QUICK ANSWERS
How often should you do HIIT?
Two or three times a week works for most people. Here’s why, and what to do on the other days
What the guidelines say
The World Health Organization recommends that adults do 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity a week, or 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity, or a mix, plus muscle-strengthening activity on at least 2 days 4. HIIT counts as vigorous, so three 25-minute sessions already reach the lower end of that range.
| Week | HIIT | Other days |
|---|---|---|
| Starting out | 2 sessions | Walking, and 2 days of strength |
| Regular | 3 sessions | Easy cardio, and 2 days of strength |
| Endurance athlete | 2 to 3 sessions | Mostly easy training 5 |
Can you do HIIT every day?
Most people shouldn’t do hard intervals every day. The intensity is what makes HIIT work, and it’s hard to keep it high without recovery. Fill the days between with easy activity, such as walking, cycling or zone 2, and strength training.
Short on time? Read is 20 minutes of HIIT enough.
Sources
- Gillen JB, Martin BJ, MacInnis MJ, et al. Twelve Weeks of Sprint Interval Training Improves Indices of Cardiometabolic Health Similar to Traditional Endurance Training despite a Five-Fold Lower Exercise Volume and Time Commitment. PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0154075. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154075
- Helgerud J, Høydal K, Wang E, et al. Aerobic High-Intensity Intervals Improve VO2max More Than Moderate Training. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(4):665-671. doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e3180304570
- Stensvold D, Viken H, Steinshamn SL, et al. Effect of exercise training for five years on all cause mortality in older adults: the Generation 100 study, randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2020;371:m3485. doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3485
- Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451-1462. doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955
- Stöggl T, Sperlich B. Polarized training has greater impact on key endurance variables than threshold, high intensity, or high volume training. Front Physiol. 2014;5:33. doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2014.00033
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Cero is a timer, not a medical device. If you’re new to hard exercise, are pregnant or have a health condition, check with your doctor first, and stop if you feel unwell.