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The One-Minute Workout: Science Shows a Way to Get Fit That's Smarter, Faster, Shorter
Finally, the solution to the #1 reason we don’t time. Everyone has one minute. A decade ago, Martin Gibala was a young researcher in the field of exercise physiology—with little time to exercise. That critical point in his career launched a passion for high-intensity interval training (HIIT), allowing him to stay in shape with just a few minutes of hard effort. It also prompted Gibala to conduct experiments that helped launch the exploding science of ultralow-volume exercise. Now that he’s the worldwide guru of the science of time-efficient workouts, Gibala’s first book answers the ultimate How low can you go? Gibala’s fascinating quest for the answer makes exercise experts of us all. His work demonstrates that very short, intense bursts of exercise may be the most potent form of workout available. Gibala busts myths (“it’s only for really fit people”), explains astonishing science (“intensity trumps duration”), lays out time-saving life hacks (“exercise snacking”), and describes the fascinating health-promoting value of HIIT (for preventing and reversing disease). Gibala’s latest study found that sedentary people derived the fitness benefits of 150 minutes of traditional endurance training with an interval protocol that involved 80 percent less time and just three minutes of hard exercise per week. Including the eight best basic interval workouts as well as four microworkouts customized for individual needs and preferences (you may not quite want to go all out every time), The One-Minute Workout solves the number-one reason we don’t lack of time. Because everyone has one minute.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 7, 2017
486 people are currently reading
1056 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
October 26, 2020
A very important book but suffers from bad delivery
Before you read this you're thinking "one minute workout? Yeah right" and that's where the trouble starts. This book is about efficient exercise in as little time but it comes off as fadish. There are no one-minute exercises in this book, all workouts are 10-30mins long. This is a well-researched book by a respected authority on the subject of exercise and this book represents the benefits of HIIT (High intensity interval training).
His stated goal is to make exercise available for everybody by making it easy and time I wish he had the same goals for this book as well.
For example, this book doesn't explain what's the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise and jumps into which exercise uses which mode
He also has a confusing array of exercises and given the options you end up wondering where should you start or do.
Even in exercise details, he starts with background and an image of what the interval looks like but near the end of each exercise he tells you who should do this and that's when you realize its core people above 60 or power athletes etc. this section should be first so you can understand if you need to read this or not. Even better it should just recommend what exercise you should follow if you're getting started and your or in an older demographic, or have access to a gym or if you're an athletes etc.
The book makes the same point multiple times trying to prove again an again that HIIT works and gets very repetitive after the 5th study. We're sold on the book, what we need is to hear a simple "this is what I mean by efficient exercise and this is what we need to do" and we'll do it and the results is the proof that matters.
My recommendation is to go through the exercises in this book, select one that suits you, you're probably well off skipping everything else.
Before you read this you're thinking "one minute workout? Yeah right" and that's where the trouble starts. This book is about efficient exercise in as little time but it comes off as fadish. There are no one-minute exercises in this book, all workouts are 10-30mins long. This is a well-researched book by a respected authority on the subject of exercise and this book represents the benefits of HIIT (High intensity interval training).
His stated goal is to make exercise available for everybody by making it easy and time I wish he had the same goals for this book as well.
For example, this book doesn't explain what's the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise and jumps into which exercise uses which mode
He also has a confusing array of exercises and given the options you end up wondering where should you start or do.
Even in exercise details, he starts with background and an image of what the interval looks like but near the end of each exercise he tells you who should do this and that's when you realize its core people above 60 or power athletes etc. this section should be first so you can understand if you need to read this or not. Even better it should just recommend what exercise you should follow if you're getting started and your or in an older demographic, or have access to a gym or if you're an athletes etc.
The book makes the same point multiple times trying to prove again an again that HIIT works and gets very repetitive after the 5th study. We're sold on the book, what we need is to hear a simple "this is what I mean by efficient exercise and this is what we need to do" and we'll do it and the results is the proof that matters.
My recommendation is to go through the exercises in this book, select one that suits you, you're probably well off skipping everything else.
June 3, 2017
This whole book could have been written in one chapter. I found myself skimming more and more as I went.
That being said, the workouts are solid as is the research which supports them.
That being said, the workouts are solid as is the research which supports them.
February 7, 2017
This book came at the perfect time – just as I’m losing steam on my New Year’s resolutions. It’s inspirational because it shows you how easy it is to get in shape. Basically it provides a set of tools to decrease the time that it takes to get fit. Martin Gibala is a scientist and the so-called guru of time-efficient exercise, which means he’s conducted more than a decade of experiments designed to determine how to get the biggest fitness benefits from exercise in the shortest amount of time. The book amounts to a download of his cutting-edge research. It’s written for busy professionals who want to work out but feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. I’d recommend this easy-to-read and accessible book to anyone who wants to get in shape fast.
May 20, 2017
OK, the information and usefulness of the book are great--Shauna and I have done some interval runs and felt good. However, the author's voice is plain AWFUL at times, especially at the beginning. He is apparently the Gilderoy Lockhart of exercise science. "I'm a little embarrassed when they call me Guru, BUT...I do have a million published studies, and I've been interviewed by Conan. Just saying. Now let me tell you how I raced other research teams to get on TV first with my findings and provocative titles, as well as earning tenure. You obviously started reading this to learn all about me, right?"
You really could read the more science-focused chapters and then the workouts and skip out on Gibala's self-promotion. Or if you don't want to read about the premise--that interval workouts featuring much harder exertion than traditional workouts/training, done for much less time than traditional running, biking, swimming, etc. cause as much or more aerobic and health benefits as a 5-days-a-week/30-minutes-a-day schedule (I'm mostly convinced, but I haven't gone out of my way to research opposing views)--you could even just read the three final chapters with the workouts and a useful summary of healthy eating lifestyle. The workouts are very accessible and easy to fit on my evening schedule so far.
So 3 stars to balance the useful info with the annoying author.
You really could read the more science-focused chapters and then the workouts and skip out on Gibala's self-promotion. Or if you don't want to read about the premise--that interval workouts featuring much harder exertion than traditional workouts/training, done for much less time than traditional running, biking, swimming, etc. cause as much or more aerobic and health benefits as a 5-days-a-week/30-minutes-a-day schedule (I'm mostly convinced, but I haven't gone out of my way to research opposing views)--you could even just read the three final chapters with the workouts and a useful summary of healthy eating lifestyle. The workouts are very accessible and easy to fit on my evening schedule so far.
So 3 stars to balance the useful info with the annoying author.
April 12, 2017
Very interesting, persuasive book. Well written and fun to read. The author's enthusiasm is infectious. Food for thought.
June 7, 2017
A perfect book for those who are out of shape and time.
June 7, 2017
If you are into hard core exercising and like to know the science behind their reasoning for their advice then this book is for you. If not skip it or just skim the back where they have the actual workouts. It sounds good, but I just couldn't read the whole thing because it breaks every. little. aspect. of. exercising. down....I don't need to know about the research, and data, and blah blah blah blah blah. Okay I'm probably being harsh here but I was hoping from the description it would have a bunch of 1 minute exercise routines you could sprinkle throughout your day. That is not this book.
July 28, 2020
Definitiv sehr motivierend und ein guter Einblick, was High Intensity Intervall Training ausmacht.
November 30, 2017
3 1/2 stars but makes it to 4 because it would be a good motivational read for exercising
February 3, 2017
American fitness guidelines call for 150 minutes of moderate- intensity exercise per week. Here's the problem: Only a small fraction of Americans actually do that.
In THE ONE-MINUTE WORKOUT, Martin Gibala has a good answer to this dilemma: You don't really need to spend 150 minutes exercising: "Among my biggest discoveries is a workout that provides the benefits of nearly an hour of steady aerobic exercise with just a single minute of hard exercising."
