High-intensity interval Training (HIIT) is a very common form of exercise that encompasses sharp bursts of activity followed by longer slower activity or rest. You may be wondering about HIIT training and HIIT workouts for menopause or menopausal women and if it is safe, effective, and necessary.

This blog will discuss the general breakdown of a HIIT workout as well as the efficacy of HIIT workouts for women during menopause.

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What is high-intensity interval training (HIIT)?

HIIT is short sharp bursts of activity followed by longer slower activity or rest. HIIT training will often be a blend of jump training and plyometrics.

HIIT training is useful in that it helps your bones get stronger and maintains bone density. Plyometrics can also help improve muscle power. Research shows that HIIT is very effective in changing body composition, improving blood glucose control, increasing insulin sensitivity, as well as cardiovascular function.

HIIT workouts and menopause

Many women who are peri- and postmenopausal have aches and pains and issues with their joints. You can imagine that it would be difficult to add in jump training and plyometrics (or any fast-paced workout) if you have joint aches and pains.

It goes without saying that if you are dealing with an injury, have chronic joint pain, have any pelvic floor issues, or are new to exercise, you shouldn’t look to add HIIT training into your workout regimen right away. Instead, I’d look to find a physical therapist who can help determine the root cause of your aches and pains (ps— I do help menopausal women with their aches and pains all of the time. Check out my services to learn more.). If you need help finding a pelvic floor physical therapist, please reach out so I can recommend someone for you.

Benefits of HIIT workouts for menopausal women

There are many benefits of HIIT workouts for menopausal women and we’ll dive into those here.

1. Weight Management: A common effect of menopause is weight gain and a change in body composition. By adding in HIIT workouts, you are able to increase metabolism and influence fat loss, which will help manage any weight gain symptoms as well as influence body composition. As always, it is highly recommended to also add in strength training as a form of fitness as well, due to the effects of strength training on bone health and muscle mass. Another fun benefit is that HIIT increases what we call the “resting metabolic rate”. This means that even after you complete the workout, you continue to burn calories.

2. Bone Health: During menopause, osteoporosis becomes something that may be concerning. By doing weight-bearing exercises through HIIT training as well as strength training, you can maintain and improve current bone density as well as help reduce fractures.

3. Cardiovascular Health: Heart health is always a benefit of exercise and HIIT training really moves the needle and reduces the risk of heart disease and can keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check which is essential for post-menopausal women.

4. Mood and Stress: Hormone changes mean mood swings and one of the best solutions for these shifts can be HIIT (and exercise in general). If we’re looking to decrease anxiety and depression and promote good sleep health, exercise and HIIT training in particular can help immensely.

5. Insulin Sensitivity: During menopause, blood sugar can become a concern for many women. HIIT can improve insulin sensitivity and assist with managing blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of yype 2 diabetes

6. Convenience and Time-Efficiency: If you’re looking to get a workout in without spending hours in the gym, HIIT workouts are great becaue they are oftentimes pretty short. But short does not mean ineffective! HIIT workouts are known to have the same or better results when compared to typical longer workouts. So if you have a busy schedule or struggle to fit a workout in, HIIT can be a great option!

7. Personalized Intensity: HIIT is endlessly customizable. Beginner, intermediate, advanced and all those inbetween. There is always a HIIT workout that can be completed and scaled to your individual needs.

Here are some examples of HIIT work-outs, which includes plyometrics and SIT training. Make sure you warm-up for 5-10 minutes with light cardio and mobility exercises. And, cool down after with mobility and stretching exercises

1. Jumping rope or jumping jacks: 3 sets of 1 minute with 30 seconds rest in between

2. Stair sprints or step-ups: 3 sets of 30-60 seconds with 30 seconds rest in between

3. Squat Jumps: Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Keeping your arms bent, lower your body into a squat, ideally so that your hips are parallel with or below your knees. Propel your body up and off the floor, bringing your arms above your head toward the ceiling. Land softly on the balls of your feet, with your arms bent, but use that momentum to power your next jump. Start with 5-10 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets and work up to 20 reps. 3 sets.

4. Lunges: Alternating legs, jumping to switch legs.  30-45 seconds on: 30 seconds of rest. 

5. Upper body plyometrics: Medicine ball throws, wall slams, floor slams, squat to throw. Even though you are working the upper body, it will still have a positive effect on your bones and metabolism. 

6. Sprint intervals (SIT):  For 15-30 seconds go as hard as you can on a bike, assault bike, a rowing erg, elliptical or running, and then a super slow recovery for 1-2 minutes. You would repeat this 4 times and could work up to 10  times. 

To review, a minimum of twice a week of full body strength training is still the most important.. But, if you are able, you should incorporate 1-2 sessions of HIIT per week into your routine. 

If you want help with incorporating fitness training into your life as a menopausal woman, feel free to contact me or check out my options for working with me. You can also read everything you may need to know about fitness during menopause here.