What if I told you that there was a way to reverse the aging process and blast fat in just 20 minutes 3 times per week? Phil Campbell, world renowned strength and conditioning coach, designed a high intensity training protocol called Peak 8 (AKA Sprint 8) that might just be a 20 minute wonder workout and what Oprah Magazine called “The best working workout”.
The basic concept of Peak 8 is to quickly raise your heart rate 8-9 times for 30 seconds each, with 90 second recovery periods in between.
What caught my attention about Peak 8 was the research to show it increases human growth hormone levels by up to 530% post workout with just three 20 minutes workouts per week. Human growth hormone is truly the fountain of youth and stimulates cell reproduction and growth, maintains proper functioning of the brain, bone tissues, maintains muscle mass, and energy levels, promotes cell division and DNA repair within the cells and metabolism.
A 2003 study published in the journal Sports Medicine found that "exercise intensity above lactate threshold and for a minimum of 10 minutes appears to elicit the greatest stimulus to the secretion of HGH."
From the age of about 30, our HGH levels start to steadily decline. Choosing exercise that will lead to higher levels of HGH will increase the thickness of our skin and hide wrinkles as well as avoid the wearing down of every part of our bodies.
Add the metabolic benefits and fat burning benefits of high intensity training and you've got a VERY effective 20-minute workout.
I don't recommend anything until I try it myself. I gave Peak 8 a go a few days ago with running sprints and loved how I felt after. Being someone who hates cardio equipment, I was amazed at how fast the 20 minutes went by!
You can choose traditional activities like running, biking, jump rope or using the elliptical. For optimal fat burning you can choose a variety of full body weight exercises and switch them up. Some great examples include burpies, squats, split lunge jumps -- anything that makes your heart race!
Many people who haven't been working out regularly think they can't start with interval training. But we all can do it if we work at a level that is appropriate for us. You can even to perform intervals while walking by using hills or adding speed walking intervals.
THE WORKOUT:
Warm-up- Get moving and steadily increase your heart rate
Sprints: Go as hard as you can safely and with control. Find your max effort.
Rest: This doesn't mean stop! Maintain at least 70% of your maximum (or 70% of your max heart rate) picking a pace that you can recover your breath
Cool down: Pick a pace that allows you to decrease your heart rate closer to normal and get your breath back. Then hydrate and stretch.
0:00–2:00 Warm up
2:00-2:30 Sprint #1
2:30-4:00 Rest
4:00-4:30 Sprint #2
4:30-6:00 Rest
6:00-6:30 Sprin#3
6:30-8:00 Rest
8:00-8:30 Sprint #4
8:30-10:00 Rest
10:00-10:30 Sprint #5
10:30-12:00 Rest
12:00-12:30 Sprint #6
12:30-14:00 Rest
14:00-14:30 Sprint #7
14:30-15:00 Rest
15:00-15:30 Sprint #8
15:30-16:00 Rest
16:00-16:30 Sprint #9
16:30-18:00 Rest
18:00-20:00 Cool down
Enjoy and be safe. Make sure you talk to your doctor before trying this and if you have any health concerns. Let me know how it goes!
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