Okay, the "One Minute," part is a little misleading. The total exercise time is not just a minute--that's just the time doing the tough "sprint." The rest of the time is the recovery. So it would probably be more accurate to call it TEN minutes total. Nonetheless, ten minutes is still very fast.
For years, it was believed that aerobic improvement (i.e., for endurance) required aerobic-specific exercise. That's why many people spend a long time pedaling ellipticals, for instance. The author discovered that the long durations are not always needed. If you really push yourself in brief intervals, you can still get the same aerobic-type benefit: "As you repeat the basic pattern of sprint, rest, sprint, rest, a greater proportion of the energy comes from aerobic metabolism."
The key, however, is intensity. The professor makes it clear that the exercise is intense and hurts: "When You Exercise, Go Hard!" and "The harder and faster you go, the less time your exercise requires."
Dr. Gibala cites numerous other research to support his conclusions. One study done in 2011 in Taiwan, showed that 15 minutes per day of vigorous exercise had the same life-extending benefit as 60 minutes of moderate exercise. The author admits that earlier findings about interval training "did not take." One reason is that prior studies made a big mistake--the intensity of the intervals was too low.
In one early experiment, the professor set up an experiment which compared brief interval training to traditional exercise. The results were astonishing: "In approximately the time required to do the dishes, these young men and women had doubled their endurance capacity. . . It was the most remarkable result I’d ever experienced in my lab." The high intensity group achieved the same benefit with a lot less time, and using a lot less total energy. The control group of "normal" exercisers produced 2,250 kJ of energy in one week, compared to just 225 kJ in the "sprinters."
The latter part of the book is a banquet of all kinds of interval workouts--from the briefest (and most intense), to those just starting out. For example, Chapter Six is called "Fun and Fast: The Eight Best Basic Workouts." In all the workouts, the principle is the same--the more intense you go, the briefer the workout.
In addition to just these interval workouts, the author advises adding resistance training into your routine--especially for older readers. He notes that research on the benefit of resistance training is conclusive. So, figure out "a way to get comfortable incorporating some resistance training into your workouts. That’s because resistance training becomes increasingly important the older you get."
I was glad to see the author mention safety precautions many times. Thus, one should be especially careful about signing up for the maximum intensity: "Only when you’re comfortable with variations of submaximal interval protocols should you consider moving up to the expert workouts."
For people just beginning exercise, "If you’re out of shape, don’t try to be a hero. Mitigate the low risk that exists by starting with easy workouts and then working your way up to tougher ones. Don’t begin with all-out sprints. Instead, try an interval-walking program and move gradually to more intense workouts."
All in all, I found THE ONE-MINUTE WORKOUT to be an impressive, well-supported book.
The professor cites numerous studies and peer-reviewed research to support his conclusions. This is a well-written book that is easy to follow. I was not so much interested in the physiology of his experiments, but I suspect that others will appreciate that level of detail.
I especially liked the selection of workouts with varying degrees of intensity. A clarification on terminology: Keep in mind that when the author says, "sprint," he does not mean running. He means a maximum effort on whatever exercise you are doing. For most of his studies, the subjects used stationary cycles.
Dr. Gibala suggests his workouts really can benefit everyone--not just "gym rats." He concludes his book with this admonition: "Now get out there and get to it."
For runners interested in different types of training, I would recommend the classic by Pete Magill, "Build Your Running Body."
Advance Review Copy courtesy of the publisher.
In THE ONE-MINUTE WORKOUT, Martin Gibala has a good answer to this dilemma: You don't really need to spend 150 minutes exercising: "Among my biggest discoveries is a workout that provides the benefits of nearly an hour of steady aerobic exercise with just a single minute of hard exercising."
Okay, the "One Minute," part is a little misleading. The total exercise time is not just a minute--that's just the time doing the tough "sprint." The rest of the time is the recovery. So it would probably be more accurate to call it TEN minutes total. Nonetheless, ten minutes is still very fast.
For years, it was believed that aerobic improvement (i.e., for endurance) required aerobic-specific exercise. That's why many people spend a long time pedaling ellipticals, for instance. The author discovered that the long durations are not always needed. If you really push yourself in brief intervals, you can still get the same aerobic-type benefit: "As you repeat the basic pattern of sprint, rest, sprint, rest, a greater proportion of the energy comes from aerobic metabolism."
The key, however, is intensity. The professor makes it clear that the exercise is intense and hurts: "When You Exercise, Go Hard!" and "The harder and faster you go, the less time your exercise requires."
Dr. Gibala cites numerous other research to support his conclusions. One study done in 2011 in Taiwan, showed that 15 minutes per day of vigorous exercise had the same life-extending benefit as 60 minutes of moderate exercise. The author admits that earlier findings about interval training "did not take." One reason is that prior studies made a big mistake--the intensity of the intervals was too low.
In one early experiment, the professor set up an experiment which compared brief interval training to traditional exercise. The results were astonishing: "In approximately the time required to do the dishes, these young men and women had doubled their endurance capacity. . . It was the most remarkable result I’d ever experienced in my lab." The high intensity group achieved the same benefit with a lot less time, and using a lot less total energy. The control group of "normal" exercisers produced 2,250 kJ of energy in one week, compared to just 225 kJ in the "sprinters."
The latter part of the book is a banquet of all kinds of interval workouts--from the briefest (and most intense), to those just starting out. For example, Chapter Six is called "Fun and Fast: The Eight Best Basic Workouts." In all the workouts, the principle is the same--the more intense you go, the briefer the workout.
In addition to just these interval workouts, the author advises adding resistance training into your routine--especially for older readers. He notes that research on the benefit of resistance training is conclusive. So, figure out "a way to get comfortable incorporating some resistance training into your workouts. That’s because resistance training becomes increasingly important the older you get."
I was glad to see the author mention safety precautions many times. Thus, one should be especially careful about signing up for the maximum intensity: "Only when you’re comfortable with variations of submaximal interval protocols should you consider moving up to the expert workouts."
For people just beginning exercise, "If you’re out of shape, don’t try to be a hero. Mitigate the low risk that exists by starting with easy workouts and then working your way up to tougher ones. Don’t begin with all-out sprints. Instead, try an interval-walking program and move gradually to more intense workouts."
All in all, I found THE ONE-MINUTE WORKOUT to be an impressive, well-supported book.
The professor cites numerous studies and peer-reviewed research to support his conclusions. This is a well-written book that is easy to follow. I was not so much interested in the physiology of his experiments, but I suspect that others will appreciate that level of detail.
I especially liked the selection of workouts with varying degrees of intensity. A clarification on terminology: Keep in mind that when the author says, "sprint," he does not mean running. He means a maximum effort on whatever exercise you are doing. For most of his studies, the subjects used stationary cycles.
Dr. Gibala suggests his workouts really can benefit everyone--not just "gym rats." He concludes his book with this admonition: "Now get out there and get to it."
For runners interested in different types of training, I would recommend the classic by Pete Magill, "Build Your Running Body."
Advance Review Copy courtesy of the publisher.
April 10, 2020
This book is about Interval training...the entire book. This was both intriguing and disappointing. While the efficacy of interval training and short workouts was well explained and informative, Gibala dragged it along pretty far. He's clearly an expert on the subject.
I was also very disappointed in his nutrition. Clearly, his expertise is contained in intervals, and not nutrition, because he based this chapter on the recommendations of one person, a professor of physical activity, who provides nutritional suggestions. The professor and Gibala encourage calorie counting which has been proven to be ineffective and unhealthy (I was honestly shocked to see this included in this book).
The best parts of this book are the interval workouts Gibala lists and the history behind intervals. If anyone doubts HIIT, Gibala proves them wrong in this book.
