Why I don't program HIIT for clients

Last week was a rough ass week for me to say the very least.

For the first time in my adult life I had to take pretty much the entire week off from work due to illness.

I have no idea what was wrong with me, all I know is that it kicked my butt for a solid 5 days.

I didn't train at all and my step count was a thousand steps most days.

I went from lifting weights 4 times, running 3 times, and averaging 15k steps per day...

To NOTHING!

But this week I'm back in the gym,

Which is what I want to talk about first today. How you should approach the gym after a bout of illness.

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What have I got for you today:

• Working out post illness 

• Why I don't program HIIT for clients

• The half life of Caffeine

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1. Working out post illness 

There are a few things you want to take into account when you're looking to step foot back in the gym:

1. Length of illness

2. Severity

3. Current energy levels

Personally speaking, I'll have a look at my previous week of workouts and reduce the volume and overall effort by 30-40%.

So that will look something like this:

• If I did 3 sets, I'll do 2 sets.

• If I did 6 exercises last time, this time I'll do 4.

• I'll warm up for at least 5 minutes more.

• And I'll reduce the weight I lift by a minimum of 20%.

Now this becomes a lot easier to implement when you have a 'process focused mindset' with your health and fitness journey, rather than an 'outcome focused mindset'.

Approaching my health and fitness journey as a long term project, rather than a short term fling, means I'm in no hurry to get back into the gym and rush things.

After a week of feeling like death, the last thing I want to do is hamper my bodies ability to recover by being a dick in the gym.

I know that a week at a more relaxed pace is going to be more beneficial to me in the long run and that removes any pressure to 'go for it'.

If you're unsure whether or not you're ready to step back in the gym, simply take a moment to do a body scan and see how you're feeling.

If you're below a 5-6/10, I suggest you prioritise your rest.

Oh and hydration is more important than ever. Make sure to get your electrolytes in and have a bottle of water by your side at all times, especially when you're training.

2. Why I don't program HIIT for clients

    

High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is a very popular method of exercising and gained a lot of traction in the early 2000s.

It became especially popular amongst busy corporate folk who were keen to get an intense workout done in a fraction of the time.

Yet as popular as it is, it may shock you to find out that I don't give any of my clients HIIT workouts.

That may shock you even more considering the vast majority of my private clients are 'busy corporate folk' who value every spare minute they can get.

And the reason is simple.

When I weigh up the pros and cons of HIIT style workouts, it leans heavily in the direction of the cons.

Yes it may be quick, intense, and sweat busting, all things desired by most gym goers,

BUT it has one major problem.

And that is the stress it causes to the Central Nervous System, or CNS.

All exercise will cause some level of stress to the body.

Yoga will cause a little, weight training a bit more, and HIIT a hell of a lot more!

As my clients need to be as focused and energetic for their jobs as they possibly can,

What sense would it make for me to give them workouts that exhausts them, while at the same time placing an enormous amount of pressure on their CNS.

It makes zero sense!

They have enough stress to deal with without me adding to their stress levels.

After all higher stress levels can result in more frequent injuries and fat gain.

Your workouts are supposed to give you energy and add to your life. They shouldn't be leaving you exhausted with a nervous system that feels fried!

I'm not telling you to stop this style of workout, but I would pose this simple question to you that may help you lookout things a little differently.

What is it that you want from your workouts?

If you want a leaner physique, to build muscle, or to develop greater energy levels, then in my opinion there are better options than HIIT for achieving those goals.

Remember, your workouts should make you feel great, not exhausted, tired, and sore all the time.

3. The half life of Caffeine

I don't think of myself as a caffeine addict, but if I was to be completely honest with myself I may not like what I uncover 😂

I can't actually remember when the last time was that I went a full day without a coffee.

But I know I could stop if I wanted to 🫠😂

Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant in the world and research has shown that it has performance enhancing benefits.

Hence the reason why I have a coffee before every single one of my workouts and why I suggest the same to my clients.

But as with a lot of things in life, there are some drawbacks,

And one of those drawbacks is the negative impact it can have on your sleep.

As caffeine is a stimulant, just like a big bump of cocaine, it puts the body into a heightened state of alertness,

Which makes sleepy snoozy dreamy land very difficult to find.

See, caffeine has a half life of 4-6 hours, meaning up to 6 hours after drinking a caffeinated drink, half of that caffeine you consumed is still present in your body.

You should keep this in mind when you contemplate that late afternoon coffee or pre-workout.

Even though you may think it's safe, you might be ruining your chances of a getting a good nights sleep.

Now I'm sure you know someone, and maybe that person is you, who claims that they can knock back a double espresso and fall asleep 30 minutes later.

And yes these people do exist. Their genetics means caffeine doesn't have the same impact on their body as it does with regular people, which means they can easily fall off to sleep regardless of any caffeine they've had.

Then there's the people who sniff a coffee at lunchtime and can't sleep that night 😫

So if your sleep isn't as great as you would like it to be, have a look at your caffeine timings.

If you're having a coffee at 4:30 pm, that means you can still have caffeine in your system at 10:30 pm that night.

If you're desperate for a coffee, maybe look at trying a decaf instead.

Yep I said, drink decaf 😂

Sometimes the placebo effect alone can make you feel more alert.

Are you an ambitious entrepreneur or professional who wants to become stronger, fitter, and more energetic, while eliminating their pain? Click this link to apply for my coaching program.  

A Quote For The Moment

“Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live”

- Jim Rohn 

Your body is a very robust creature, yet at the same time it can be as fragile as a broken mirror.

If you neglect it, you'll soon find out how fragile it can be,

But if you treat it with respect and challenge it to be better, you'll end up with one hell of a machine to take you through life!

All the best

Mark

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here’s a few ways I can help you:

1. Are you an ambitious entrepreneur or professional who wants to get strong, lean, and boost your energy? Then apply for my 1-1 coaching here.

2. Take my free Professionals Health & Fitness Strength test to uncover the areas needed to take your results to the next level. Click here to start.

3. Grab a FREE copy of my Ultimate Health Guide for Entrepreneurs by Clicking here now.