If you are trying to learn how to build muscle with HIIT then you may have noticed how much confusion surrounds this popular training method. Despite it's huge popularity, many people make some crucial mistakes when designing their high intensity interval program.
Nutrition is a key factor in improving your results from any high intensity workout program. The pre-workout period is an area where most people have no idea how to get the best nutrients for their muscles, so this is what we will be focusing on today.
If you can take the necessary steps to provide your muscles with the right fuel for each session then you will in turn increase your overall results by almost 30%, according to the latest scientific studies on the topic. []
While regular cardiovascular activity works slowly on your fat stores, interval training takes a different route. It mainly focuses on your body's stores of carbohydrates. This means the focus of your nutrition needs to shift if you are to get the most from this method.
If you have done your research you will already know that the major benefits of high intensity interval training take place outside of the gym, during the recovery period after your workout. This process, known as EPOC, is where your body tries to protect what's left of it's carbohydrate reserves and focuses on burning body fat for the fuel it needs in order to function properly. Carbs are your body's primary energy source, so when you have burnt through most of your body's reserves it's going to work hard to protect what little it has left, switching the focus on other nutrients instead. This magical post-workout effect can last a whopping 14 hours if you get it right.
So as you can see, the quicker your body can deplete those carbohydrate stores during a high intensity training session, the better! This means there's very little point in consuming a carb rich meal before you train as you'd merely be delaying the process in the gym.
Does this mean all of those people who insist on training first thing in the morning on an empty stomach are actually onto something?
Actually, no it's not. While it is more effective than training after a carb heavy meal, there is an ever more superior method. Research shows that consuming a good source of protein before a workout increases both fat loss and muscle retention even further. Remember, in the absence of enough carbs to handle your workout there is a chance your body will turn to protein as a fuel source. By consuming a whey protein shake before a workout you buffer your body's supply and hang onto your hard earned muscle tissue.
One other minor mistake many people make is to go with BCAA supplements after a session. Recent studies confirm that consuming Essential Amino Acids (EAA's) instead of BCAA's will increase results further. While any branched chain amino acids supplement will provide you with three of the key amino acids for building lean muscle tissue, they neglect the others. Amino acids function as a team, therefore taking EAA's would be much more functional.
Secondly, science tells us that consuming your amino acids before your workout yields up to 30% higher uptake into the muscles, so ignore the common trend of mixing it with your post-workout protein shake. The perfect pre-workout cocktail before a high intensity interval training session would consist of around 15 grams of whey protein and a serving of essential amino acids.
The topic of HIIT is as popular now as it has ever been in the past, but learning how to build muscle or lose weight with this approach often comes down to your nutrition plan surrounding those tough workouts. Now you have the key scientific research on the crucial pre-workout period, you'll be able to take your own results one step further.
Nutrition is a key factor in improving your results from any high intensity workout program. The pre-workout period is an area where most people have no idea how to get the best nutrients for their muscles, so this is what we will be focusing on today.
If you can take the necessary steps to provide your muscles with the right fuel for each session then you will in turn increase your overall results by almost 30%, according to the latest scientific studies on the topic. []
While regular cardiovascular activity works slowly on your fat stores, interval training takes a different route. It mainly focuses on your body's stores of carbohydrates. This means the focus of your nutrition needs to shift if you are to get the most from this method.
If you have done your research you will already know that the major benefits of high intensity interval training take place outside of the gym, during the recovery period after your workout. This process, known as EPOC, is where your body tries to protect what's left of it's carbohydrate reserves and focuses on burning body fat for the fuel it needs in order to function properly. Carbs are your body's primary energy source, so when you have burnt through most of your body's reserves it's going to work hard to protect what little it has left, switching the focus on other nutrients instead. This magical post-workout effect can last a whopping 14 hours if you get it right.
So as you can see, the quicker your body can deplete those carbohydrate stores during a high intensity training session, the better! This means there's very little point in consuming a carb rich meal before you train as you'd merely be delaying the process in the gym.
Does this mean all of those people who insist on training first thing in the morning on an empty stomach are actually onto something?
Actually, no it's not. While it is more effective than training after a carb heavy meal, there is an ever more superior method. Research shows that consuming a good source of protein before a workout increases both fat loss and muscle retention even further. Remember, in the absence of enough carbs to handle your workout there is a chance your body will turn to protein as a fuel source. By consuming a whey protein shake before a workout you buffer your body's supply and hang onto your hard earned muscle tissue.
One other minor mistake many people make is to go with BCAA supplements after a session. Recent studies confirm that consuming Essential Amino Acids (EAA's) instead of BCAA's will increase results further. While any branched chain amino acids supplement will provide you with three of the key amino acids for building lean muscle tissue, they neglect the others. Amino acids function as a team, therefore taking EAA's would be much more functional.
Secondly, science tells us that consuming your amino acids before your workout yields up to 30% higher uptake into the muscles, so ignore the common trend of mixing it with your post-workout protein shake. The perfect pre-workout cocktail before a high intensity interval training session would consist of around 15 grams of whey protein and a serving of essential amino acids.
The topic of HIIT is as popular now as it has ever been in the past, but learning how to build muscle or lose weight with this approach often comes down to your nutrition plan surrounding those tough workouts. Now you have the key scientific research on the crucial pre-workout period, you'll be able to take your own results one step further.
About the Author:
Writer details: Russ Howe PTI is an established personal trainer who shows people how to build muscle at his gym. The new guide to hiit will help you to increase fat loss quickly.
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