I was also very disappointed in his nutrition. Clearly, his expertise is contained in intervals, and not nutrition, because he based this chapter on the recommendations of one person, a professor of physical activity, who provides nutritional suggestions. The professor and Gibala encourage calorie counting which has been proven to be ineffective and unhealthy (I was honestly shocked to see this included in this book).
The best parts of this book are the interval workouts Gibala lists and the history behind intervals. If anyone doubts HIIT, Gibala proves them wrong in this book.
February 18, 2017
Valuable advice, but ultimately very skimmable
I grabbed this book because I heard the author on Tim Ferris' poidcast. As such, I'd heard most of the background and didn't really need to be sold on the premise... but the book walks through that justification at great length. Perhaps that's good for those unfamiliar with the potential of HIIT, but I found it tedious.
The workouts themselves, however, are clean, clearly written, and easy to find. There's plenty of suggestion for ways to mix them up, and the tone is very positive as well.
Ultimately, the information is great and worth a read, but if yoou're familiar with the potential of HIIT and want to get to the meat of it you'll skim most of the book.
I grabbed this book because I heard the author on Tim Ferris' poidcast. As such, I'd heard most of the background and didn't really need to be sold on the premise... but the book walks through that justification at great length. Perhaps that's good for those unfamiliar with the potential of HIIT, but I found it tedious.
The workouts themselves, however, are clean, clearly written, and easy to find. There's plenty of suggestion for ways to mix them up, and the tone is very positive as well.
Ultimately, the information is great and worth a read, but if yoou're familiar with the potential of HIIT and want to get to the meat of it you'll skim most of the book.
Read
January 9, 2023Ich finde Intervall-Trainings eine interessante Abwechslung zum 'normalen' Joggen.
Das Buch führt verschiedene Intervall Training Kombinationen auf.
Was ich nicht so praxistauglich fand ist, dass der Autor bei der 'Intensität' auf das persönliche Belastungsempfinden Bezug nimmt und nicht auf den Puls. Ich selber hätte Angaben mit Pulsfrequenzen bevorzugt, allenfalls aufgeschlüsselt auf Anfänger / Fortgeschrittene / sehr Ambitionierte und ich werde entsprechend noch nach ein paar anderen 'HIIT'-Büchern suchen...
Das Buch führt verschiedene Intervall Training Kombinationen auf.
Was ich nicht so praxistauglich fand ist, dass der Autor bei der 'Intensität' auf das persönliche Belastungsempfinden Bezug nimmt und nicht auf den Puls. Ich selber hätte Angaben mit Pulsfrequenzen bevorzugt, allenfalls aufgeschlüsselt auf Anfänger / Fortgeschrittene / sehr Ambitionierte und ich werde entsprechend noch nach ein paar anderen 'HIIT'-Büchern suchen...
April 5, 2019
Gibala first became interested in High-intensity interval training (HIIT) when looking at energy production during sprints. In a series of sprints, the proportion of energy coming from aerobic metabolism increases with each sprint. This observation led him to try some experiments. In the first he found that after two weeks of interval training, eight subjects doubled the time they could sustain on a fixed effort bike. In 2005, a second experiment involving 20 university students compared rigorous endurance training (2250 kJ/wk) vs. intervals (225 kJ/wk) and found that the increase in aerobic fitness was the same.
On page 29, Gibala notes that other scientists around the world replicated his results, but provides no footnotes or references.
The mechanism attributed to interval training relates to the production of ATP in the mitochondria, from sugar and oxygen. The byproducts of this process activates a regulator (PGC-1 alpha) that triggers muscle re-modelling, allowing the muscles to perform better. While a 2005 Swiss study determined that the regulator only turns on after an hour of exercise, Gibala believes that it starts more quickly with interval training. Gibala theorizes that the regulator is stimulated not by the total amount of fuel depletion but the rate of fuel depletion. The author believes that interval training differs from both endurance and short-term endurance exercise.
The author looks at athletes that used interval training in the past. He also points out that the Canadian 5BX plan is based on interval training, was a huge success in the 1960's and still has many adherents today.
Gibala discusses the benefits of interval training, a major one being improvement to the cardiovascular system. He states that the improvement is much greater than in moderate exercise. In addition to making the heart stronger, the capacity and flexibility of the arteries increases. The capillaries increase to better supply the muscle. Finally, the muscles grow more mitochondria which create the ATP.
Doctors have come to realize that it is important to those in cardio rehab. Surprisingly, interval training places a great deal of stress on muscles, but because of the short period the stress on the heart is actually less than in steady-state exercise. Heart attacks during HIIT are few. Ulrik Wisloff did a study on 27 subjects with an average age of 75 where those doing interval training increased their cardiovascular fitness by 46 percent while those doing moderate-intensity training increased 14 percent (length of training period not stated). The interval trainers increased their blood pumping rate by 17 percent, while the moderate-intensity group saw no change.
Interval training has shown to improve sugar uptake by the muscles, reducing blood glucose concentration. Not only can it help counter diabetes, but likely delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Due to afterburn, or excess post-exercise consumption, interval training burns as many calories as twice the time of moderate exercise.
Gibala examines the psychology of exercise and suggests
- using music to psych oneself up
- getting encouragement from friends
A sports psychologist, Mary Jung, suggests
- boost your confidence: tell yourself that you can engage in an exercise program
- start early in the day, while your willpower is highest
- be kind to yourself - don't be critical of missed targets
- avoid comparing yourself with others - you are doing it for yourself
- reward yourself once you have met goals
The author presents a series of example training sessions. They are based on effort as measured by Borg's Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale, a scale of 1 to 10+ where 5 is starting to breathe hard, 7 is rapid forceful breathing / not wanting to talk, 9 is starting to gasp for breathe / unable to speak, and 10+ is as hard as you can go. Each session is composed of a series of time periods, each at a specified RPE. For example, his Basic Training session has a 3 minute warmup followed by five 3 minute periods at an RPE of 7, separated by 3 minute rests.
The question arises as to what the shortest possible useful interval training would look like. Some examples and tests are described, but Gibala terms them viable even if they only produce a ten percent improvement in cardiovascular capacity.
Gibala is primarily concerted with the exertion levels, noting that a variety of types of exercise can be done to implement the training sessions. He does like burpees though.
Stephen Blair's studies showed that overweight people who are fit have mortality risks similar to the risks of normal people. Being fat but fit is better than being normal weight but unfit.
Gibala's recommendations on eating are:
- eat protein with every meal, to avoid loss of muscle while exercising
- don't drink your calories - too much sugar in sodas, fruit juices an even some athletic drinks
- if you need a snack choose almonds - they have protein and fibre
- fast intermittently - some studies have shown it helps weight loss
- exercise
A very interesting book, although it is very strange that a fellow who is a Ph.D. kinesiology professor would write a book on an advanced new training regime but choose to include no footnotes, references or bibliography. Further research is needed to assess the value of Gibala's ideas.
On page 29, Gibala notes that other scientists around the world replicated his results, but provides no footnotes or references.
The mechanism attributed to interval training relates to the production of ATP in the mitochondria, from sugar and oxygen. The byproducts of this process activates a regulator (PGC-1 alpha) that triggers muscle re-modelling, allowing the muscles to perform better. While a 2005 Swiss study determined that the regulator only turns on after an hour of exercise, Gibala believes that it starts more quickly with interval training. Gibala theorizes that the regulator is stimulated not by the total amount of fuel depletion but the rate of fuel depletion. The author believes that interval training differs from both endurance and short-term endurance exercise.
The author looks at athletes that used interval training in the past. He also points out that the Canadian 5BX plan is based on interval training, was a huge success in the 1960's and still has many adherents today.
Gibala discusses the benefits of interval training, a major one being improvement to the cardiovascular system. He states that the improvement is much greater than in moderate exercise. In addition to making the heart stronger, the capacity and flexibility of the arteries increases. The capillaries increase to better supply the muscle. Finally, the muscles grow more mitochondria which create the ATP.
