However, sometimes movie and music stars require you to get in shape and lose weight fast for an upcoming audition, tour or red carpet event. This is often the case when celebrities turn to high-intensity interval training.

What is high-intensity interval training?

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is considered a form of cardiovascular exercise designed to burn calories and burn off fat. It can improve tone and musculature by melting the subcutaneous fat layer. However, it is unlikely to gain significant amounts of muscle.

HIIT alternates short periods of high-intensity work with slightly longer periods of rest . High intensity means between 80% and maximum capacity for 30 seconds. For example, a dead sprint would be considered maximum capacity.

At the same time, “rest time” doesn’t mean a complete stop (although for some forms, like Tabata, rest times are shorter and the high-intensity portions are at max height for shorter periods) – you keep running or jumping for a minute at a moderate intensity that about 50% of your max, rappelling, or some other form of cardio exercise. Then repeat the intervals three to ten times.

Celebrities who practice HIIT

HIIT is super efficient, ideal for people on busy schedules – like our favorite celebrities – as each session lasts between 4 and 20 minutes. Research has found that people who train with HIIT make more progress with just 15 minutes a day three times a week than people who do steady-state cardio for an hour a day three times a week.

HIIT is so versatile and effective that so many celebrities have at some point turned to this workout to lose stubborn weight. Celebrity fans are for almost every body type and fitness level Giuliana Rancic , a host on E! News, on hip-hop queen and movie star Queen Latifah , the enviable soccer player and one of the world’s strongest men, David Beckham .

Benefits of HIIT

Although HIIT is considered a cardio workout, calorie burning continues after the workout, similar to strength training. The average person will experience a surge in their metabolism between 24 and 72 hours after a HIIT bout, which translates into nine times more calories than a traditional cardio workout.

HIIT helps you burn fat while maintaining muscle. Prolonged traditional or steady-state cardio can cause muscle wasting, while strength training and HIIT workouts allow people trying to lose weight to hold on to muscle as they burn fat.

Also, HIIT doesn’t require any special equipment, so it’s easy to start exercising almost anywhere you have space and a stopwatch. While high-intensity interval training isn’t known for great muscle-building benefits, the exercise you choose for intervals can improve the strength of specific body parts.

Hill sprints or steps are excellent ways to increase the pace of your butt during interval training. Interval running outdoors or on a treadmill and cycling (either outdoors or on a stationary bike) are great for improving tone and strength in your legs. Not only is HIIT on rowing machines a killer cardio workout, but it also works for the core, upper body, and legs.

The perfect workout for those pressed for timeIf you want quick results, it’s no surprise that HIIT is popular among Hollywood fans. Copy this celebrity favorite to see fantastic results.