburn effect). These are all markers of how effectively your body uses fuel during and after exercise and it turns out both forms of high intensity training came out on top.
Moderate intensity continuous training is the classic steady state workout. Think of a jog that stays at one pace or cycling at a comfortable speed for thirty to forty minutes. It is predictable and has its benefits especially for building up your cardio and maintaining a consistent heart rate. High intensity interval training is much more aggressive. It involves short bursts of very hard effort followed by brief recovery periods. A simple example is thirty seconds all out on the AirBike followed by ninety seconds of easy pedaling repeated for several rounds like our cardio challenge last week. High intensity circuit training takes the concept of intervals and blends it with strength training. This is closest to what we do here at AIM Athletic in our small group training sessions. You move from exercise to exercise with very short rest working through a mix of movements like squats, lunges, presses, and pulls. This elevates the heart rate quickly and keeps it high which pushes the body into a very productive training zone.
What the study found was that both high intensity interval training and high intensity circuit training outperform steady state cardio for fat oxidation which means your body becomes more efficient at using fat as a fuel source. That is important for anyone chasing body composition goals and wants to drop a few pounds. Both high intensity methods also improve carbohydrate utilization which helps you access quick energy more efficiently and recover better between efforts. The biggest difference came in post exercise oxygen consumption which is essentially how many calories your body continues to burn after the session ends. High intensity training places a much larger demand on the system so your body continues to work harder afterward building new muscle, restoring oxygen levels, and replenishing energy stores. This is part of why our members feel like they get so much value out of a fifty minute group session it continues to work for you long after you leave the gym.
These findings line up perfectly with how we build our group training and personal training sessions at AIM Athletic. When you work through our circuits you are not just sweating for the sake of it. You are improving your ability to use different fuel systems, pushing your aerobic and anaerobic capacity, and setting yourself up for greater metabolic benefits after the workout is over. This is also why our hockey training programs lean heavily on high intensity work. Hockey is a sport of repeated explosive efforts with short recovery windows and high intensity training teaches the body to perform, recover, and repeat. The same is true in active rehabilitation. Shorter intervals of controlled high effort paired with appropriate rest help injured members rebuild capacity in a way that is safe, progressive, and aligned with how the body naturally adapts to the stress of work and life.
At the end of the day the goal is always to help our members get stronger, improve their conditioning, and feel more capable every day. High intensity training continues to prove that it is one of the most effective tools we have for doing exactly that.
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