Doctors have come to realize that it is important to those in cardio rehab. Surprisingly, interval training places a great deal of stress on muscles, but because of the short period the stress on the heart is actually less than in steady-state exercise. Heart attacks during HIIT are few. Ulrik Wisloff did a study on 27 subjects with an average age of 75 where those doing interval training increased their cardiovascular fitness by 46 percent while those doing moderate-intensity training increased 14 percent (length of training period not stated). The interval trainers increased their blood pumping rate by 17 percent, while the moderate-intensity group saw no change.
Interval training has shown to improve sugar uptake by the muscles, reducing blood glucose concentration. Not only can it help counter diabetes, but likely delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Due to afterburn, or excess post-exercise consumption, interval training burns as many calories as twice the time of moderate exercise.
Gibala examines the psychology of exercise and suggests
- using music to psych oneself up
- getting encouragement from friends
A sports psychologist, Mary Jung, suggests
- boost your confidence: tell yourself that you can engage in an exercise program
- start early in the day, while your willpower is highest
- be kind to yourself - don't be critical of missed targets
- avoid comparing yourself with others - you are doing it for yourself
- reward yourself once you have met goals
The author presents a series of example training sessions. They are based on effort as measured by Borg's Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale, a scale of 1 to 10+ where 5 is starting to breathe hard, 7 is rapid forceful breathing / not wanting to talk, 9 is starting to gasp for breathe / unable to speak, and 10+ is as hard as you can go. Each session is composed of a series of time periods, each at a specified RPE. For example, his Basic Training session has a 3 minute warmup followed by five 3 minute periods at an RPE of 7, separated by 3 minute rests.
The question arises as to what the shortest possible useful interval training would look like. Some examples and tests are described, but Gibala terms them viable even if they only produce a ten percent improvement in cardiovascular capacity.
Gibala is primarily concerted with the exertion levels, noting that a variety of types of exercise can be done to implement the training sessions. He does like burpees though.
Stephen Blair's studies showed that overweight people who are fit have mortality risks similar to the risks of normal people. Being fat but fit is better than being normal weight but unfit.
Gibala's recommendations on eating are:
- eat protein with every meal, to avoid loss of muscle while exercising
- don't drink your calories - too much sugar in sodas, fruit juices an even some athletic drinks
- if you need a snack choose almonds - they have protein and fibre
- fast intermittently - some studies have shown it helps weight loss
- exercise
A very interesting book, although it is very strange that a fellow who is a Ph.D. kinesiology professor would write a book on an advanced new training regime but choose to include no footnotes, references or bibliography. Further research is needed to assess the value of Gibala's ideas.
June 26, 2019
Could have been an article instead of a book. The idea is probably good - I have personally also noticed that mixing high-intensity intervals with regular jogging can significantly boost both speed and stamina. The book goes into detail to prove and explain that.
October 16, 2021
How intensity is more important than duration
This is a concise book about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). What it is about, why it is beneficial for our body, the history of its discovery, the legends on the field, and most importantly the many different types of HIIT exercises and how to practice them. The lead author, Martin Gibala PhD, is obsessed with the scientific approach on physiology and it is clearly shown in the multiple experiments, the data-heavy findings, and the overall science-based narrative of the book.
Using running as the main focus, through multiple studies Gibala concludes that in a much shorter time frame sprint interval training is just as effective as long distance work (in a slow to moderate pace) for increasing the main predictor of aerobic fitness and longevity: VO2 Max. Gibala explains, “approximately ten minutes of hard exercise a week boosted overall fitness to the same extent as four and a half hours per week of traditional endurance training. It’s mind-blowing. A tiny bit of sprint training has the same effect on the human body as a whole lot of endurance training—despite a much lower training volume and time commitment.”
To illustrate this with a training term, using 3 x 20-second sprints over a 10-minute window (3 times a week) can generate the same impact to cardiorespiratory fitness, mitochondrial density, body fat percentage, and management of blood sugar as 3 x 50 minutes of moderate-intensity runs. That’s 30 minutes vs 150 minutes a week effort with the same benefits. Even interval walking (walking at a normal speed for 3 minutes, then at a faster speed for 3 minutes, then back to normal speed, etc) will generate “more improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and much larger decreases in blood pressure for those who are out of shape” compared with a regular steady speed of walking.
Moreover, as with any other fitness books, Gibala also provides all the good nutritional checklist and methods that can perfectly supplement high intensity training. It has all the usual suspects, such as intermittent fasting, cutting sugar, the importance of eating more protein in every meal, while restricting our food intake using calorie counting, and drinking only water and not drinking our calories (not even sports drink).
The theory is not without a flaw, however, as the HIIT approach is not readily suitable for everyone. The book provides a careful analysis on many different types of body and capabilities, including people with heart disease, couch potato and people at the age of 50, 60, 70 and above, and provides the more suitable high intensity training for them. Gibala also took a great length for addressing, and solving the problems of, the so-called “noneresponse”, that is those people whose body do not respond to diet and exercise changes, where some even become less fit after exercising.
But for the rest of us, the 12 different HIIT training styles that are guided in the book are relatively simple and easy to follow, which is astonishing considering the complicated science behind them and the obvious benefits that look too good to be true at first, but almost instantly impactful when I tried it myself: It solved the mysterious stagnation in my running performance this year, which was baffling for me because I thought I did a good progress by keep increasing the mileage of the same 3x weekly runs.
But after reading this book (over twice the time I normally read books, so that I can practice them more accurately), I hit that “oh shit!” moment.
As it turns out my previous years’ improvement streak partly got to do with luck, as before the pandemic I used to play football and tennis every week alongside my weekly runs at moderate intensity, two sports that require burst of sprint - walk - sprint - walk (aka speed play). Last year when Covid hits I stopped playing them, but my physical improvement continued simply because I was following Jeff Galloway’s running method, that includes sprints / higher intensity pace. Meanwhile, starting from the beginning of this year I almost exclusively implement Matt Fitzgerald’s 80/20 run, 3x a week, with no other variation.
So, as you can probably see, for an autodidact running geek who loves to conduct my own trial and errors using many different theories, this book is definitely a game changer for me. One that explains the science behind the reason why the best of the best coaches in the world all put a great emphasis on the fartlek (or speed play) training and hill training among their weekly training schedule. One that inspires me to plan a more efficient training schedule and insert fartlek and interval walking in between my 80/20 runs.
And as a result, after a brief slump, my VO2 Max level is now back to before the pandemic level.
This is a concise book about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). What it is about, why it is beneficial for our body, the history of its discovery, the legends on the field, and most importantly the many different types of HIIT exercises and how to practice them. The lead author, Martin Gibala PhD, is obsessed with the scientific approach on physiology and it is clearly shown in the multiple experiments, the data-heavy findings, and the overall science-based narrative of the book.
Using running as the main focus, through multiple studies Gibala concludes that in a much shorter time frame sprint interval training is just as effective as long distance work (in a slow to moderate pace) for increasing the main predictor of aerobic fitness and longevity: VO2 Max. Gibala explains, “approximately ten minutes of hard exercise a week boosted overall fitness to the same extent as four and a half hours per week of traditional endurance training. It’s mind-blowing. A tiny bit of sprint training has the same effect on the human body as a whole lot of endurance training—despite a much lower training volume and time commitment.”
To illustrate this with a training term, using 3 x 20-second sprints over a 10-minute window (3 times a week) can generate the same impact to cardiorespiratory fitness, mitochondrial density, body fat percentage, and management of blood sugar as 3 x 50 minutes of moderate-intensity runs. That’s 30 minutes vs 150 minutes a week effort with the same benefits. Even interval walking (walking at a normal speed for 3 minutes, then at a faster speed for 3 minutes, then back to normal speed, etc) will generate “more improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and much larger decreases in blood pressure for those who are out of shape” compared with a regular steady speed of walking.
