Metabolism Spike: Local High Intensity Interval Training Classes

By: Toni Cunningham | January 8, 2014
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A new year, a new you, right? If your daily mantra is something along the lines of, “I’m going to make 2014 my year! I’m going to evoke change!” then you’re already a step ahead of most of us.

If you’re looking to make this your best year yet, you might consider starting with pumping up your exercise routine. Or, perhaps, simply establishing an exercise routine. Plain ol’ gym time is so 2013, it’s like two years ago. There are plenty of butt-kicking new exercise trends this year that will whip your body into shape in no time.

One such trend is HIIT, or high intensity interval training. This kind of exercise is great if you don’t want to dedicate a large chunk of time to working out—it’s a short, intense workout designed to burn calories quickly and efficiently.

If that sounds like something you’d like to work into your routine, check out the following local fitness centers that offer HIIT classes.

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True Body Fitness of Detroit, 1434 Michigan Ave., Detroit, is located in Corktown, and the studio offers a Tabata group class. In it, you’ll do an exercise for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and repeat eight times before going on to the next move. You can expect push-ups, squats, and more.

The class lasts 45 minutes and your first drop-in class costs only $5. After that, individual classes cost $12, and packages with discounted rates are available. You can even sign up online, so it requires minimal effort!

Barre Bee Fit, has locations in Ann Arbor and Birmingham, and offers two different HIIT-type classes, including Barre-dio Interval and Interval Barre. The first is a 45-minute class with 12 different exercises done at high intensity, followed by brief recovery periods. It will not only get your heart rate going, but spike your metabolism as well.

The Interval Barre class lasts 60 minutes and includes high-intensity cardio training, as well as toning. This one is more of a combination of HIIT and a typical barre class.

A single class costs $15 at the Ann Arbor location and $18 in Birmingham. You can sign up online for a class at both locations.

Mid American Fitness, 23325 Indoplex Circle, Farmington Hills, has an Interval XT class, which blends HIIT and strength training. The high intensity part of the workout is all cardio, while the recovery periods involve strength training moves like push ups and planks.

Each class costs $15, and the studio offers several different class packages. In addition to an individual class, you can sign up for a four-, 10- or 20-class pass, or an unlimited number of classes per month. For further information, check out the website provided above.

Equilibrium Studio, 6405 Telegraph Rd., Bloomfield Hills, is a renowned Pilates studio in Metro Detroit, and the trademark HIIT55 class is exclusive to the studio. You’ll start with a warm up, then go into three cardio circuits, one core circuit and a stretching period. The duration of the class is 55 minutes.

If you’re just starting out with an exercise routine, you might be interested in the studio’s Total Body Conditioning class, which is a low intensity version of the HIIT workout. You’ll still keep your heart rate up and break a sweat, but you won’t be left gasping for air, either.

An individual class costs $22, and the studio has numerous class and membership package options.

The Z Spot, 1472 S. Sheldon Rd., Plymouth, is an all-women’s fitness studio dedicated to a variety of ZUMBA fitness classes. Tabata Bootcamp is a certified program that uses a 20-10 Microburst Training Protocol. It’s offered on Mondays and Tuesdays throughout January, and drop-in classes cost a mere $5.

The Z Spot also offers a session class called HIIT the Max, which includes the same workout as the bootcamp one, it’s just a six week program. Registration is required, and the class begins on Tuesday, January 14 at 6:30 a.m. Six weeks of high intensity workouts for just $36? Not bad.

High intensity interval training not only burns fat and calories quickly, but it speeds up your metabolism, which allows you to burn calories at warp speed for the next 24 hours.

Dust off your workout gear, step away from the television and get moving at one (or more) of these HIIT classes! You’ll be ready for swimsuit season in no time.

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