DON’T HIIT IT TOO HARD
Too much high-intensity work can lead to injury
AT-HOME HIIT (HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING) workouts have been a lifesaver during the lockdown. Joe Wicks’ daily PE classes have been performed by millions, while kettlebells and medicine balls are now in demand almost as much as toilet paper and hand sanitiser.
But new research1 shows high-intensity workouts can be a risky way of getting fit, with runners’ knees, ankles and shoulders being especially susceptible to injury. ‘Many athletes, especially amateurs, do not have the flexibility, mobility, core strength and muscles to perform these exercises,’ says Dr Joseph Ippolito, who works in the department of orthopaedics at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, US.
To prevent injuries, it is suggested that runners do a short mobility-boosting session to improve their flexibility before starting a HIIT workout (see left).