Moreover, as with any other fitness books, Gibala also provides all the good nutritional checklist and methods that can perfectly supplement high intensity training. It has all the usual suspects, such as intermittent fasting, cutting sugar, the importance of eating more protein in every meal, while restricting our food intake using calorie counting, and drinking only water and not drinking our calories (not even sports drink).
The theory is not without a flaw, however, as the HIIT approach is not readily suitable for everyone. The book provides a careful analysis on many different types of body and capabilities, including people with heart disease, couch potato and people at the age of 50, 60, 70 and above, and provides the more suitable high intensity training for them. Gibala also took a great length for addressing, and solving the problems of, the so-called “noneresponse”, that is those people whose body do not respond to diet and exercise changes, where some even become less fit after exercising.
But for the rest of us, the 12 different HIIT training styles that are guided in the book are relatively simple and easy to follow, which is astonishing considering the complicated science behind them and the obvious benefits that look too good to be true at first, but almost instantly impactful when I tried it myself: It solved the mysterious stagnation in my running performance this year, which was baffling for me because I thought I did a good progress by keep increasing the mileage of the same 3x weekly runs.
But after reading this book (over twice the time I normally read books, so that I can practice them more accurately), I hit that “oh shit!” moment.
As it turns out my previous years’ improvement streak partly got to do with luck, as before the pandemic I used to play football and tennis every week alongside my weekly runs at moderate intensity, two sports that require burst of sprint - walk - sprint - walk (aka speed play). Last year when Covid hits I stopped playing them, but my physical improvement continued simply because I was following Jeff Galloway’s running method, that includes sprints / higher intensity pace. Meanwhile, starting from the beginning of this year I almost exclusively implement Matt Fitzgerald’s 80/20 run, 3x a week, with no other variation.
So, as you can probably see, for an autodidact running geek who loves to conduct my own trial and errors using many different theories, this book is definitely a game changer for me. One that explains the science behind the reason why the best of the best coaches in the world all put a great emphasis on the fartlek (or speed play) training and hill training among their weekly training schedule. One that inspires me to plan a more efficient training schedule and insert fartlek and interval walking in between my 80/20 runs.
And as a result, after a brief slump, my VO2 Max level is now back to before the pandemic level.
August 18, 2019
Though this book could have been better organized and about 100 pages shorter, Gibala's overall mission, which was to show that heart-healthy exercise doesn't require a huge time commitment, is accomplished.
HITT is an acronym that stands for high intensity interval training, a somewhat old approach to training that has recently gained a lot of attention mainly because the science (as to why it works) has finally caught up.
Traditionally, it was believed that the only way to improve heart health was through prolonged moderate-intensity activities. There were several reasons for this prevailing idea of the time. But thanks to researchers like Gibala, we now know better.
With respect to reaping the cardiovascular benefits of exercise, it would seem that interval training (bouts of higher intensity exercise mixed in with recovery periods of low intensity activity) is not only equal to but even superior to training at moderate-intensities. And the best part is that it takes significantly less time.
Gibala goes into the physiology briefly, which is still in need of some clarification. He also takes on the naysayers who claim that high intensity is either too dangerous or too intimidating for those who need the cardio benefits the most. And he provides a section with specific programs, all of which have been tested in the laboratory and shown to improve cardiovascular health.
The big takeaway here is that the best way to improve the system is to tax it. The body responds to overload by becoming stronger and fitter. The greater the stress, which in the case of the heart is higher intensities, the bigger the adaptation or improvement in fitness as a result. And because high intensity/vigorous activities are not only hard to sustain, but not much fun either, interval training can be a way to reap the benefits of higher intensity exercise while minimizing the pain, but also reducing the time required by moderate intensities to reach the same goals.
He also points out that higher intensity means different things to different people. After all, what feels like a vigorous activity to someone who is significantly deconditioned is substantially different than what taxes the cardiovascular system of a conditioned athlete. The point isn't to perform some arbitrary exercise, but rather to complete exercise at an intensity that sufficiently taxes your cardiovascular system.
In truth, interval training isn't new, however, the findings of researchers like Gibala have given us new evidence that bouts of higher intensity exercise, even if it totals no more than a minute, is an effective strategy for improving cardiovascular health, not only as good as moderate-intensity exercise, but better. Gibala's hope is that people will be more likely to engage in exercise if it isn't a huge time commitment.
He's certainly right about one thing. There are a lot of people who use lack of time as an excuse for not exercising. I hear it all the time, pun intended.
The main weakness of this book is that the information feels poorly organized. It's relatively short and could have been substantially shorter. Maybe in an attempt to make the book more substantive, he drug things out. Maybe. Personally, I'd rather read a short book that gets to the point, than a long one that feels repetitive and unnecessarily so.
All in all, still a worthwhile read in part because Gibala really is an expert in his field.
HITT is an acronym that stands for high intensity interval training, a somewhat old approach to training that has recently gained a lot of attention mainly because the science (as to why it works) has finally caught up.
Traditionally, it was believed that the only way to improve heart health was through prolonged moderate-intensity activities. There were several reasons for this prevailing idea of the time. But thanks to researchers like Gibala, we now know better.
With respect to reaping the cardiovascular benefits of exercise, it would seem that interval training (bouts of higher intensity exercise mixed in with recovery periods of low intensity activity) is not only equal to but even superior to training at moderate-intensities. And the best part is that it takes significantly less time.
Gibala goes into the physiology briefly, which is still in need of some clarification. He also takes on the naysayers who claim that high intensity is either too dangerous or too intimidating for those who need the cardio benefits the most. And he provides a section with specific programs, all of which have been tested in the laboratory and shown to improve cardiovascular health.
The big takeaway here is that the best way to improve the system is to tax it. The body responds to overload by becoming stronger and fitter. The greater the stress, which in the case of the heart is higher intensities, the bigger the adaptation or improvement in fitness as a result. And because high intensity/vigorous activities are not only hard to sustain, but not much fun either, interval training can be a way to reap the benefits of higher intensity exercise while minimizing the pain, but also reducing the time required by moderate intensities to reach the same goals.
He also points out that higher intensity means different things to different people. After all, what feels like a vigorous activity to someone who is significantly deconditioned is substantially different than what taxes the cardiovascular system of a conditioned athlete. The point isn't to perform some arbitrary exercise, but rather to complete exercise at an intensity that sufficiently taxes your cardiovascular system.
In truth, interval training isn't new, however, the findings of researchers like Gibala have given us new evidence that bouts of higher intensity exercise, even if it totals no more than a minute, is an effective strategy for improving cardiovascular health, not only as good as moderate-intensity exercise, but better. Gibala's hope is that people will be more likely to engage in exercise if it isn't a huge time commitment.
He's certainly right about one thing. There are a lot of people who use lack of time as an excuse for not exercising. I hear it all the time, pun intended.
The main weakness of this book is that the information feels poorly organized. It's relatively short and could have been substantially shorter. Maybe in an attempt to make the book more substantive, he drug things out. Maybe. Personally, I'd rather read a short book that gets to the point, than a long one that feels repetitive and unnecessarily so.
All in all, still a worthwhile read in part because Gibala really is an expert in his field.
September 10, 2017
On my way to picking up others book in the library, I came across this one in the Express section. It was carefully placed on the shelf to catch my eye as I walked by — its light blue and white colour beckoning me to pick it up.
"7 days to finish this Vito... that's a cake-walk for you," it said.
Intrigued, I picked it up and looked to see who the author was making this bold claim. As an academic at heart, I'm always skeptical of radical claims and people who throw around the phrase "based on science."
Lo and behold, it's an actual professor (and chair of kinesiology) at a Canadian University! Not just any University, but McMaster, which is starting to make a stand in the crowded world of Ontario campuses.
