Have you ever been leaving a high intensity interval training (HIIT) class and when the instructor (or someone coming into take the class after you!) asks, “how are you feeling?” and you reply with, “terrible!” But you’re only joking because you actually feel great albeit exhausted from how hard you just worked?
We usually leave a HIIT class with our endorphins pumping and we know that we feel good. But have you ever wondered why you feel good during and after class? Sure, you’re proud that you smashed your workout or were simply just happy to get your body moving. But there are lots of things going on under the surface that are contributing to our workout that we aren’t even aware of!
This is where our hormones come into play. The benefits of a HIIT workout really shine when we talk about how our hormone health is affected by participating in a interval training.
Testosterone & Estrogen– exercise helps boost testosterone which is a major factor in muscle growth. For men, this might seem obvious but it’s true for women as well! Sometimes women are afraid of lifting heavy weights in class because they think it’ll make them bulky, but the truth is that it’s very hard for women to put on muscle at the same rate or volume that men do. Women just will not produce testosterone to the levels of men.
Women produce more estrogen instead. As we age, our estrogen production decreases. When that happens, testosterone production doesn’t change much. When estrogen production lowers it also causes a decrease in human growth hormone (HGH), which can hinder muscle building, fat loss, recovery and insulin sensitivity.
HIIT has been shown to increase HGH and assist with fat burning and muscle building capabilities. The way your body reacts to HIIT internally also contributes to a balance of testosterone and estrogen. This is especially important for members close to menopause or in menopause!
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) – as mentioned above, HIIT exercise can cause spikes in growth hormone, making Orangetheory more effective for muscle building and fat loss over alternatives. This is specific to HIIT compared to something like regular aerobic training (i.e. steady state cardio).
Insulin – insulin is one of the hormones that regulates our blood sugar. Mainly from taking glucose (carbohydrates) and getting it where it needs to go – whether that’s to storage or to your bloodstream.
HIIT exercise has been proven to improve insulin sensitivity, which means that your body is good at getting glucose where it needs to go and your blood sugar is normal. Having a normal insulin sensitivity means that you’re better at using glucose for fuel. This is also why it’s important to be well-fueled for your workout!
This is cool because it’s true in the short-term and the long term. Your body will be better at using fuel during HIIT and also your body will get better at regulating its glucose over time. If insulin is doing its job, your muscles will also be sure they’re getting the fuel they need to keep you working during class!
Epinephrine & Norepinephrine – You probably know epinephrine by it’s more popular name, adrenaline. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are commonly referred to as the ‘fight or flight’ response. In HIIT exercise, the dramatic increases in heart rate and physical exertion are a form of stress to the body, so naturally these two hormones are going to be released to regulate your response.
These two hormones working together have been shown to break down fat, which is probably a desired outcome if you’re working your butt off during a HIIT workout! There is particular research showing that this is true for abdominal fat stores as well.
Hormone health is also all about balance. You need to make sure you’re fueling and resting properly so that you can fully reap the benefits of your workouts. More is not always a good thing! Your body’s recovery process helps you workout stronger and helps you stay in it for the long haul.