Is HIIT with a heavybag a good idea?

[Blade Edge]

At my Tae Kwon Do class to gain endurance we would do "running roundhouses" where we roundhouse kick a standing bag alternating each leg and keep doing it for 15-30 seconds for a total of 4 to 5 intervals. So, at the moment one foot hits the bag and is coming back down, the other leg is coming back up to kick the bag. I tried to incorporate that with these tables and I just wanted to know what people thought of doing HIIT this way. So in other words, I do running round houses for 30 seconds, and then I just punch a heavy bag (for the rest period) for 30 seconds. I just finished week 5 today and will be doing 11 minutes next week, which is 11 intervals. But now I'm so freakin tired after doing 11 intervals of running roundhouses that I can't get my legs up and instead of punching the bag, I just stop and recover. Do you think stopping and recovering on the "rest" intervals will cause me to not gain the benefits of HIIT training.

I also wanted to know your guys's opinion on why I haven't been seeing results with my workout, and by results, I mean why am I not ripped yet? :smile:

[Nick K]

HITT by any method is good for your heart and lungs. However, punching the bag between kicking intervals ma detract from the benefit, as you are not getting the chance for your HR to fall, and it's the change in heart rate that is thought to be beneficial, I believe. I'd suggest increasing the duration of your training interavl, and maintaining your rest interval. Alternatively - are you really sure you are pushing yourself hard enough - 11 minutes of interval training, you really should feel like you are going to puke.

Ripped usually means a body fat of around 10% and fair sized musculature. Expect to invest 12 -24 months of regular training and calorie control to get this kind of physique. A really impressive physique takes up tp a decade to build, unless you are gifted. So - patience please. 5 weeks is nothing - really.