CrossFit has become increasingly popular in recent years, but how does it compare to HIIT and Weight training?
This article is going to take a close look at all three of these popular training methods to see how they compare and help you figure out which one may be right for you.
The health and fitness industry has boomed in recent years, and that means that more and more people are looking for the best ways to achieve their dream bodies.
And if you’re looking to figure out which of HIIT, CrossFit or Weight Training is right for you, then you’ve landed on the right page.
In this article, we’re going to break down the basics of all three, and look at the pros and cons of them.
So, with the introductions out of the way, it’s time to start taking a close look at HIIT vs CrossFit vs Weight Training.
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What is HIIT?
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In case you didn’t know, HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. In its simplest terms, HIIT is a form of cardiovascular exercise.
As the name suggests, it’s a type of interval training, and it typically refers to a regime consisting of periods of high intensity exercise, followed by a rest. This is then repeated a number of times.
For example, you may choose to sprint for one minute, then have a one-minute rest, and then sprint again for one minute. This process would be repeated however many times is deemed necessary. As you get fitter, you can reduce the rest (recovery) period.
HIIT can be performed in various different types of exercise, from sprinting to cycling and more.
HIIT has a number of benefits, and it’s particularly popular amongst people who are looking to improve their cardiovascular fitness levels, and also burn fat.
It has become very popular in recent years, and it can be a great option if you’re looking to maximize your time spent training, as it takes less time for you hit your peak.
HIIT is not for everyone, however. You should always speak to your doctor or another medical professional before thinking about starting a HIIT training regime.
Generally speaking, HIIT is a good option if you’re looking to improve your overall fitness levels and lose body fat.
It is probably not the best option for you if you are looking to build muscle and strength as your primary goal.
What is CrossFit?
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You’ve probably seen CrossFit popping more frequently recently. It has become incredibly popular in recent years.
CrossFit was founded and branded by Greg Glassman and Lauren Jenai back in 2000.
It is what is known as a “training philosophy” which features constantly varied, high-intensity functional movements.
It combines many different elements of elements of HIIT, weight training, gymnastics, plyometrics, and many other exercises.
Many people treat CrossFit as a fitness program these days, and you have probably noticed more ‘CrossFit gyms’ popping up recently.
CrossFit workouts, also known as WODs, can be pretty intense and test various limits of your strength, speed and endurance.
What is Weight Training?
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You probably don’t need much of an introduction to Weight Training, but we’ll cover the basics here anyway.
In essence, weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of your muscles.
Weight training uses a variety of specialized equipment, such as dumbbells, weighted bars and more, to target specific muscle groups and types of movement.
It’s one of the most popular forms of workouts and you probably already know all about it and its benefits.
HIIT vs CrossFit vs Weight Training
As you’ve probably already worked out, HIIT, CrossFit and Weight Training are all pretty different in terms of their primary uses.
For example, the purpose of HIIT is to improve cardiovascular fitness, and it’s also commonly used as a method to increase fat burning.
CrossFit, meanwhile, is a more specialized form of workout, which is highly varied and combines various weight-lifting, HIIT and other forms of exercise.
Lastly, Weight Training is one of the more popular forms of workouts for people looking to build strength and muscle mass.
As you can see, all three of these forms of workouts have various benefits.
When it comes to choosing which one is right for you, you need to think about your goals. For example, if it’s your goal to lose fat, HIIT may be your best option.
If you’re looking to build muscle, then weight training is probably going to be better suited to your needs.
Anything Else To Consider?
As always, there is no ‘perfect’ solution.
You should carefully consider what it is that you want to achieve from your training before choosing between HIIT, CrossFit and Weight Training.
Before picking one of the training regimes in this article, we recommend speaking with a professional so that you can plan out your goals and your best course of action.
In Conclusion – Our Final Thoughts
So, that brings us to the end of our look at the HIIT vs CrossFit vs Weight Training.
We’ve walked you through the basics of all three of these workout types to help you decide between them.
We have covered how HIIT may be your best option if you’re looking to improve your cardiovascular fitness and lost fat, while Weight Training may be more suited to you if you’re looking to build muscle and strength.
CrossFit sits more in the middle of these two training types, as it combines both HIIT and Weight Training in a highly varied form of workout.
All three of these types of training are excellent forms of exercise. Whether each one would be best for you depends on your overall goals and what you want to achieve from your training.
