Torch calories, build lean muscle, and get shredded with these heart-pumping sessions.
When you hear about high-intensity training, it’s often along the lines of torching calories and getting lean and shredded, but did you know that it is also really beneficial for our hearts? As February is Heart Month, we wanted to give you more reasons to fall in love with Tonal’s High-Intensity Workouts.
How to improve heart health with exercise
High-intensity training only really went mainstream about ten years ago. As such, there have been numerous studies on the positive impact of high-intensity training. If you want to know how to improve heart health with exercise, research shows that high intensity is one of the best things out there to boost cardiovascular health.
Tonal’s High Intensity brings together the amazing benefits of strength training with cardio. The combination of weights with fast-paced bursts of speed maxes out your heart rate while helping you build muscle and endurance for a fitter and faster you.
Pro Tip: With Tonal, you can monitor your heart rate in real-time, helping you perform at the optimal intensity in every workout. Learn more about our Heart Rate Zones feature.
Here are some benefits of high-intensity training:
- While increased cardiovascular fitness helps to reduce your risk of heart disease, the benefits of high-intensity training include improving blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol levels.
- High intensity is an efficient way to get the same heart health benefits of longer steady-state cardio sessions in a short period.
- High-intensity workouts are great for people of all ages and can help reverse the signs of aging in our cells. A study published in Cell Metabolism showed that high-intensity training in younger and older adults led to an increase in cellular ability to take in oxygen and produce energy. Researchers also noted cellular changes in mitochondria and ribosomes, which are essential for maintaining healthy cell function and deteriorate with age.
- High-intensity training also gives you the after-burn effect, or what is scientifically known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which means you will torch calories even after you’re done working out.
Ready to get your sweat on? Here are some of our favorite Tonal High-Intensity Workouts, from beginner to advanced.
High-Intensity Workouts for Beginners
Don’t be nervous if you’re trying high intensity for the first time or feeling out of shape. Research shows that this is exactly the kind of workout you should be doing!
- Leg Power with Coach Jared: Make legs your superpower. Coach Jared offers tips and tricks for strengthening your lower body as he leads you through this workout, complete with three types of squats.
- Intense Full Body with Coach Jared: This cardio-intensive workout challenges the entire body. By staying present and asking yourself how much you can accomplish, you’ll perfect your form and rock this full-body routine.
Quick High-Intensity Workouts
One study suggests that even 30 minutes of high-intensity training three times a week could be beneficial, so if you’re short on time, these 25-minute workouts will do your heart all the good.
- Fire Up Fast with Coach Gabby: Power through a fast upper body workout with 40-second movements that will turbo-charge your heart rate. Using primarily on-bench exercises, Coach Gabby helps you feed off the burn and get your mind in the game.
- Body Burner with Coach Gabby: Boost your metabolism and crank up your heart rate. This invigorating workout will hit your entire body at a fast and furious pace. Join Coach Gabby to blast away calories while becoming your strongest.
- Barbell Burn with Coach Jared: Set the bar high with this barbell-focused workout. All of your on-Tonal moves will incorporate the smart bar, so you can work for big muscle groups as you pump up your heart.
Advanced High-Intensity Workouts
Sure these workouts will torch calories, but if you’re further along in your high-intensity training, these advanced workouts are for you. The more work you put in, the stronger your heart gets.
- Learn, Earn, Burn with Coach Jared: Get your heart pumping as you ignite your upper body and core. Coach Jared shares his “Learn, Earn, Burn” strategy to help you master the movements and get the most from your workout.
- Leg Day Burn with Coach Gabby: Burn out your legs and push yourself to peak performance. This challenging lower body workout will have you squatting, deadlifting, and more, as Coach Gabby shows you how to improve with every move.
- Mind And Muscle with Coach Jared: This intense upper body workout challenges the muscles and the mind. Push yourself through three sweaty blocks visualizing your physical movements to create more energy as you reach your goals.
- Lower Body Burnout with Coach Gabby: Dial up the intensity with a lower-body burnout, complete with heart-pumping cardio. Coach Gabby leads a series of squats, lunges, and more, both on and off Tonal. Walk away from leg day feeling sweaty and satisfied.
Editor’s Note: This content is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are struggling with your health or feel you may have a medical emergency, please seek help immediately by calling your doctor or 911.
The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. Individuals with pre-existing health conditions, injuries, or concerns should consult with their healthcare provider before trying a new exercise or nutrition regimen.