As a graduate of Queen's University, the running joke is you can always tell when a McMaster student changed a light bulb because they'll loudly proclaim they did it just as well as any Queen's student.
He's also speaking about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), something I was vaguely familiar with after making a bet years ago with friends that I could finish the Insanity Beachbody program (which is kind of like a reverse HIIT... but on a stupid hard scale).
It was brutal, but the results were amazing and I actually liked it as I stuck with it. In fact, outside of my early martial arts training, it was one of the very few programs I stuck with
After reading Gibala's work, I understood why.
This book boils down to is the following claim:
You can get the same, if not better, results from your workouts in a fraction of the time.
The secret, which Dr. Gibala has been researching for many years, is interval training. You go hard for small bursts of time, followed by cool-down sessions. When your body is about to give up and force you to the floor... the workout is done.
He gives you 12 different types of workouts to achieve this effect — all of which can be done in less than 30 minutes. A few of them last even less than five minutes.
The One-Minute claim from the book title refers to one of the suggested workouts where your sprints last only a minute, but they're spaced out with periods of rest.
In case you were looking of an actual one-minute workout... not going to happen. However, even a minute sprint throughout the day still has its health benefits.
The book starts with the (actual) science behind his findings before moving on to the practical applications. If you're not a person who is interested in why your body would respond so well to this type of training regiment, you can skip to the last part of the book.
What I appreciated most is he demonstrates how HIIT is for everyone from the beginner to the high-endurance athlete, showing this method is not just a flash in the pain type of discovery that only works in theory.
If you're looking to up your exercise game, this book might be for you.
For the person looking to get rid of the excuse they don't have enough time... or the proper equipment... or any other excuse that could be getting in the way of doing some actual exercise, this book will be helpful.
As for me, my worldview has been completely rocked.
I knew there was a reason I loved Insanity so much. Now I have several programs I can stick with for the long-term.
"7 days to finish this Vito... that's a cake-walk for you," it said.
Intrigued, I picked it up and looked to see who the author was making this bold claim. As an academic at heart, I'm always skeptical of radical claims and people who throw around the phrase "based on science."
Lo and behold, it's an actual professor (and chair of kinesiology) at a Canadian University! Not just any University, but McMaster, which is starting to make a stand in the crowded world of Ontario campuses.
As a graduate of Queen's University, the running joke is you can always tell when a McMaster student changed a light bulb because they'll loudly proclaim they did it just as well as any Queen's student.
He's also speaking about High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), something I was vaguely familiar with after making a bet years ago with friends that I could finish the Insanity Beachbody program (which is kind of like a reverse HIIT... but on a stupid hard scale).
It was brutal, but the results were amazing and I actually liked it as I stuck with it. In fact, outside of my early martial arts training, it was one of the very few programs I stuck with
After reading Gibala's work, I understood why.
This book boils down to is the following claim:
You can get the same, if not better, results from your workouts in a fraction of the time.
The secret, which Dr. Gibala has been researching for many years, is interval training. You go hard for small bursts of time, followed by cool-down sessions. When your body is about to give up and force you to the floor... the workout is done.
He gives you 12 different types of workouts to achieve this effect — all of which can be done in less than 30 minutes. A few of them last even less than five minutes.
The One-Minute claim from the book title refers to one of the suggested workouts where your sprints last only a minute, but they're spaced out with periods of rest.
In case you were looking of an actual one-minute workout... not going to happen. However, even a minute sprint throughout the day still has its health benefits.
The book starts with the (actual) science behind his findings before moving on to the practical applications. If you're not a person who is interested in why your body would respond so well to this type of training regiment, you can skip to the last part of the book.
What I appreciated most is he demonstrates how HIIT is for everyone from the beginner to the high-endurance athlete, showing this method is not just a flash in the pain type of discovery that only works in theory.
If you're looking to up your exercise game, this book might be for you.
For the person looking to get rid of the excuse they don't have enough time... or the proper equipment... or any other excuse that could be getting in the way of doing some actual exercise, this book will be helpful.
As for me, my worldview has been completely rocked.
I knew there was a reason I loved Insanity so much. Now I have several programs I can stick with for the long-term.
October 17, 2018
This is an excellently written and well researched book about HIIT. It accomplishes the goal of describing a time efficient way to improve cardio-respiratory fitness. He gives plenty of examples how to vary one’s routine depending upon level of fitness and one’s goals. The variety and adaptability to one’s current fitness plan plus the time savings are appreciated.
Still, I have some concerns. First, it would be most appropriate for the inclusion of a detailed bibliography of the various studies published and any other sources pertinent to this book. Second, the author emphasizes time savings as the most important consideration in his approach to designing one’s fitness routine. Unfortunately, the author does not define overall fitness or what it means to be “fit” in a holistic sense. I understand that there are five major areas of fitness: strength, endurance, work capacity, durability, and skill. There are between eight and twelve components of fitness, depending upon which writer you are quoting. This book mentions strength and concentrates on endurance and work capacity. Finally, there is nothing mentioned about mitigating the risks associated with “sprinting” in its many forms. Those of us with back spasms, sciatica, sore shoulders, knees and ankles cannot sprint, pedal fast, jump, or do calisthenics at a fast pace without pain or added injury. It would be useful for some instruction on how to incorporate HIIT for its time efficient benefits over the 45 minute endurance training (at pace, which is even worse pain wise) without injuring ourselves even more. I have had doctors tell me the only way to get my good cholesterol level up is to do vigorous exercise but they don’t understand how damaging that is physically. Instead I have incorporated a variety of aerobic – a mile swim twice a week plus long walks --, strength and durability (Chinese calisthenics and martial arts) techniques to sustain fitness without injury. Based on what I have read here, I will give it a go to incorporate some of the techniques from this book into my routine and see how things work out.
Still, I have some concerns. First, it would be most appropriate for the inclusion of a detailed bibliography of the various studies published and any other sources pertinent to this book. Second, the author emphasizes time savings as the most important consideration in his approach to designing one’s fitness routine. Unfortunately, the author does not define overall fitness or what it means to be “fit” in a holistic sense. I understand that there are five major areas of fitness: strength, endurance, work capacity, durability, and skill. There are between eight and twelve components of fitness, depending upon which writer you are quoting. This book mentions strength and concentrates on endurance and work capacity. Finally, there is nothing mentioned about mitigating the risks associated with “sprinting” in its many forms. Those of us with back spasms, sciatica, sore shoulders, knees and ankles cannot sprint, pedal fast, jump, or do calisthenics at a fast pace without pain or added injury. It would be useful for some instruction on how to incorporate HIIT for its time efficient benefits over the 45 minute endurance training (at pace, which is even worse pain wise) without injuring ourselves even more. I have had doctors tell me the only way to get my good cholesterol level up is to do vigorous exercise but they don’t understand how damaging that is physically. Instead I have incorporated a variety of aerobic – a mile swim twice a week plus long walks --, strength and durability (Chinese calisthenics and martial arts) techniques to sustain fitness without injury. Based on what I have read here, I will give it a go to incorporate some of the techniques from this book into my routine and see how things work out.
July 3, 2018
A survey of current knowledge and research about high intensity interval training (HIIT). The title comes from a proposed minimum effective dose of exercise being 1 minute of hard exercise performed in a 10 minute period of time. This minimal workout consists of a 3 minute warm up followed by three sets of 20 second ALL out sprints paired with a 1-2 minutes recoveries. The underlying theory is that while we can trigger adaption by extended exercise, extremely hard exercise can trigger the same effect much more quickly because the body notices not just how much energy we have used but how quickly we are using the energy. For most people, maximum effort can only be sustained for 20-30 seconds with additional time having diminishing returns. This is an interesting hypothesis, and there is some data that seems to demonstrate this. A big caveat is that these studies have been done with fairly small populations over a relatively short period of time.
