I've been doing HIIT for the past 2 weeks without an HRM and pretty much relying on honest to god effort.

I went out and bought an HRM yesterday and noticed that 60% of my heart rate is actually a lot slower than what I was doing for my perceived effort, but the amount I thought of as 100% (or, running with all my might), turned out to be actually 95%. Should I actually aim to get my heart rate to 100%? If so... what's a good way to do it? I was running at 8 MPH with the slope halfway of the treadmill's max, and honestly, I don't think I can go beyond that. It's not that I'm exhausted or anything, it's that I'm pretty much tripping over myself from running so fast at such a steep angle.

Another question I have is: Let's say I do 1 minute at 60%, 1 minute at 70%, then 80%, and 90%. Each time I turn the speed up on my treadmill, it takes about 30 seconds to get my heart rate to where it's supposed to be. For example, when I start the 90% segment, I put it on 8 mph. It takes me 30 seconds to reach 90%. Should I count 1 minute from the start of the 8 mph burst, or should I count 1 minute from the second my heart rate hits 90% (or basically run 8 mph like that for 90 seconds)?

I have the same question about bringing it down. After 90% it says to do 1 minute at 60% rate, but... it takes me about a minute to get back down to that (maybe a bit more). If I'm doing 60/70/80/90/60 (each at 1 minute)... do I wait to hit 60% before counting that minute, or do I count that 60% period as a "cool down" of sorts? For example, after my 90% burst, I put it on 3 MPH and walk (slowly). 1 minute later if it's at 65-68%, should I just start the 70% segment, or should I wait until my heart rate is 60%, keep it at that level for 1 minute, THEN bump it to 70%?

I've also seen the 3 minutes (or was it 2?) at 60%, then 1 minute at 90% method of HIIT. Do they both have the same results, if not, which is the better method?

Your question(s) are impossible to answer unfortunately. Everyone has their own way of doing HIIT and every magazine or website claims the "better" way is theirs.

Do what works for you. I too realized how different my actual HR was than what I perceived when I got myself a HRM. FWIW, this is how I do HIIT these days:

5 mins warm-up @ 60%
1 min 90%
2 mins 70%
1 min 90%
2 min 70%
1 min 90%
2 mins 70%
1 min 90%
2 min 70%
1 min 90%
2 mins 70%
1 min 90%
2 min 70%
1 min 90%
2 mins 70%
5 mins cooldown @ 60%

That's 7 intervals total. My HR usually doesn't hit 90% until the 3rd interval, it lingers in the mid-80s for the first couple. And my HR usually takes about 1 min to get down to ~70%.

I've used many other methods in the past, this is the one I like ATM.

I would not aim for 100% unless there was a bear chasing you, or you're only sustaining it for 10-12 seconds or so. Which is pretty much impossible anyway without some serious adrenaline.

Training is the process of subjecting your body to stresses which it can adapt to and become stronger. Running at 100% isn't progressive stress, it's my-body-is-in-serious-distress stress, and you don't need to do that to train, it's probably counterproductive.

Your question(s) are impossible to answer unfortunately. Everyone has their own way of doing HIIT and every magazine or website claims the "better" way is theirs.

Do what works for you. I too realized how different my actual HR was than what I perceived when I got myself a HRM. FWIW, this is how I do HIIT these days:

5 mins warm-up @ 60%
1 min 90%
2 mins 70%
1 min 90%
2 min 70%
1 min 90%
2 mins 70%
1 min 90%
2 min 70%
1 min 90%
2 mins 70%
1 min 90%
2 min 70%
1 min 90%
2 mins 70%
5 mins cooldown @ 60%

That's 7 intervals total. My HR usually doesn't hit 90% until the 3rd interval, it lingers in the mid-80s for the first couple. And my HR usually takes about 1 min to get down to ~70%.

I've used many other methods in the past, this is the one I like ATM.

When you do your 1 min at 90%, do you start counting as soon as you reach 90%, or do you count 1 minute at the speed you exercise with which takes you to 90%?

My minute begins the second I begin going "full force". If I waited until the HRM actually said 90% and then began my minute, I'd die.

I've been doing HIIT for the past 2 weeks without an HRM and pretty much relying on honest to god effort.

I went out and bought an HRM yesterday and noticed that 60% of my heart rate is actually a lot slower than what I was doing for my perceived effort, but the amount I thought of as 100% (or, running with all my might), turned out to be actually 95%. Should I actually aim to get my heart rate to 100%? If so... what's a good way to do it? I was running at 8 MPH with the slope halfway of the treadmill's max, and honestly, I don't think I can go beyond that. It's not that I'm exhausted or anything, it's that I'm pretty much tripping over myself from running so fast at such a steep angle.

Another question I have is: Let's say I do 1 minute at 60%, 1 minute at 70%, then 80%, and 90%. Each time I turn the speed up on my treadmill, it takes about 30 seconds to get my heart rate to where it's supposed to be. For example, when I start the 90% segment, I put it on 8 mph. It takes me 30 seconds to reach 90%. Should I count 1 minute from the start of the 8 mph burst, or should I count 1 minute from the second my heart rate hits 90% (or basically run 8 mph like that for 90 seconds)?

I have the same question about bringing it down. After 90% it says to do 1 minute at 60% rate, but... it takes me about a minute to get back down to that (maybe a bit more). If I'm doing 60/70/80/90/60 (each at 1 minute)... do I wait to hit 60% before counting that minute, or do I count that 60% period as a "cool down" of sorts? For example, after my 90% burst, I put it on 3 MPH and walk (slowly). 1 minute later if it's at 65-68%, should I just start the 70% segment, or should I wait until my heart rate is 60%, keep it at that level for 1 minute, THEN bump it to 70%?

I've also seen the 3 minutes (or was it 2?) at 60%, then 1 minute at 90% method of HIIT. Do they both have the same results, if not, which is the better method?


I wish I could anwser your question, but I'm new to the HIIT stuff myself. Here's what I've been doing. I do the following on a treadmill

5 min warmup at speed 4.(a fast walk for me)
1 min at speed 5.5 HR about 70 to 75%
1 min at speed 6.5 HR about 75 to 80%
1 min at speed 7.5 HR about 80 to 85%
1 min at speed 8.5 HR about 85 to 90%
2 min at speed 4.5 HR about 65 - 70%

I'll do this 4 times, for a total of 35 minutes. Then I'll jump on a bike set it at level 10 (out of 20) and bike for 15 minutes. Thats a total of 50 minutes of cardo! =-)

I'm working up to doing a total of 25 min. on the bike for a total of 1 hour of cardo. :drool: