ABSTRACT
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a form of exercise that involves brief, intermittent bouts of high-intensity exercise, interspersed by periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. Athletes competing in sports such as running and cycling have traditionally used this form of training to enhance athletic performance (Billat, 2001). However, over the past decade a vast amount of research has been conducted into HIIT in non-athletic populations. Traditional cardiorespiratory exercise recommendations have been based on the continuous exercise training (CET) method (World Health Organization, 2010). Whilst this form of training is highly effective at enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), it can be time intensive. Indeed, up to 250 minutes physical activity/week has been recommended to prevent increases in body mass (American College of Sports Medicine [ACSM], 2009). Conversely, HIIT involves short duration exercise sessions, with some studies utilising protocols as short as 15 minutes (Gibala & McGee, 2008). The short duration format of HIIT is attractive from an exercise promotion perspective, as one of the commonly cited barriers to engaging in regular exercise is ‘lack of time’ (Trost et al., 2002).