The book builds the case for high intensity interval training and provides a number of possible training protocols. The authors suggest that HIIT isn't just for elite athletics trying to improve performance, but can also be a motivating and achievable method to help sedentary and out of shape individuals improve their health and fitness by reducing the amount of time and effort that is invested in exercise.
This book has too many details for a popular read, while at the same time not rigorous enough as a full on scientific analysis since the authors cite numerous studies, but failed to provide footnotes, bibliography, or links to the original research.
The last sections on nutrition and fasting seem to be tacked on and makes it feel like like it's pandering to current trends / interests rather than trying to be a solid analysis.
The book builds the case for high intensity interval training and provides a number of possible training protocols. The authors suggest that HIIT isn't just for elite athletics trying to improve performance, but can also be a motivating and achievable method to help sedentary and out of shape individuals improve their health and fitness by reducing the amount of time and effort that is invested in exercise.
This book has too many details for a popular read, while at the same time not rigorous enough as a full on scientific analysis since the authors cite numerous studies, but failed to provide footnotes, bibliography, or links to the original research.
The last sections on nutrition and fasting seem to be tacked on and makes it feel like like it's pandering to current trends / interests rather than trying to be a solid analysis.
August 5, 2021
Background -- I have been into HIIT for close to 5 years now and understand the workout part of it. My intent was to look for a book that provided insights into HIIT wrt nutrition, what changes HIIT causes and associated in depth technical knowledge.
I am disappointed. Either the author is holding back a lot of information or they lost the direction and just kept spiralling downwards till the end.
The book keeps going endlessly quoting case study after case studies to indicate how HIIT is better then endurance training and keeps giving examples of people from different walks of life or sports who utilized HIIT to improve their health. While this may be important it gets way too much after a point of time.
I would have expected them to dive deep into how HIIT changes body composition (oxidative metabolism, anaerobic glycolysis etc) and the detailed workings of how nutrition (protein, complex carbs, glycemic index etc) helps us stay healthy and what essentially goes on inside the body. While this information is very lightly sprinkled in the book it doesnt justify the author s expertise of being one of the top researcher in this field.
There is no information on anatomy of the body (joints/muscles and how they come together during workouts) or on avoiding injury with high intensity activities.
While i agree that the above topics might require a book of their own there could have been some good information about them in a 250+ page book that this is.
Even if this was aimed at total beginners the book could have been done in 50 or less pages.
I am disappointed. Either the author is holding back a lot of information or they lost the direction and just kept spiralling downwards till the end.
The book keeps going endlessly quoting case study after case studies to indicate how HIIT is better then endurance training and keeps giving examples of people from different walks of life or sports who utilized HIIT to improve their health. While this may be important it gets way too much after a point of time.
I would have expected them to dive deep into how HIIT changes body composition (oxidative metabolism, anaerobic glycolysis etc) and the detailed workings of how nutrition (protein, complex carbs, glycemic index etc) helps us stay healthy and what essentially goes on inside the body. While this information is very lightly sprinkled in the book it doesnt justify the author s expertise of being one of the top researcher in this field.
There is no information on anatomy of the body (joints/muscles and how they come together during workouts) or on avoiding injury with high intensity activities.
While i agree that the above topics might require a book of their own there could have been some good information about them in a 250+ page book that this is.
Even if this was aimed at total beginners the book could have been done in 50 or less pages.
May 7, 2024
well written with lots of supporting evidence for most of his advice on incorporating HIIT in your exercise routine. Enjoyed the suggestions of Martin Gibala, Prof from my Alma Mater, McMaster University in Hamilton ON. First reminded me on page 50 of the Royal Canadian Air Force XBX Plan for physical fitness (5BX for men) so I dug out my booklet - from 1962 when I paid $.50 for the booklet. Getting back into it as Helen Mirren cites this exercise plan as "the elixir of her youth" and she is my age.
Then I will try some of Gibala's HIIT workouts, considering the Basic Training, The Norwegian, The One-Minute, the Tabata Classic and The Go-To workouts. As to eating his suggestions:
Avoid processed foods which are food with lots of calories and few nutritional benefit; eat protein at every meal, for women .11 gram of protein per pound of body weight at each meal and recommends having this about every 4 waking hours plus double must before bedtime; don't drink your calories, have lots of water. Consider intermittent fasting with 3 alternatives: 6 days regular calories then 1 day fasting completely, every other day reduce calories to 25-50% or 5 days regular calories then 2 days of about 500 calories for women.
Have now registered for Gibala's Coursera online course called "Hacking Exercise for Health".
Then I will try some of Gibala's HIIT workouts, considering the Basic Training, The Norwegian, The One-Minute, the Tabata Classic and The Go-To workouts. As to eating his suggestions:
Avoid processed foods which are food with lots of calories and few nutritional benefit; eat protein at every meal, for women .11 gram of protein per pound of body weight at each meal and recommends having this about every 4 waking hours plus double must before bedtime; don't drink your calories, have lots of water. Consider intermittent fasting with 3 alternatives: 6 days regular calories then 1 day fasting completely, every other day reduce calories to 25-50% or 5 days regular calories then 2 days of about 500 calories for women.
Have now registered for Gibala's Coursera online course called "Hacking Exercise for Health".
January 10, 2019
This book is great for those people who are just beginning their workout journey. I have known about HIIT workouts for years, and I have consistently been surprised by their results. I am not "ripped," nor do I have a six-pack, but I do notice results every time that I train in intervals.
The only criticism that I have of this book is the science that pertains to psychological attitudes towards HIIT workouts. The author cites a study by one of his own grad students, which is, to say the least, the easy way out. The fact is, HIIT workouts are hard, and are (in my opinion) not sustainable over the course of an entire lifetime. I would like to see more studies about long-term attitudes towards HIIT workouts in order to corroborate the findings of the studies that the author lists. In my personal experience, I only have used them in order to lose weight initially, and also to break fitness plateaus.
That being said, this book is a good primer for those who want to know how to structure interval workouts, and the author gives several examples of what the workouts look like. Would recommend to anyone who is feeling lost in the fitness world and wants to try something that may be new to them.
The only criticism that I have of this book is the science that pertains to psychological attitudes towards HIIT workouts. The author cites a study by one of his own grad students, which is, to say the least, the easy way out. The fact is, HIIT workouts are hard, and are (in my opinion) not sustainable over the course of an entire lifetime. I would like to see more studies about long-term attitudes towards HIIT workouts in order to corroborate the findings of the studies that the author lists. In my personal experience, I only have used them in order to lose weight initially, and also to break fitness plateaus.
That being said, this book is a good primer for those who want to know how to structure interval workouts, and the author gives several examples of what the workouts look like. Would recommend to anyone who is feeling lost in the fitness world and wants to try something that may be new to them.
January 1, 2018
The author does a good job at establishing his credibility, and since managing my own arthritis was one of my reasons for picking up this book, I also appreciate that he deals with arthritis in his knee. Always nice to see an exercise resource acknowledge arthritis.
The evidence supporting the author's ideas is also well laid-out, and I learned a lot about a subject I've never read much in. Unfortunately, I can only read so many studies that make the same point before I lose interest. The author had me convinced, but he could have convinced me in far fewer words.
That said, though, I do look forward to implementing the ideas in this book, and I'm confident they will make a lasting, positive difference in my life. The research-based assertion that you can fit your workout around your day, rather than the other way around, gives me the confidence I've needed to do more than I have been doing for my personal fitness. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to improve their health.
The evidence supporting the author's ideas is also well laid-out, and I learned a lot about a subject I've never read much in. Unfortunately, I can only read so many studies that make the same point before I lose interest. The author had me convinced, but he could have convinced me in far fewer words.
