Alpha Fitness and
Education
4x4 HIIT Method
Alpha Fitness and Education
Pty.Ltd.
[email protected]
073201 4919
http://alphafited.com
http://facebook.com/AlphaFitEd
Exercise Rationale
Before you begin, please follow this link http://www.essa.org.au/wp/wp-content/uploads/Screen-tool-versionv1.1.pdf and complete page 1 of the pre-exercise screening tool. If you answer ‘yes’ to any of the questions, please
seek guidance from your GP or appropriate allied health professional PRIOR to commencing exercise.
To start with, why do we exercise?
Exercise:
-
Help with stress relief
Improve the efficiency of all the body systems
Improve our strength (when undertaking resistance training)
Improve our fitness (when undertaking cardiovascular training)
Give our body shape
Improve the efficiency of fat metabolism
Improve our health on so many levels
And so much more….
Exercise does not:
-
Drive weight loss BUT it complements a healthy diet
You may be a little confused at this point so I’ll be really clear. The number one thing you must do to get your weight
under control is – fix your diet. BUT it’s not a matter of will power either. All those people who have told you that all
you need to do is move more and eat less are not bothering to read what the research is telling us. If people took the
time to read the stats, they’d see that diets often lead to failure, even when combined with exercise. People are just
not getting the results they’re after. The problem is with the nutritional guidelines that are currently being
promoted. I changed my life by going low carb high fat (LCHF) and after having 4 kids and with no dieting and very
sporadic exercise, I’m back to the weight I was in high school. Want to know more? Follow me at
https://www.facebook.com/NaomiFersteraExercisePhysiologist to get lots of LCHF research, recipes and pointers.
So why a HIIT program? Every year, 33% of all deaths in Australia are due to cardiovascular disease and the latest
research has shown that number 1 risk factor for all-cause mortality (i.e. all reasons for death) is LOW
CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS. This makes HIIT a no-brainer. HIIT also has been shown to improve cardiovascular
fitness quickly and efficiently and the 4x4 met
HIIT is 85-95% of you maximal heart rate whereas sprint training attempts to exceed your maximal exertion i.e.
>100% maximal heart rate. HIIT has been shown to be suitable for just about populations and has substantial
benefits for even those with complicated cardiovascular conditions. If you have medical conditions, HIIT should be
done under an exercise physiologist’s guidance as there are very specific heart rates that need to be adhered to. If
you are low risk (i.e. free from risk factors and medical conditions) you can start your HIIT training straight away.
Over the years, I constantly hear about people failing with their training programs and from what I can see, the
biggest issue is that the intensity is wrong. If you don’t get your intensity right, you won’t get the results you want
because you have failed to apply enough stimuli to make your body adapt. So to make sure there is no confusion, I
have also included how to calculate your heart rates and at what intensity you should be working at, depending on
your level of fitness. I would highly encourage every person who gets this program, to purchase a heart rate monitor.
It makes monitoring intensity so much easier.
Best of luck 
4 x 4 Method
How does it work?
Stage 1
Warm up
5-10 minutes slowly increasing your heart rate until you are sweating and puffing
Stage 2: First interval
The intervals are broken up into 2 blocks of 2 minutes
The first 2 minutes is used to gradually increase your exercise heart rate up to 85-95% of your maximal heart rate
For the second 2 minutes, you keep your heart rate between 85-95% of your maximal heart rate
Stage 3: Active recovery
Three minutes of active recovery (reduce your heart rate to a comfortable level but you must keep moving)
Stage 4: Second interval
First 2 minutes: gradually increasing your exercise heart rate up to 85-95% of your maximal heart rate
Second 2 minutes: 85-95% of your maximal heart rate
Stage 5: Active recovery
Three minutes of active recovery (reduce your heart rate to a comfortable level but you must keep moving)
Stage 6: Third interval
First 2 minutes: gradually increasing your exercise heart rate up to 85-95% of your maximal heart rate
Second 2 minutes: 85-95% of your maximal heart rate
Stage 7: Active recovery
Three minutes of active recovery (reduce your heart rate to a comfortable level but you must keep moving)
Stage 8: 4th interval
First 2 minutes: gradually increasing your exercise heart rate up to 85-95% of your maximal heart rate
Second 2 minutes: 85-95% of your maximal heart rate
Stage 8: Active recovery
Three minutes of active recovery (reduce your heart rate to a comfortable level but you must keep moving)
Stage 9: Cool Down
5-10 minutes slowly decreasing your heart rate
The research has shown that people doing 1x4 are getting comparable results to the 4x4
group. This is sensational news! This means if you’re unfit you can do 1x4 HIIT interval
and reap the same benefits as those doing the 4x4.
How much should I do?
Beginner: 1 x 4
Intermediate: 2-3 x 4
Advanced: 4 x 4
This also means that if you’re busy/time poor, you can jump out and do the 1x4 and still get all the great benefits!
Remember – working in your heart rate zones is important! This has to be done correctly. Go to the next page
where I’ve shown you how to calculate it!
Heart Rate Calculation
Method 1: Estimated maximal heart rate (MHR)
MHR = 220 – age
Example:
Anna is 30 years old and is doing HIIT. Her exercise intensities will be between 85% and 95% of her MHR
First you need to calculate Anna’s MHR which is: 220 – age
= 220 – 30
= 190bpm.
We’ll start by calculating 85% MHR
Exercise heart rate = MHR x intensity
= 190 x 0.85
= 161bpm
Next we’ll calculate 95% MHR
Exercise heart rate = MHR x intensity
= 190 x 0.95
= 180bpm
Therefore Anna is to exercise between 160 and 180 beats per minute (bpm)
Please keep in mind, this method for calculating heart rate often underestimates (which means you may not be
working hard enough). Please use the heart rate reserve method if possible.
Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) Method
1. Measure your resting heart rate (RHR) - sit quietly and count your pulse for 60 seconds
2. Calculate your maximum heart rate (MHR) with this formula: 220 – age (write this down somewhere)
3. Using the following formula, work out your exercise heart rates
HRR = ([MHR – RHR] x %) + RHR
Example:
Anna is 30 years old with a resting heart rate (RHR) of 60bpm and is doing HIIT. Her exercise intensities will be
between 85% and 95% of her HRR.
First you need to calculate Anna’s MHR which is: 220 – age
= 220 – 30
= 190bpm.
We’ll start by calculating 85% HRR
HRR = ([MHR – RHR] x %) + RHR
HRR = ([190 – 60] x 0.85) + 60
HRR = (130 x 0.85) + 60
HRR = 110.5 + 60
HRR = 171bpm
Next we’ll calculate 95% HRR
HRR = ([MHR – RHR] x %) + RHR
HRR = ([190 – 60] x 0.95) + 60
HRR = (130 x 0.95) + 60
HRR = 123.5 + 60
HRR = 183bpm
Therefore Anna is to exercise between 170 and 180 beats per minute (bpm)