High Intensity Training (HIT) has caused a stir because studies have shown that two minutes of intense exercise a day can make a difference

There is a belief that the more time you spend exercising, the better. Not so.

High Intensity Training (HIT) has caused a stir because studies done over the past decade have shown that as little as two minutes of intense exercise a day can make a significant difference.

You can get many of the same benefits from short bursts of intense effort as you can from following the more traditional approach – or perhaps even more.

This forms the basis of what we've called Fast Exercise. The benefits include improved aerobic fitness and endurance, reduced body fat and increased strength.

While this mode of high-octane exercise conjures up images of a fast-paced gym environment, that couldn't be further from the truth. HIT can be performed at home with a minimal amount of equipment.

Here's why this scientifically proven regime will transform your body and health…

SPEEDY SLIMMING AND A HEALTHIER HEART

In an Australian study, one group of women was asked to do three 40-minute sessions of moderate-intensity cycling a week, while another did three 20-minute higher-intensity sessions. Only the latter group lost weight, while those who did moderate sessions put on weight and became slightly fatter, despite spending twice as long on bikes. When you push the intensity of a workout, you build more metabolically active muscle, and because muscle is efficient at burning fat, your total calorie expenditure soars.

HIT also makes the heart muscle bigger and more efficient. This is important because one of the main fears about doing HIT is that it could trigger a heart attack.

YOU DON'T EVEN NEED GYM KIT

The great thing about Fast Exercise is that it can be worked into a busy life with relative ease. It's less of a full-time commitment, more an addition to the way you live.

You can even do it in your everyday clothes, so you don't need to change into trainers, let alone expensive gym kit.

HOW IT WORKS

There are two main types of Fast Exercise: Fast Fitness and Fast Strength. Fast Fitness are cardio-type exercises – skipping, running up stairs, and cycling. They are aimed mainly at improving your heart and overall health.

Fast Strength involves muscle-resistance exercises using your body weight, such as push-ups. As the name suggests, the muscles are strengthened, which tones the body and helps with posture.

Depending on how long you want to spend warming up or cooling down, most Fast Fitness or Fast Strength exercises can be done in under ten minutes a day. And you should see results with as little as two sessions of Fast Fitness and one session of Fast Strength a week.

However, the regime is so quick that it is easy to do more. If you increase the number of sessions, try to carry out your Fast Fitness and Fast Strength workouts on alternate days and, in the interests of balance, aim for an equal number of both types of sessions.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

The aim of HIT is to perform exercises in short bursts of great effort, punctuated by periods of 'rest' (you keep moving, but in a relaxed way) and to do this you'll need some kind of timer.

To perform the Fast Fitness and Fast Strength programmes, detailed overleaf, you will need to use to a stopwatch or timer on a smartphone to time each burst of HIT and recovery period. There are also several smartphone apps for interval training, which allow you to pre-programme the timings into your phone, thus avoiding the problem of having to stop to fiddle with a stopwatch during your session.

The aim of HIT is to perform exercises in short bursts of great effort, punctuated by periods of 'rest'

ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET...

Depending on your goal and your time constraints, take your pick from the different Fast Fitness workout plans and the Fast Strength plan detailed on the following pages.

You may decide to mix and match, doing a shorter programme one day and a longer one the next, depending on your energy levels and the time you have available each day. It's completely up to you. All variations will deliver benefits.

...GO!

During the high-intensity bursts of each programme, you should be aiming to work hard enough to raise your pulse to about 80 per cent of your maximum heart rate (see panel overleaf on how to calculate this).

Wearing a heart-rate monitor will give you an indication of how hard you are pushing yourself, but if you don't have one, don't worry. The main thing is to go at it as hard as you can.

You should be puffing and panting, and suffer muscle soreness and all-over fatigue – but this is temporary. In less than the time it takes to drive to the gym, it will all be over.

However, don't be afraid to start slowly and build up gradually so your body has time to adapt. Don't overdo it on the first day.

Get in shape... with a hop, skip and a jump

Step 1: Choose from these five fat-burning fast fitness plans

The great thing about Fast Exercise is you can tailor it to fit in with your personal needs, but to get the most benefits, try to do two sessions of Fast Fitness and one session of Fast Strength a week. Below are five Fast Fitness programmes that differ in length and intensity.