That said, though, I do look forward to implementing the ideas in this book, and I'm confident they will make a lasting, positive difference in my life. The research-based assertion that you can fit your workout around your day, rather than the other way around, gives me the confidence I've needed to do more than I have been doing for my personal fitness. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to improve their health.
June 5, 2018
The One Minute Workout should really be named the Ten to Thirty Minute Workout. Additionally the 10-20-30 workout should really be the 30-20-10 workout.
Gibala has included a lot of good health and nutrition science to support the overall effectiveness of interval training. I was looking more for some actual routines that you could do in the house with no equipment. I'll have to keep searching however as most of what Gibala is advocating is applicable to activities like biking, running, or swimming (and the hated burpee).
That's not to say the book is bad, there's a ton of good information here. There are lists that deal with successfully starting and maintaining a workout program, lists for successful dieting and weight loss, and lists of motivating ideas. One of those that I was trying to implement even before I read this dealt with sprinkling little active workouts through out the day. I do want to be able to get a good workout in the morning without having to turn on the TV and without having to leave the house. My search continues.
Gibala has included a lot of good health and nutrition science to support the overall effectiveness of interval training. I was looking more for some actual routines that you could do in the house with no equipment. I'll have to keep searching however as most of what Gibala is advocating is applicable to activities like biking, running, or swimming (and the hated burpee).
That's not to say the book is bad, there's a ton of good information here. There are lists that deal with successfully starting and maintaining a workout program, lists for successful dieting and weight loss, and lists of motivating ideas. One of those that I was trying to implement even before I read this dealt with sprinkling little active workouts through out the day. I do want to be able to get a good workout in the morning without having to turn on the TV and without having to leave the house. My search continues.
December 30, 2020
The good:
+ Useful information, including metabolism mechanism (general, and during exercise), supported by research
+ Contains an overview of variations of interval workouts for us to choose from. It provides basic format and there is still room for us to flexibly build our workout.
The bad:
+ It does not provide definition of basic terminology (which is used a lot in the book) such as fitness, fit. So, sometimes it is a bit confusing to readers what the author is trying to convey.
+ In the first half of the book, there are a lot of repetitions on how superior interval training is to steady-state endurance training - which is unnecessary.
+ Most of the book discuss effects of interval training on cardiovascular health, and very little discussion on the effects on body composition. I would like to know more on the mechanism of weight loss and muscle building (bulking and lengthening, etc.), but it was not provided.
+ The book does not discuss forms (which is specific (bodyweight) exercises), because most research are conducted on cycling/ running/ jogging. So if you want to learn forms, please look elsewhere.
+ Useful information, including metabolism mechanism (general, and during exercise), supported by research
+ Contains an overview of variations of interval workouts for us to choose from. It provides basic format and there is still room for us to flexibly build our workout.
The bad:
+ It does not provide definition of basic terminology (which is used a lot in the book) such as fitness, fit. So, sometimes it is a bit confusing to readers what the author is trying to convey.
+ In the first half of the book, there are a lot of repetitions on how superior interval training is to steady-state endurance training - which is unnecessary.
+ Most of the book discuss effects of interval training on cardiovascular health, and very little discussion on the effects on body composition. I would like to know more on the mechanism of weight loss and muscle building (bulking and lengthening, etc.), but it was not provided.
+ The book does not discuss forms (which is specific (bodyweight) exercises), because most research are conducted on cycling/ running/ jogging. So if you want to learn forms, please look elsewhere.
October 19, 2017
Okay folks. This is a must read for people who... live in the modern world. Love to workout. Hate to workout. Want to lose weight. Want to be fit for life. Just had a heart attack. Have diabetes. Like the science behind workout technology.
I'm so excited and enthralled by the information in this book, which is research savvy and explanatory, but still highly comprehensible for the lay person. I began throwing intensity and interval into my rare workouts immediately and am now engaged in daily yoga, 1-3 times a week of fast and brilliantly effective interval training, run up the stairs when I can, 25% food fast 1 day a week, it's time to party/dance and pick up a sport motivation. If only I'd really understood this science 15 years ago, I could have saved a lot more of my weight loss time for dancing or reading!
Get it. Read it. Get fit in one minute three times a week. I mean it. It's really true!
I'm so excited and enthralled by the information in this book, which is research savvy and explanatory, but still highly comprehensible for the lay person. I began throwing intensity and interval into my rare workouts immediately and am now engaged in daily yoga, 1-3 times a week of fast and brilliantly effective interval training, run up the stairs when I can, 25% food fast 1 day a week, it's time to party/dance and pick up a sport motivation. If only I'd really understood this science 15 years ago, I could have saved a lot more of my weight loss time for dancing or reading!
Get it. Read it. Get fit in one minute three times a week. I mean it. It's really true!
July 21, 2020
The book hammers home the point that doing HIIT can save time exercising while give the same results as exercise done at a constant pace for longer time. It also indicates some other good points in doing it such as that it seems to be more enjoyable over the long haul. People tend to stick with it. I liked the emphasis on how sedentary people, those with heart conditions, and those in their older years can do this type of exercise. It is not one size fits all. There are a lot of programs presented, some that looked like my level (age 73 and not fit) and I was encouraged to pursue one. The book is pretty repetitive in parts and the details of some of the studies are not great reading, but it is well worth working through it to see what HIIT actually is. And if you are young and in shape, there is a lot there for you, too, especially if you are looking to save time. It will also help you keep exercising with the information on how good it is for you.
March 23, 2025
GREAT educational reading.
In the prime of my fitness days, I was indoctrinated in "LSD" runs. Long. Slow. Distance. And, "don't even waste your time if you are going to work out for less than 30 minutes. So, fitness gave way to fatherhood and work and "busy".
Now, I understand the errors in that thinking. I've seen and now experienced the results of interval training. ... fitting whatever time I have available.
Gibala shares all the science behind this phenomenon that some elite athletes and coaches have known for a long time. Most of the science is presented in an easily followed format. That that isn't so easy to understand makes the reader practitioner comfortable that the science is there!
Most importantly, I'm over 60. This is written for all aged readers!
Thank you Mr. Gibala!
In the prime of my fitness days, I was indoctrinated in "LSD" runs. Long. Slow. Distance. And, "don't even waste your time if you are going to work out for less than 30 minutes. So, fitness gave way to fatherhood and work and "busy".
Now, I understand the errors in that thinking. I've seen and now experienced the results of interval training. ... fitting whatever time I have available.
Gibala shares all the science behind this phenomenon that some elite athletes and coaches have known for a long time. Most of the science is presented in an easily followed format. That that isn't so easy to understand makes the reader practitioner comfortable that the science is there!
Most importantly, I'm over 60. This is written for all aged readers!
Thank you Mr. Gibala!
February 12, 2018
This book has a lot going for it, but it is not a cover to cover read.
The author should be commended for the vast amount of research and testing that went into this book. They did an exceptional job backing up their claims, but that represents the books biggest fault: presentation. If you are already sold on the science of HIIT you could probably start almost 50% of the way through this book.
****BUT**** I totally think this book is worth it. The second half of this book provides a ton of varieties of HIIT workout templates that will keep you going for the long haul.
If there was a second edition of this book I'd have the following asks:
- Gloss over the science and studies more and collect those on the authors site as "further reading"
- Provide a handful of fully detailed routines for each HIIT type
The author should be commended for the vast amount of research and testing that went into this book. They did an exceptional job backing up their claims, but that represents the books biggest fault: presentation. If you are already sold on the science of HIIT you could probably start almost 50% of the way through this book.
****BUT**** I totally think this book is worth it. The second half of this book provides a ton of varieties of HIIT workout templates that will keep you going for the long haul.
If there was a second edition of this book I'd have the following asks:
- Gloss over the science and studies more and collect those on the authors site as "further reading"
- Provide a handful of fully detailed routines for each HIIT type
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