When you live fitness on a daily basis as I do, you read a lot and often stumble upon new terminology.  Someone comes up with a new name for training and the key question you are left with tends to be ‘is this really something new?’

What is Burst Training?

Really burst training is just another name for high intensity interval training (HIIT).  You do short ‘bursts’ of high intensity exercises for periods of 30 – 60 seconds at the end of which you try to get your heart rate up to 85% – 90% of your maximum heart rate.  HIIT training works the same way.  There are many, many variations of both HIIT and burst training so your options on how to implement it are many.

Does Burst Training Work?

As is the case with any high intensity workout, Burst training is a great way to rev up your metabolism so you end up burning fat for a prolonged period.  It’s an essential ingredient to any fat burning program.  But it’s not designed to build a lot of muscle.   There are studies that indicate that high intensity training programs can increase growth hormone levels but the duration of the increase (when measured) has not been sufficient enough to generate significant changes.  That said, since growth hormone is the primary muscle building pathway for women, incorporating burst training or any flavor of HIIT is likely a good idea.

Perhaps what makes burst training so appealing is the short time frame required to get a really amazing workout done.  In as little as 25 minutes, you can be dripping with sweat and have kicked your metabolism into high gear.

Are there Burst Training Programs on DVD?

If you are looking to get shredded, check out the new Asylum program from Beachbody and Shaun T.  This new program takes bootcamp high intensity training to a new level.  It’s tough, but it’s effective.  It’s not for everyone though.  If you are more than 20% over your target weight and you’ve been a couch potato for years, this is not the program to start with, try Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer for an easier way to get into shape.

Can I do Burst Training with Weights?

Yes, it’s the intensity and speed with which you do the exercises that makes a workout high intensity.  In most burst programs you’ll use body weight primarily which makes this an affordable workout choice for everyone.  I found a nice body weight workout over at BodyBuilding.com which you may want to check out by clicking on this link.