You can stick to one, or mix them up – it's up to you. Each workout can be done by either skipping, stair-running, or cycling on a stationary bike.

On the opposite page and overleaf, we've detailed the ten simple exercises you need for your Fast Strength programme. So, let's get started…

Now decide which of these fast fitness workouts suits you

INDOOR CYCLING

A stationary exercise bike is a good way of getting HIT because it lets you add resistance, meaning you have to push the pedals harder, increasing the intensity.

It also allows you to measure the speed at which you're pedalling through the rotations per minute (rpm) monitor on the digital display. During sprints, monitor the display and aim for a speed of 90rpm, gradually working towards a speed of 110rpm as you get fitter and stronger.

The built-in timer means that timing your bursts of HIT is easy too.

SKIPPING

If you haven't picked up a skipping rope since school, then you're missing a trick. It is a great cardiovascular workout, using both the upper and lower body. Today's ropes are lightweight, flexible and made from plastic or leather. Athletes, boxers and footballers all practise skipping for a Fast Fitness boost.

Turn the rope from the wrists and forearms and try to keep your feet as low to the ground as possible

Studies show skipping can protect against osteoporosis and lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. If your technique is nimble, then skipping is less high-impact than running, despite the fact that it burns more calories per minute. Knees and ankles should be flexed and keep your torso straight. Turn the rope from the wrists and forearms and try to keep your feet as low to the ground as possible.

STAIR RUNNING

Most of us have access to stairs, either at work or at home. Running up them provides the same benefits as conventional running but in half the time, because you are constantly working against gravity. This exercise is also brilliant for toning the legs and bottom.

Sprint hard up the stairs, let your legs feel the burn, and recover on the way back down

Make sure you use good technique: don't hunch your back or twist your head, and bend your arms at right angles to provide power as they pump. Make sure that your whole foot lands on each step to avoid straining your Achilles tendon – and walk back downstairs during recovery periods.

As with all Fast Exercise workouts, the key is to move fast. Sprint hard up the stairs, let your legs feel the burn, and recover on the way back down.

LISTEN TO YOUR HEART

Your resting heart rate (HR) is a powerful predictor of future health. According to a 2008 study of 11,000 people published in The Lancet, those with rates above 70 beats per minute are at greater risk of heart attack and hospital admission. With regular exercise, you should see your resting heart rate fall.

Top athletes can have a resting pulse as low as 40 beats per minute. Your HR is easy to check: turn your hand so your palm is facing you, and using your index and middle finger from your other hand, feel just below the thumb (see picture, above right) – you'll notice a distinct pulse.

Time it for a minute, making sure that you are sitting down and relaxed, preferably first thing in the morning.

You should be aiming to raise your pulse during HIT bursts to about 80 per cent of your resting heart rate

Knowing your 'HR max' – basically, the fastest rate your heart beats when you exert yourself as hard as you can – will help you calculate how hard to push yourself when you are doing some of the HIT exercises. So how do you measure that?

The most direct way is to run or cycle as fast as you can against resistance for about three minutes, rest for a couple of minutes, then try pushing yourself as hard as possible for another couple of minutes. Your heart rate will probably peak at some point during the second burst. When you feel you don't want to go on, stop and measure your pulse again. This is your HR max.

You should be aiming to raise your pulse during HIT bursts to about 80 to 90 per cent of this. DO NOT attempt if you have doubts about your fitness.

Alternatively, a heart-rate monitor – a gadget strapped to the chest – will do all these calculations for you. They cost from about £15.

Power your way to a better body - with your free resist and skip jump rope

Today, the Mail on Sunday is giving away a brilliant new piece of fitness equipment – the Nortech Resist and Skip jump rope. Not only does it function as a high-quality rope for skipping, you can use it as a resistance band to increase the difficulty of muscle-strengthening exercises.

To get you started, here are a few of the exercises you can do with the Resist and Skip. To warm up, skip at a gentle pace for four to five minutes.

For details on how to claim your FREE Resist and Skip jump rope, turn to Page 90.